News 07:00

BULLETIN 10 March 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the Competition Act cannot be used to establish a health policy framework
# The South African Correctional Services Workers’ Union demands fair pay progression
# And cricket: India beat New Zealand to win the third Champions Trophy

# The DA says it does not believe the proposed block exemption regulations will serve their intended purpose, which is to make private sector health prices more affordable. Last month, Trade, Industry, and Competition minister Parks Tau published the draft regulations allowing private health actors to set prices as a collective, which the Competition Act currently prohibits. The DA’s, Michele Clarke, says the Competition Act cannot be used to establish a health policy framework, which bypasses parliamentary oversight:

# The South African Correctional Services Workers’ Union is calling on the Department of Correctional Services to implement the overdue 1.5-percent pay progression for all eligible workers. The union’s general secretary Zanethemba Ndamane says the department also failed to implement grade progression in July 2024, preventing long-serving employees from advancing. She demands immediate action, vowing to hold DCS accountable until all members receive their rightful benefits:

# The EFF in Gauteng is demanding the immediate removal of Lesedi Municipality’s chief financial officer Gugulethu Mncube. She was appointed in July last year. The EFF’s Dumisani Baleni says Mncube does not meet the minimum competency requirements set out in the Municipal Finance Management Act, and its Municipal Regulations on Minimum Competency Levels. He adds that the appointment of Mncube seems to be a carefully orchestrated effort to install her as CFO despite her lack of qualifications:

# Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has called for national unity following deadly clashes between security forces and fighters loyal to the former Bashar al-Assad regime. More than one-thousand people, including 745 civilians, have been killed in the clashes over the past few days, one of the highest death tolls in Syria since 2011. The country’s presidency has announced the creation of an independent committee, which will investigate and identify the perpetrators behind the attacks on civilians. Al-Sharaa has described the clashes as expected challenges.

# Cricket: India defeated New Zealand by four wickets to win the Champions Trophy for the third time in Dubai. Daryl Mitchell scored 63 as the All Blacks posted 251 for seven, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy taking two wickets each. In reply, captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill shared an opening partnership of 105 runs as India secured victory with six balls to spare. Sharma says they have been playing some really good cricket in all formats:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 19-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-647-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-914-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-5-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Market Theatre Foundation has described renowned South African playwright, actor, and director, Athol Fugard, as a giant who put the country’s playwriting on the world map. The 92-year-old died at his Stellenbosch home after a long illness. The work of Eastern Cape-born Fugard includes Blood Knot, Tsotsi, and The Island. The Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal commended Fugard’s incredible contribution to SA theatre, adding that his plays will be a lasting legacy for generations.

Stay tuned for more news………….