News 08:00

BULLETIN 21 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC is confident of a budget agreement amid the VAT dispute
# DHL Express suspends delivery of certain packages to the US over new red tape
# And rugby: A rewarding weekend for three South African sides in the United Rugby Championship

# The ANC says it’s confident political parties will reach consensus on the proposed national budget, including the contentious 0.5-percentage point VAT increase set for 1 May. This follows the DA’s decision to challenge the hike in the Western Cape High Court tomorrow. ANC deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, says the upcoming meeting is vital for economic stability and the well-being of all South Africans:

Meanwhile, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has warned South Africa’s political parties that their infighting poses a huge problem to the country’s democracy. The head of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa said in his Easter sermon that parties should stop playing games of grandstanding; otherwise, South Africa’s democratic governance was heading for a crisis. Makgoba says the legitimacy of every party represented in Parliament should be respected. He also referred to crises such as gender-based violence and political dysfunction.

# The GOOD Party says schools and tertiary institutions must remain spaces of safety and learning. This follows the fatal shooting of a student during a protest at Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape last week. GOOD’s national youth chairperson, Kaden Arguile, condemned the violence, stressing that students should never be intimidated for raising their concerns. He urged authorities to ensure that student grievances are heard and to provide a secure learning environment:

# DHL Express is suspending the delivery of packages worth more than 15-thousand-rand to the US from today because of what it terms a significant increase in red tape. This follows the introduction of US president Donald Trump’s new tariff regime. The global logistics and international shipping company says those deliveries from all countries will be temporarily stopped until further notice, although business-to-business shipments will still go ahead. BBC reports packages worth up to 47-thousand-rand could earlier enter the US with minimal paperwork.

# And rugby: It was a dramatic yet rewarding weekend for three of South Africa’s four United Rugby Championship teams. The Bulls, the Sharks, and the Stormers registered crucial victories to stay on course for the playoffs. But there was bitter disappointment for the Lions who succumbed to their fifth defeat in a row, which dealt a massive blow to their hopes of reaching the top eight. The Bulls are now placed third, the Sharks fourth and the Stormers eighth.

Stay tuned for more news………….