News 06:00

BULLETIN 31 March 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says South Africa is targeting an additional two-trillion-rand
# AgriSA and Agbiz sound the alarm over rural fuel shortages
# And, Iran describes the US ceasefire proposal as unrealistic

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the South Africa Investment Conference has become the country’s premier platform for attracting investors and showcasing sustained economic reforms. He will address the sixth Investment Conference in Johannesburg today. Government is targeting an additional two-trillion-rand in investment commitments over the next five years, building on the success of the first five conferences, which collectively secured 1.5-trillion-rand in commitments. Ramaphosa says the conference takes place at a time of improved investor confidence, underpinned by progress in key structural reforms, including economic recovery initiatives and enhanced energy reliability.

# AgriSA and the Agricultural Business Chamber call on the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to urgently adjust fuel pricing to stabilise rural supply. According to the organisations, a joint survey of farmers and fuel retailers shows reports of constrained supply and fuel rationing in several regions, despite assurances that supply remains stable. Agbiz CEO Theo Boshoff warns that any fuel shortages during planting and harvesting could threaten food production, supply chains, and food security.

# The GOOD Party has urged former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma to stop trying to block Judge Sisi Khampepe from investigating political interference in apartheid-era prosecutions. This was after the High Court in Johannesburg dismissed their application to have Khampepe recused from leading a commission investigating the failure to implement Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations. GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron says any attempts to block the process undermine justice and public trust:

# The DA is calling for expanded policing powers in the Western Cape to help address the illegal firearms crisis. This follows a wave of deadly shootings on the Cape Flats that left seven people dead over the weekend. The DA’s Benedicta van Minnen says incidents in Gugulethu, Philippi East, and Uitsig highlight the ongoing proliferation of illegal guns and the failure to protect communities from violent crime:

# Iran says the United States’ 15-point ceasefire proposal contains largely excessive, unrealistic, and unreasonable demands. This is despite president Donald Trump claiming that Tehran had agreed to most of the requests on the list. The proposal includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20-percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes, and curbing Iran’s nuclear programme. The Iranian Foreign Ministry says there have been no direct negotiations with the US, adding that messages from Washington have only been relayed through intermediaries.

# Tennis: The international claycourt season kicks off after the Sunshine Double on hard courts in America. Among the men’s tournaments are ATP Masters One-thousand events in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, while the women will compete in WTA One-thousand tournaments in Madrid and Rome, as well as other events. The season culminates in the claycourt Grand Slam tournament, the French Open, in Paris from the end of May, with Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and American Coco Gauff the defending champions.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-16-cents and the euro at 19-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-720-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-512-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-27-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….