News 06:00

BULLETIN 23 April 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA accuses ActionSA of leading the public by the nose
# The 0.5-percent VAT hike is lawful
# And rugby: Tielman Nieuwoudt leaves the Bulls to join the Cheetahs for the Currie Cup

# The DA says ActionSA is misleading the public with false claims about the national budget process. It accuses ActionSA of running a dishonest campaign to deflect from its role in helping pass the government’s fiscal framework. The party argues it opposed the proposed two-percent VAT increase from the beginning and led efforts to stop it in Parliament. The DA’s Karabo Khakhau says ActionSA is exploiting public frustration and using misinformation to score cheap political points:

Meanwhile, Parliament argued the 0.5-percent VAT hike set to commence next week is lawful, pending parliamentary amendment. The DA and EFF are challenging the increase, calling it unconstitutional and claiming it sidelines Parliament’s taxing powers. Judgment has been reserved. Appearing before the High Court in Cape Town, Parliament’s lawyer, Priscilla Pillay, defended the hike under the VAT Act, which allows the Finance minister to temporarily adjust VAT, subject to Parliament’s approval within 12 months: 

# The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union will march to the offices of the National Treasury, the Department of Basic Education, and the Department of Higher Education and Training in Pretoria today. The union is protesting against ongoing budget cuts, which it says are crippling the education system and violating learners’ right to quality schooling. SADTU’s Nomusa Cembi says overcrowded classrooms, delayed funding, unfilled posts, and unsafe learning conditions are becoming the norm:

# The man arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at the Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance next Friday. The 54-year-old man, who is accused of shooting Sisonke Mbolekwa to death, appeared in the Mthatha Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The suspect is alleged to have randomly shot at a group of students who were protesting outside his home within the university’s Mthatha campus last week. He is facing charges of murder and attempted murder.

# Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, allowing public viewing today at St. Peter’s Square. Per his wishes, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome on Saturday, rather than the traditional site beneath St. Peter’s. The 88-year-old Pope passed away on Monday after suffering a stroke and irreversible heart failure. The pontiff spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year suffering from pneumonia.

# Rugby: The Cheetahs have welcomed Tielman Nieuwoudt to their squad. The powerful loosehead prop is a product of Grey College in Bloemfontein. Nieuwoudt has represented the Blue Bulls and Bulls since 2022 and will officially join the Cheetahs ahead of this year’s Currie Cup in July. More good news for the Cheetahs faithful is that hooker Vernon Paulo has committed his future to the team by extending his contract for another two years.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-60-cents and the euro at 21-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-131-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-336-dollars-5-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-17-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….