News 07:00

BULLETIN 4 March 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF says Ramaphosa’s 3.8-percent salary hike is unjustified
# The DA says the arrest of the director-general of Health proves NHI risks massive corruption
# And, over 700 people have been killed since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran

# The EFF says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s salary increase is unjustified, given the state of the economy that is not growing fast enough. The National Assembly has approved a 3.8-percent salary increase for Ramaphosa, taking his annual salary to just over 3.4 million-rand. The EFF’s Poppy Mailola says Ramaphosa should set an example by foregoing the salary hike, as most ordinary workers in some private sectors were not receiving any increases:

Meanwhile, ActionSA says the government of national unity continues to encourage citizens to tighten their belts when its executive and president refuse to lead by example. ActionSA’s Athol Trollip says while it’s hypocritical for members of Parliament to reject the salary proposal when they received the same, they had hoped that Ramaphosa would have rejected it himself:

# The DA says the arrest of Health Department director-general Sandile Buthelezi by the Hawks on corruption allegations shows that the National Health Insurance will fail under a department plagued by mismanagement and oversight failures. The party calls on Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi to place Buthelezi on precautionary suspension while investigations continue. The DA’s Michelle Clarke says ongoing probes into the Bulkeng oxygen plant tender highlight serious governance failures that threaten public trust and the viability of the NHI.

# Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean McPherson, says the building collapse in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, has again exposed the fundamental challenge in how the built environment is regulated in South Africa. Nine people died when a concrete slab between the floors of a two-storey building, which was under construction, collapsed on Monday afternoon. McPherson says a thorough investigation must be conducted to establish the facts and hold those responsible accountable:

# Iran’s Red Crescent Society says some 787 people have been killed in Tehran since the US and Israel launched strikes at the country on Saturday. Iran expanded its targets Tuesday, striking the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, as Washington closed embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon and warned Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East. Israel also carried out new attacks on Iran’s leadership compound yesterday. Meanwhile, US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran, HRANA reports that 742 civilians have died, including 176 children.

# Paralympics: Skiers Menna Fitzpatrick and Scott Meenagh will be Great Britain’s virtual flagbearers at Friday’s opening ceremony of the Winter Games in Northern Italy. Meenagh, who lost both legs while serving with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan in 2011, will compete in his third Paralympics. Visually-impaired Fitzpatrick returns after breaking her leg a year ago, and sustaining a serious knee injury three months ago. They will take part in the ceremony at Verona’s Roman amphitheatre via a video sequence since they participate the next day

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-18-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-393-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-173-dollars-64-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….