News 09:00

BULLETIN 8 March 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Casac says the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill is not needed now
# Solidarity advocates decentralisation in education
# And, Oscar nominees receive goodie bags worth R3-million

# The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution says the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill is not needed at this stage in the country. Opposition parties in Parliament have appealed for discussions among parties to stave off potential legal action over the bill. The legislation changes the funding formula of how political parties and independents represented in legislatures receive allocations from state coffers. Casac says the existing division of funding allocations should be retained and the proposed amendment should be rejected.

# Trade union Solidarity has cautioned the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill could harm public schools, potentially leading to their deterioration. During a presentation to the National Council of Provinces’ select committee on Education, the union expressed concerns about the proposed amendments to language and admission policies in the bill. They called for decentralised education, urging recognition of parents’ vital role. Solidarity’s Johnell Prinsloo warns denying parents a say in school matters may result in child withdrawal, reducing funding and teacher quality:

# Police minister Bheki Cele is set to engage with the Richards Bay business community in KwaZulu-Natal today, over policing interventions aimed at clamping down on crime. Officials believe transport mafias are sabotaging rail lines and are linked to a string of murders intended to strike fear into the hearts of locals. The ministry’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, says this engagement comes off the back of the presidential breakfast engagement with the Durban Business Chamber of Commerce and Industry two weeks ago:

# Motorsport: Red Bull Formula One boss Christian Horner says it is time to draw a line under the controversy surrounding him and focus on racing. The 50-year-old was recently cleared following an investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour made against him by a female colleague. His accuser has now been suspended with full pay. Horner says this has been a very trying period for him and his family:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-68-cents and the euro at 20-rand-45-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-244-dollars-95-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-157-dollars-58-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

# And finally, Oscar nominees will receive stuff like beauty products, movie-inspired chocolates, gourmet popcorn, a Rubik’s Cube and a stay in a luxury chalet in the Swiss Alps. Each goodie bag containing about 60 items is worth over three-million-rand. Reuters reports companies pay a fee to put their product in the bags in return for potentially priceless exposure to A-list actors. The annual Academy Awards take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, with Oppenheimer favourite to win several awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Stay tuned for more news………….