News 08:00

BULLETIN 15 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A survey shows 47.3% of DA supporters are in favour of a coalition with the ANC
# COPE blames failed ANC policies for the worsening unemployment rate
# And Trump’s legal team sought to dismantle the credibility of his former attorney Michael Cohen

# A total of 51.8-percent of ANC voters are against an ANC-DA coalition, with only 28.8-percent in favour. This is according to the University of Johannesburg Centre for Social Development in Africa survey. The governing ANC is predicted to lose its majority in the 29 May elections. The survey shows that 59.4-percent of DA supporters don’t support a coalition with smaller parties, but are more positive towards a coalition with the ANC, with 47.3-percent of respondents indicating their support. Overall, 38.9-percent of respondents were opposed to coalitions at the national government level.

# COPE says the government under the ANC leadership has failed to implement and create jobs for millions of South Africans, which also proves that the party has reached a policy dead-end. According to Statistics South Africa, the unemployment rate rose 0.8-percent to 32.9-percent in the first three months of this year. COPE’s, Pakes Dikgetsi, says the failed ANC policies are further deepening the unemployment crisis the country faces:

# The ANC in Gauteng has welcomed the finding by the legislature’s Privileges and Ethics committee against the EFF’s provincial secretary Moshe Koma. The committee found that Koma attended only 18 of 62 House sittings between October 2019 and April this year, and submitted one apology. It says this is tantamount to fraud. The committee has recommended that the matter be referred to the National Director of Prosecutions. The ANC’s spokesperson, Lesego Makhubela, says the law must now take its course:

# Donald Trump’s legal team accused the former president’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, of having a personal vendetta against him. Cohen testified for the second day yesterday in Trump’s hush-money trial in New York. He admitted to submitting phoney invoices for legal services to cover up what were, in fact, reimbursements for payment to former adult film actor Stormy Daniels on Trump’s behalf. The former president faces 34 counts of business fraud for allegedly reimbursing Cohen for the payment to Daniels through transactions disguised as legal expenses.

# Soccer: Manchester City took a huge step towards a record fourth consecutive Premier League title after beating Tottenham Hotspur two-nil. Erling Haaland’s second-half double secured the win and moved Pep Guardiola’s side two points above Arsenal. City will lift the trophy again if they beat West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season on Sunday. Tottenham, meanwhile are now out of contention for a Champions League place. Guardiola says his players know it’s not done yet:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-37-cents and the euro at 19-rand-89-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-875-dollars-39-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-358-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….