News 09:00

BULLETIN 8 April 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Tax Justice SA criticises tobacco manufacturers for taking SARS to court
# Heavy rainfall helps firefighters contain multiple fires in the Cape Winelands
# And a ferry disaster leaves over 90 people dead in Mozambique

# Tax Justice South Africa is calling on tobacco manufacturers to withdraw their legal action against the South African Revenue Services. The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association, representing several smaller tobacco producers, is asking the Pretoria High Court to interdict Sars from implementing the new warehouse camera rule because it violates the constitutional right to privacy. Tax Justice SA founder, Yusuf Abramjee, says FITA’s attitude reflects a complacency that has witnessed the country degenerate into a gangster’s paradise:

# The Cape Winelands District Municipality says the heavy rainfall throughout the night has been instrumental in containing multiple fires across the district. The fires at the Drakenstein Correctional Services and Paarl Mountain have been contained. The municipality’s spokesperson, Anesca Roodt, says the Blauwklippen fire remains contained with the Stellenbosch Municipality maintaining vigilant monitoring until the area is safe:

# More than 90 people including children have died after a ferry sank off the north coast of Mozambique. According to authorities, the converted fishing boat travelling from Lunga, carrying about 130 people, ran into trouble as it tried to reach an island off Nampula province. Five people have been rescued. Nampula’s Secretary of State, Jaime Neto, says most of the passengers were trying to escape the mainland because of a panic caused by disinformation about cholera. Nampula province has been one of the worst affected by the cholera outbreak.

# Soccer: Liverpool missed the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League after playing to a two-all draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Luis Diaz put Liverpool ahead in a one-sided first half. In the second half, goals from captain Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo saw the hosts go two-one up. However, a late Mohamed Salah penalty ensured a draw for the Reds, who are now behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference. Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, says they should have won the game:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-26-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-377-dollars-95-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-341-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

# And, finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa will host a Credentials Ceremony in Pretoria this week to receive Letters of Credence from Heads of Mission-Designate. These official diplomatic documents are presented to the president by ambassadors nominated by their respective governments to serve in South Africa. Among those presenting credentials are representatives from Rwanda, the Swiss Confederation, Malaysia, Italy, Mongolia, Tanzania, Kuwait, Belarus, the Dominican Republic, Korea, Kenya, New Zealand, Iran and Suriname.

Stay tuned for more news………….