News 08:00

BULLETIN 28 March 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Electoral Commission will today announce objections on the candidate lists
# The deputy president will address the National Assembly on construction sector crime and private sector investment
# And Netanyahu says Israel has no choice but to launch a Rafah offensive

# The Independent Electoral Commission will today announce the status of political party and independent candidate lists for the general elections. Following the objections cut-offs yesterday, the commission will announce its decisions on objections, including the eligibility of former president Jacob Zuma’s backed party, uMkhonto we Sizwe party. The commission’s chairperson Mosotho Moepya says the IEC will outline the next steps before the final lists are released:

# Deputy President Paul Mashatile will today address Parliament, outlining government plans to combat crime in the construction sector. The focus is on increasing private sector investment and promoting job creation amid poverty, inequality, and unemployment challenges. He will also respond to questions on HIV/AIDS interventions and service delivery acceleration during the National Assembly’s virtual plenary sitting. As leader of government business, Mashatile will also update members of Parliament on Cabinet ministers’ adherence to their constitutional responsibilities.

# The GOOD Party in the Western Cape says the City of Cape Town cutting the provision of free electricity to thousands of indigent households is shocking and concerning. The city’s budget adjustment, tabled yesterday and approved by the DA majority, lowered the qualifying threshold for free services from properties valued at less than 500-thousand-rand, to properties valued at less than 400-thousand-rand. The GOOD Party says these cuts will impact families living across the Cape Flats, besides those living in informal settlements who maintain serviceable electricity meters in their shacks.

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says they have no choice but to launch a military offensive in Rafah. He met with US members of Congress yesterday. Israel has faced criticism internationally ahead of its planned offensive on the southern Gaza city, in which more than one million people are currently sheltering. Netanyahu says victory in Gaza and getting Hamas’ senior leadership in the enclave are just a few weeks away:

# Tennis: Reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner is through to his third Miami Open semifinal. The Italian defeated Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac, 6-4, 6-2, to move into his fourth semifinal of the year and capture a season-leading 20th match win. In the women’s draw, Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova beat American Jessica Pegula, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the semifinals. She will face another American Danielle Collins, who saw off France’s Caroline Garcia, 6-3, 6-2.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-91-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-282-dollars-6-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-195-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….