News 09:00

BULLETIN 30 March 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF rejects policies that seek to increase the cost of electricity and water
# FOSA calls for minister McKenzie to be fired over allegations made by an inmate
# And, over 8 million people attended the No Kings protests against Trump

# The EFF has consistently rejected anti-poor fiscal policies, including those that seek to increase the cost of electricity and water under the false justification of ensuring municipal financial sustainability. Eskom has announced electricity tariff increases of 8.76-percent for its direct customers and  9.01-percent for the municipalities for the 2026/2027 financial year, approved by the National Energy Regulator. EFF Gauteng spokesperson, Dumisani Baleni, says they oppose electricity tariff hikes:

# The Forum for South Africa is demanding the immediate dismissal of Sports, Arts and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie. This follows allegations by Johannesburg Correctional Centre inmate Jermaine Prim against the minister during an interview with eNCA. He claimed that McKenzie sent two phones to him while incarcerated, and asked him to work on a social media campaign to help the Patriotic Alliance win a by-election in Riverlea. FOSA leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, says this is a direct assault on the integrity of the country’s justice system:

# The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the re-appointment of  Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as the provincial police commissioner. POPCRU secretary, Nthabeleng Molefe says this re-appointment comes at a critical moment for KZN, where communities continue to grapple with high levels of violent crime, organised criminal networks, and deep socio-economic challenges that place enormous pressure on law enforcement agencies. She says stability, experience and decisive leadership within SAPS are not a luxury, but a necessity.

# Event organisers have estimated that the “No Kings” demonstrations, which took place across the US and in over a dozen countries on Saturday, were attended by more than eight million people. Attendees railed against president Donald Trump’s policies, the rising cost of living, immigration enforcement, and the Iran war. A marquee event took place in Minnesota, where federal immigration agents killed two American citizens in January. Actor and director Robert De Niro, who attended the New York rally, said it’s time to say no to Trump:

# Cricket: The Mumbai Indians got their Indian Premier League campaign off to a winning start, beating the Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets. Captain Ajinkya Rahane scored 67 as he powered the Knight Riders to 220 for four in their 20 overs, while Shardul Thakur took three wickets. In reply, Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton hammered a 148-run opening partnership to set the Mumbai Indians up for a comfortable victory with five balls to spare, and also snapped a 14-year streak of losing their season-opening fixture.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-12-cents and the euro at 19-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-72-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-336-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-487-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 106-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….