News 09:00

BULLETIN 18 February 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD Party says minister Godongwana must implement a basic income grant
# Tshwane condemns a violent assault at a popular Pretoria nightclub
# And the UN says a settlement must respect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

# The GOOD Party says implementing a basic income grant should be priority number one in Finance minister Enoch Godogwana’s budget speech on Wednesday. Economic research the party conducted nearly two years ago, pointed to the country being able to afford a 999-rand basic income grant if it changed its approach to budgeting. GOOD’s secretary-general, Brett Herron, says South Africa is constitutionally obliged and can no longer afford not to implement a basic income grant of a quantum sufficient to enable citizens to feed themselves:

Meanwhile, Zero Carbon Charge urges the minister to prioritise carbon reduction targets in his budget speech. The solar-powered charging station provider is calling for financial incentives to boost electric vehicle adoption and develop off-grid charging infrastructure. The organisation’s Joubert Roux calls for a carbon credit trading system to encourage clean energy investments and help South Africa reach its net-zero transport goals:

# The City of Tshwane has strongly condemned the violent assault and abuse of patrons at the popular Pretoria nightclub Zanzou. Viral videos show a group of men being tortured and sexually abused at the club for allegedly stealing cellphones. In a statement, Zanzou said an immediate investigation had been conducted, resulting in the dismissal of the security employee responsible for the abuse. Mayoral committee member for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, says such violent acts have no place in society:

# The United Nations says any peace deal in Ukraine must respect the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, under international law. European leaders held emergency talks in Paris on Monday, as US and Russian officials prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia today to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, without European or Ukrainian involvement. The UN says it welcomes all genuine efforts and initiatives that would alleviate the impact of the war on civilians and de-escalate the conflict.

# Soccer: Defending champions Orlando Pirates will face SuperSport United in the Nedbank quarterfinals in Tshwane in March. The Buccaneers are aiming for a third successive domestic cup triumph. Kaizer Chiefs, who are seeking their first trophy since 2015, has been drawn against Stellenbosch FC, while Durban City will play Marumo Gallants. Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns’ opponent has not been confirmed, as the last 32 tie between Royal AM and Milford FC must still be played, and the winner will take on Sekhukhune United in the last 16.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-44-cents and the euro at 19-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-159-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-908-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….