News 08:00

BULLETIN 30 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Petrol prices are hiked with a decrease for diesel from tomorrow
# ActionSA demands the withdrawal of an ANC letter urging diplomats to campaign abroad
# And tennis: Nadal battles his way into the Madrid Open last 16

# The Department of Minerals and Energy says petrol prices will be hiked by 37-cents a litre tomorrow, while the diesel price will decrease by 30 and 36-cents per litre. The wholesale price of illuminating paraffin will be cut by 19-cents a litre. The department says these prices were affected by the higher oil prices and weaker rand during the period under review. It adds that the petrol prices are increasing mainly due to the higher demand for driving season in the northern hemisphere.

# ActionSA says it has received a deeply disturbing letter from the ANC Secretary General’s Office, which appears to have been circulated to South African embassies. The letter reportedly urges the country’s diplomatic corps to assist in the ANC’s campaign abroad. ActionSA’s, Solly Moeng, says although South Africans are used to various shenanigans during election season by the ruling party, asking the country’s diplomatic representatives to mobilise votes abroad is a step too far:

# The National Council of Provinces has approved the Climate Change Bill. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Barbara Creecy highlights that the bill establishes a legal framework to regulate climate change-contributing activities. It aims for an effective response across government and society, ensuring a just transition and seizing green economy opportunities. Creecy says the bill facilitates coordinated climate actions, establishing provincial and municipal forums and clear frameworks for mitigation, adaptation, and financing.

# Limpopo Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, will this morning lead the repatriation process of the remains of the 45 Botswana nationals killed in a bus crash over the Easter long weekend. The churchgoers died when the bus they were travelling plunged off the Mamatlakala bridge on the R518 route in Limpopo. Only one child survived. The MEC’s spokesperson, Thilivhali Muavha, says a dedicated multidisciplinary team has worked tirelessly to recover and positively identify the human remains through the DNA process:

# Tennis: Five-time champion Rafael Nadal is through to the last 16 of the Madrid Open as he continues his comeback from injury. The Spaniard battled past Argentina’s Pedro Cachin, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, in just over three hours. Italian top seed Jannik Sinner remains on course for his fourth title of the year, after he saw off Russia’s Pavel Kotov, 6-2, 7-5. There were also wins for Norway’s Casper Rudd and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. Nadal reflects on the match:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-68-cents and the euro at 20-rand. One British pound costs 23-rand-44-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-691-dollars-29-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-329-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….