News 09:00

BULLETIN 12 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC says the MK Party’s probe into the expenditure of the postponed budget is frivolous
# The UDM questions the continued presence of Timothy Omotoso in the country
# And the US and China have made progress in de-escalating the trade war

# The ANC Study Group on Standing Committee on Auditor-General says the MK Party’s request for an investigation into the expenditure related to the postponement of the 2025 national budget is frivolous. The MK Party has accused the government of mismanaging millions of rands in the preparations for the national budget speech, which was postponed twice. The ANC’s Imraan Subrathie says the information requested by the MK Party can be reported by the National Treasury and respective organs of state:

# Tourism minister Patricia de Lille has described the Africa Travel Indaba as the pride of tourism on the continent. The indaba hosted in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, kicks off today under the theme: Unlimited Africa. Last year, the indaba generated 226-million-rand in direct economic activity in Durban, and an additional 333-million-rand across the province. This year’s indaba welcomes over one-thousand-300 exhibitors, delegates from 27 African countries, and over one-thousand-200 vetted international buyers from 55 source markets. De Lille says the indaba is a vehicle for creating jobs.

# The UDM Women’s Organisation says South Africans deserve to know the legal basis for controversial Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso’s continued presence in the country. Omotoso, who was recently acquitted on a string of sexual assault and human trafficking charges, was arrested in East London over the weekend for contravening the Immigration Act. UDM’s Thandi Nontenja says the country cannot continue to protect foreign religious leaders who exploit their positions of influence to prey on the vulnerable:

# US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the trade discussions with China as productive and constructive. Officials of the world’s two largest economies met for talks in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. This comes after president Donald Trump imposed sweeping 145-percent tariffs on most Chinese goods last month. China retaliated with 125-percent on US goods. Bessent says the two countries have made substantial progress on de-escalating the trade war. China’s vice premier He Lifeng said the talks were in-depth and candid.

# Motorsport: Johann Zarco made history by becoming the first home rider in 71 years to win the MotoGP French Grand Prix. The 34-year-old LCR Honda rider finished 19.907 seconds ahead of six-time world champion Ducati’s Marc Marquez with 20-year-old rookie Fermin Aldeguer of Ducati-Gresini in third. Zarco’s victory ended a run of 22 straight wins for Ducati and lifted him to sixth in the overall standings. He says making history in his home race is special:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-20-cents and the euro at 20-rand-43-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-889-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-278-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-96-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….