News 06:00

BULLETIN 3 May 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Moody’s warns a coalition government may struggle
# Solidarity condemns the BELA Bill as the final breach with the Afrikaans community
# And, today marks World Press Freedom Day

# Ratings agency Moody’s says South Africa may struggle to make progress on resolving the country’s longstanding challenges if a coalition government emerges after the elections. Opinion polls suggest the ANC could lose its national majority in the elections on the 29th of this month, dropping below 50-percent. This means the ruling party will need to form a coalition government. Moody’s says the election raises the possibility that policies from comparatively radical parties, including policies not friendly to investors, will emerge.

# Trade union Solidarity says the adoption of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill is a final breach of trust with the Afrikaans community. According to the union, passed with the ANC’s majority in the National Council of Provinces, the bill centralises decisions on language and admission policies, undermining minority rights. Collaborating with other organisations, the union pledges legal action to challenge the bill. Solidarity’s Johnell Prinsloo sees the amendments as a facade, aiming to marginalise Afrikaans and enforce racial quotas in schools:

# City Power has confirmed that preliminary investigations revealed that theft and vandalism led to the fire in the underground tunnels under the M1. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena says City Power’s security team confronted suspects attempting to steal burnt cables, leading to an exchange of fire. Mangena confirmed that the stolen cable was recovered, and a complaint was lodged with SAPS. He said that restoration estimates will be provided after today’s damage assessment:

# US president Joe Biden says both free speech and the rule of law must be upheld amid pro-Palestinian protests across universities in the country. The majority of demonstrations have called for colleges to divest from companies that support Israel and the war in Gaza. More than one-thousand-800 people have been arrested on campuses since the 18th of last month. Biden says America is not an authoritarian nation where people are silenced, but neither is it a lawless country:

# Rugby: The Bulls have signed flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain from the Sharks for next season. The 25-year-old, who can also play fullback, has been with the Sharks for five years. However, this season, he has struggled for game time under Sharks head coach John Plumtree. Chamberlain is the second signing for the Bulls for next season, with former Stormers flank and Manchester-based Sale Sharks star, Cobus Wiese, returning to South Africa to join the Pretoria-based side.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-53-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-138-dollars-36-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-304-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-1-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Today is World Press Freedom Day, a day to highlight the importance of journalism and freedom of expression. This year’s theme is A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this day in December 1993. The UN says today is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Stay tuned for more news………….