News 07:00
BULLETIN 7 April 7 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Minister Macpherson says he won’t be deterred by death threats
# Over 50 countries have contacted the White House to begin trade negotiations
# And golf: England’s Mimi Rhodes wins the Joburg Ladies Open
# Public Works and Infrastructure minister, Dean Macpherson, says despite death threats, he remains fully committed to restoring the Independent Development Trust to its rightful place. He gave an update on Sunday on the ongoing investigation by PwC into the 800-million-rand oxygen plant tender at the IDT. Of the three companies involved in the procurement, two are allegedly not registered with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority. Macpherson says the culture of corruption must come to an end:
# The MK Party has denied any negligence regarding its eight vacant parliamentary seats. Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu says the seats will be filled after 29 May, in line with electoral timelines. He added the party plans to challenge this rule. MK also distanced itself from Parliament’s 2025 budget framework, saying it cannot be blamed for the vote, despite ten MPs being absent:
# The Department of Basic Education will soon announce Phase Five of the Basic Education Employment Initiative, targeting youth aged 18 to 34. In partnership with the Department of Employment and Labour, and supported by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, the initiative aims to create over 200-thousand school-based jobs nationwide. Recruitment will be exclusively free through SAYouth.mobi. Youths are urged to renew login details and apply for police clearance. The department has also warned of possible scammers.
# DA Gauteng Health supports the South African Medical Association Trade Union’s call to reverse proposed cuts to doctors’ overtime. Spokesperson Jack Bloom warns the move could slash some doctors’ pay by a third. He blames the cuts on over five-billion-rand in unpaid arrears by Gauteng Health Department. He calls for new leadership to ensure quality care in Gauteng hospitals:
# More than 50 countries have reached out to the White House to begin trade negotiations after president Donald Trump’s global sweeping tariffs. This is according to US’s National Economic Council director, Kevin Hassett. Trump’s blanket ten-percent tax on imports is now in effect, with much steeper tariffs for many countries, including South Africa, coming this week. Hassett has denied that the tariffs were part of a strategy by Trump to crash financial markets to pressure the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
# Golf: England’s Mimi Rhodes won the Joburg Ladies Open by one stroke at the Modderfontein Golf Club, her second consecutive Ladies European Tour title. The 23-year-old carded a two-under round of 71 to finish top of the leaderboard at 14 under. South Africa’s Casandra Alexander made a final round of 69 to finish second on 13 under par, with Germany’s Helen Briem in third. Rhodes gave credit to Alexander, who took her to the final hole:
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-25-cents and the euro at 21-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-655-dollar-50-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-20-dollars-1-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-89-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….