News 07:00
BULLETIN 19 April 7am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Mashatile is confident the VAT hike talks will provide a positive solution
# Polokwane mayor says safety of pilgrims at Moria is a top priority
# And in rugby, Mapimpi’s late try earns the Sharks a win away to Edinburgh in the URC
# Deputy president Paul Mashatile has appealed to the church to pray for those in authority who lead the country. During the Good Friday service, he addressed the Assemblies of God congregation in Thaba Nchu in the Free State. Discussions are underway to find solutions to the proposed 0.5-percent value-added tax hike, which is set to be implemented on the first of May. Mashatile says parties will meet next week, and he is confident that a positive solution will be found.
Meanwhile, Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane says the proposed VAT increase remains a controversy in Parliament. This comes as the Cabinet debates the implementation or scrapping of the VAT increase. The VAT hike is part of the government’s plan to raise the rate from 15 to 16-percent over two years. He warns that if the hike proceeds on May 1st, it will burden already struggling South Africans:
# Polokwane mayor John Mpe says security has been tightened to ensure the safety of pilgrims at Moria. Thousands of Zion Christian Church members have descended on Moria for the first full pilgrimage since the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic and restrictions on mass events paused the annual pilgrimage in 2020. Over 500 Putco buses transported pilgrims on Friday. Mpe says the safety of pilgrims and members of the public around the area is their top priority:
# Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani says Israel had failed to respect January’s ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. A truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar with Egypt and the United States, came into force on the 19th of January. The initial phase of the truce ended in early March, with the two sides unable to agree on the next steps. Israel resumed air and ground attacks on March 18.
# Rugby: Makazole Mapimpi scored an 81st-minute try as the Sharks snatched an 18-17 victory against Edinburgh in their 15th round United Rugby Championship clash in the Scottish capital. The homeside, which outscored the visitors by three tries to two, looked on course for a fourth successive home win only to be stunned right at the death by the Durban-based side. The result improves the Sharks’ prospects of securing a home advantage in the play-offs, while Edinburgh remains eighth ahead of the weekend fixtures.
Stay tuned for more news……..