News 08:00

BULLETIN 8 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF submits alternative revenue proposals to Parliament
# Chris Hani’s widow still wants an inquest into his assassination
# And rugby: It will be a Cape-based Varsity Cup final

# The EFF has formally submitted alternative revenue-generating proposals to the National Assembly, opposing the proposed value-added tax increase in the 2025 fiscal framework. The budget, which was passed in Parliament last week, includes a 0.5-percentage point VAT increase over the next two financial years. Some of the EFF’s proposals include adjusting personal income tax brackets for inflation, increasing corporate income tax, and increasing funding to the South African Revenue Service to unlock the 800-billion-rand tax gap.

# Anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani’s widow Limpho Hani has reiterated her call for president Cyril Ramaphosa to launch an inquest into the death of the freedom fighter. Ahead of Hani’s 32-year commemorative event in the Eastern Cape later this week, the struggle hero’s widow, and members of the SACP led a wreath-laying ceremony at the South Park Cemetery in Boksburg on Monday. Hani once again slammed the country’s justice system for having granted Janusz Waluś parole last year:

# The Gauteng Department of Education says it remains committed to upholding zero-tolerance on sexual misconduct cases towards some of its employees. This follows revelations that nine out of 12 teachers with criminal records for sexual offences remain employed in schools in the province, despite the presence of a vetting process. MEC Matome Chiloane told Newzroom Afrika that the employment of individuals by the department is subject to strict legal and procedural processes:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says is working with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to create a deal to release more hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu met with president Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Of the 251 hostages abducted during Hamas’s October 7 attack, 58 remain in captivity in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military says are dead. Netanyahu says the hostages are in agony, and they want to get them all out:

# Rugby: University of Stellenbosch-Maties will face arch-rivals University of Cape Town-Ikeys in the Varsity Cup final in Stellenbosch next Monday. Log leaders Maties earned a hard-fought 19-7 victory over defending champions University of the Free State-Shimlas in their semifinals at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch. Ikeys are through to their fourth consecutive final after outscoring University of Pretoria-Tuks five tries to four on their way to a 48-35 victory in Pretoria.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-48-cents and the euro at 21-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-90-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-114-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-994-dollars-85-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-72-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….