News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AgriSA and Agbiz warn that fuel relief alone won’t stabilise the food system
# The IEC is seeking public comment on proposed deposit amounts for the elections
# And, Iran rejects Trump’s claims that it asked for a ceasefire

# AgriSA and the Agricultural Business Chamber say the fuel levy cut alone will not be enough to stabilise South Africa’s food system. While they welcome the temporary relief of about three-rand per litre, the groups warn that farmers are still under pressure from rising fertiliser costs, supply constraints, and tight profit margins. Agbiz CEO Theo Boshoff says fuel is a major production cost, so the cut offers short-term relief. Still, wider measures are needed to secure food supply and protect the agricultural value chain.

# The Electoral Commission of South Africa has published a notice inviting comment from interested stakeholders on the proposed quantum of election deposits for the upcoming local government elections. This as the IEC is expecting its largest local government election by candidate count, with projections surpassing 100-thousand prospective candidates across more than four-thousand-468 wards nationwide. IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo says proposed deposits range from one-thousand-800-rand for a single ward to four-thousand-700-rand for a metropolitan council seat:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Justice and Constitutional Development has granted an extension of one month to judges Nana Makhubele and Mushtak Parker to submit written representations on why they should not be impeached. They were found guilty of gross misconduct and referred to Parliament for possible removal from the bench. Makhubele failed to step down as Passenger Rail Agency interim chairperson when she was appointed as a judge in 2018. Parker was found to have lied about a physical altercation with former Judge President John Hlophe.

# Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says the provincial government has taken coordinated steps to address water disruptions that peaked about six weeks ago. These include rolling out an Operations Centre to coordinate with national entities and municipalities. Lesufi says some of the short-term measures included pressure management, leak repairs, and water tanker management. He says the construction of a new ground reservoir and tower in Brixton has been concluded, and is already making a tangible difference in strengthening water provision across Johannesburg’s suburbs:

# Iran’s Foreign Ministry has described US president Donald Trump’s claims that it has asked for a ceasefire as false and baseless. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he would only consider the request after Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route for oil and gas that has been blocked by Tehran. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has stated that the Strait of Hormuz is firmly and decisively under the control of its forces, and it will not be opened to the enemies of Tehran.

# Cricket: World champion India confirmed a tour of Zimbabwe for three T20s in July, all taking place in Harare. This will be the Asian giants’ first visit to the African country since middle 2024. The two countries’ most recent meeting was during the World Cup, where India won by 72 runs. Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director, Givemore Makoni, says the series represents a significant opportunity for local players and fans. Zimbabwe will visit India for a series of three one-day matches in January next year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-97-cents and the euro at 19-rand-62-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-51-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-444-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-695-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 103-dollars-28-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….