News 09:00

BULLETIN April 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Patricia de Lille urges parties to work together and put the needs of the country first
# Saftu says the DA’s objection to the VAT hike is not about supporting the poor
# And five suspected cash-in-transit robbers are killed in KwaZulu-Natal

# GOOD Party leader, Patricia de Lille, says now is not the time for party posturing and politicking, but for courageous national decision-making on identifying and meeting South Africa’s priorities. The ANC managed to get the fiscal framework and revenue proposals underpinning the national budget across the line in the National Assembly on Wednesday. De Lille says the economic growth forecasts remain dire and insufficient to seriously dent poverty and unemployment, or narrow inequality:

# The South African Federation of Trade Unions says the DA’s recent opposition to the proposed 0.5-percent value-added tax increase is not evidence of a pro-poor awakening, but it is motivated by its rejection of any wealth redistribution. The DA is set to file papers in the Western Cape High Court today, challenging Parliament’s passing of the 2025/2026 national budget. Saftu’s spokesperson, Newton Masuku, says the DA’s primary concern is to defend the rich, not the poor:

# Five suspected cash-in-transit robbers were killed in a shootout with police in Ridgeview, Durban on Wednesday. It is understood the group was being monitored following Monday’s cash-in-transit heist on the M25 highway in KwaMashu, where an undisclosed amount of cash was taken. Police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, says they were conducting an intelligence-led operation after gathering information that the suspects were planning to commit yet another cash-in-transit robbery in the iLembe District:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa will host his Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema today, who is on a working visit to South Africa. This is Hichilema’s first official visit to the country since taking office in August 2021. The Presidency says the purpose of the visit is to further strengthen the historical and cordial bilateral relations that exist between the two countries. The two leaders are set to emphasise the need to invest more in areas of mutual benefit for regional development, such as mineral beneficiation, local manufacturing, and agriculture.

# Soccer: Liverpool have restored their 12-point lead atop of the Premier League standings following a 1-0 win over Everton at Anfield. Diogo Jota’s second-half strike was enough to secure victory in the Merseyside derby. Liverpool requires only 13 points from a possible 24 available to win the title. Reigning champions Manchester City returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory against Leicester. Relegation-threatened Ipswich secured their first league victory of the year with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth. There were also wins for Newcastle and Aston Villa.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-84-cents and the euro at 20-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-296-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-147-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….