News 07:00

BULLETIN 10 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# COPE says the government of national unity must prove it is more than a fragile pact of convenience
# Eskom reports a decline in infrastructure crime
# And Goldman Sachs warns there’s still a 45-percent chance of a US recession

# The Congress of the People says it refuses to be a spectator as the government of national unity risks constitutional chaos. The ANC is reportedly considering the reconstitution of the coalition government after the DA voted against the fiscal framework in Parliament last week. COPE’s acting national chairperson, Pakes Dikgetsi, says the government of national unity needs to prove to citizens that it is more than a fragile pact of convenience:

# Eskom has reported a decline in infrastructure crime including transformers and mini-substations, but warns that theft and vandalism remain a major threat to electricity supply and public safety. Between April 2024 and February 2025, Eskom’s losses totaled 221-million-rand, down from 271-million-rand in the same period of the previous year. In a statement, the power utility commended the arrest of six suspects in possession of Eskom property worth 1.5-million-rand. Eskom urges communities to help protect critical infrastructure.

# Public Works minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed the forensic report into the George building collapse, which claimed 34 lives. Macpherson says the findings mark a critical first step toward accountability and healing. In a statement the minister confirmed that the department of Public Works will release its own report in May, targeting professional and statutory breaches by built environment stakeholders. He emphasised that the findings aim to improve oversight, enforce regulations, and enhance safety on construction sites to prevent future tragedies.

# The Gauteng Department of Education has immediately terminated its partnership with Nali’Bali. This follows an incident of alleged sexual assault by a Nali’Bali practitioner on a Grade 3 learner at Braamfischerville Primary School last month. The alleged perpetrator was suspended and subsequently arrested. His bail hearing is scheduled for Monday. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says Nali’Bali is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign that aims at propelling children’s potential through storytelling and reading:

# Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs is warning that the US economy still faces a significant risk of a recession, even after president Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on country-specific tariffs. During the pause there will be a universal tariff of ten-percent, but Trump has hiked levies on China to 125-percent. Goldman Sachs economists project the US economy will grow at a very slow pace of just 0.5-percent this year. It now sees a 45-percent chance of a recession over the next 12 months.

# Golf: The 32nd South African Women’s Open, the final tournament on this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour, is set to tee off at the Erinvale Country and Golf Estate in the Western Cape today. The tournament has drawn a strong field including South Africans Casandra Alexander, Kaiyuree Moodley, and Danielle du Toit. Approximately 7.1-million-rand in prize money is on offer. Moodley, who has taken the Sunshine Ladies Tour by storm this year, says she has had a good season:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-39-cents and the euro at 21-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-84-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-316-dollar-60-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-87-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….