News 09:00

BULLETIN 26 February 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# TLU SA criticises the lack of stronger financial support for agriculture in the budget
# The IPID executive director’s term is extended
# And, the EU and Britain sign a competition cooperation agreement

# TLU SA has criticised the 2026/2027 budget for failing to provide stronger financial support for agriculture, despite the sector facing challenges such as foot-and-mouth disease and ongoing pressure on food security, jobs, and exports. The organisation warns that while the budget includes infrastructure and security funding, it lacks targeted measures to boost farming resilience and growth. TLU SA’s Caria van der Merwe says state capacity is needed to ensure agricultural funding benefits farmers:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police has resolved to accede to a request made by acting minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, to extend the term of the current Independent Police Investigative Directorate executive director, Jennifer Ntlatseng. The former executive director’s contract lapsed on 31 July 2025. Committee chairperson, Ian Cameron, says this decision is necessary to ensure organisational stability and to sustain the improvements occurring at IPID. He adds that there is a need to ensure that there is no vacuum in the leadership of a strategic oversight mechanism over SAPS.

# The Freedom Front Plus says the Tshwane Metro Council’s budget for the 2025/2026 financial year has been inadequate from the outset, and the latest adjustment budget merely exacerbates the metro’s financial strain. The party says there are several serious shortcomings in the adjustment budget. FF Plus’ Grandi Theunissen says this includes Tshwane’s financial plan based on an unrealistic projected collection rate of 92-percent, which ignores the extent of arrears as well as warnings by the Auditor-General:

# The European Commission and the United Kingdom have signed the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement, setting a new and clear framework for cooperation on competition matters. The agreement will facilitate the exchange of confidential information, aiming to ensure greater economic stability and legal certainty for businesses. The European Union’s executive vice-president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, says this agreement reaffirms their shared commitment to maintaining fair and competitive markets to the benefit of consumers, businesses, and innovation.

# Soccer: Fifteen-time winners Real Madrid have booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League following victory over Benfica at the Bernabeu. Goals from Vinícius Júnior and Aurélien Tchouaméni helped Madrid beat Benfica 2-1 in the second-leg play-off round, winning the tie 3-1 on aggregate. Defending champions Paris St-Germain beat 10-man Monaco 5-4 on aggregate after being held to a two-all draw in the second-leg tie. Atalanta and Galatasaray are also through to the last 16. The draw for the round of 16 takes place tomorrow.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-84-cents and the euro at 18-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-47-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-588-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-192-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….