News 09:00

BULLETIN 8 February 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD Party says citizens don’t need to hear more hollow plans in the State of the Nation address
# Government employees are at risk of exclusion from the new two-pot retirement system
# And, Israel’s prime minister rejects Hamas’ ceasefire deal

# The GOOD Party says what South Africans don’t need to hear in president Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address is more hollow plans, however well-intended. The party’s secretary-general, Brett Herron, says there has been insufficient redress for the social and economic exclusion of the past. He says Ramaphosa needs to address economic growth, the energy and poverty crisis, and land reform amongst other important issues:

# National Treasury warns that government employees risk exclusion from the envisioned two-pot retirement system due to unamended pension fund rules. The system allows one-third of future savings to be cashed out throughout a career, with the remaining two-thirds accessible upon retirement. Treasury urges urgent amendments to enable access to retirement and emergency funds.  Currently, individuals can withdraw full pension savings upon leaving a job, often leaving them financially vulnerable in retirement. The Pension Funds Amendment Bill aims to amend pension rules.

# The National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has deployed the national task team responsible for investigating political killings in the Nongoma area in KwaZulu-Natal. This comes after an IFP councillor and a child were killed by unknown gunmen yesterday. Two other children were wounded. Police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, says the national commissioner has urged the police to leave no stone unturned in making sure the suspects are arrested speedily:

# Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected Hamas’ proposed ceasefire terms calling them delusional. The militant group’s proposal includes hostage releases in three phases, an initial 45-day pause in fighting, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Netanyahu says there could be no solution to Israel’s security issues except an absolute victory over Hamas:

# Golf: Fifteen-time major champion, Tiger Woods, will make his season debut at The Genesis Invitational in California next week. The 48-year-old underwent ankle surgery in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round and did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December. American’s Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris and Australia’s Adam Scott will also be competing in The Genesis Invitational. Woods’ last win on the PGA Tour was at the 2019 Zozo Championship in Japan.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-89-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 44-thousand-518-dollars-34-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-32-dollars-23-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-43-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….