News 07:00

BULLETIN 24 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Godongwana has reversed the proposed VAT increase
# The NPA appoints senior counsel to look at an appeal of the Omotoso decision
# And rugby: The Junior Boks kick off their final preparations

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has decided to withdraw the decision to hike the value-added tax rate by 0.5 percentage points. In a statement, the minister says this decision follows extensive consultations with political parties and careful consideration of the recommendations of the parliamentary committees. Godongwana says that by not increasing VAT, estimated revenue will fall short by around 75-billion-rand over the medium term. He adds that Parliament will be requested to adjust expenditure to ensure that the loss of revenue does not harm South Africa’s fiscal sustainability.

Meanwhile, deputy president Paul Mashatile has acknowledged that the current budgetary process is not transparent and inclusive enough. He addressed a high-level Budget 2025 Roundtable convened by the Financial and Fiscal Commission of South Africa. Mashatile says in contrast to other governments around the world that have collapsed due to fiscal disputes, South Africa has successfully navigated the challenges:

# The National Prosecuting Authority has appointed a senior counsel to assess the prospects of appealing the controversial televangelist Timothy Omotoso judgment. Citing the case’s complexity and public impact, the NPA’s internal team is reviewing trial transcripts and key rulings. The state can only appeal acquittals in terms of Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The final decision will follow expert legal advice. The NPA stresses it’s committed to justice for victims and restoring public confidence.

# US president Donald Trump has accused his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, of harming peace negotiations with Russia. This comes after Zelensky told the Wall Street Journal that his country will not accept giving up Crimea as part of the negotiations. One of America’s proposals is that Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea is recognised. Meanwhile, US vice president JD Vance has warned that Russia and Ukraine must reach a deal to end the war or America will walk away from the process:

# Rugby: Junior Springboks coach Kevin Foote says he has 31 players who are fit and ready to play. The team has begun their preparations for the Under-20 Rugby Championship, which kicks off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha next week. The second edition of the Southern Hemisphere tournament will bring together the best young stars from South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, and Australia. Foote says he is satisfied with how the preparations are going:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-61-cents and the euro at 21-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-433-dollar-60-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-358-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The South African Bone Marrow Registry has found its first stem cell match through a global donor drive. Bradley Peters, from the United Kingdom, matched with a patient in South America after joining the campaign during an awareness event last year. The drive, called Matches on the Map, was started by transplant survivor Robin Lewis and his wife. The team has travelled across several countries to recruit more donors. The registry says more sign-ups could help save many more lives.

Stay tuned for more news………….