News 11:00

BULLETIN 4 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen resigns as DA leader
# Minister Meth increases the national minimum wage to above 30-rand per hour
# And rugby: The Blitzboks’ Ryan Oosthuizen says they will bounce back in Perth

# John Steenhuisen has resigned as leader of the DA, but will stay on as minister of Agriculture. More in our next bulletin.

# Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, has increased the national minimum wage rates for 2026, effective from the first of March. In line with recommendations from the National Minimum Wage Council, the minimum wage has been increased by five-percent, taking the rate from 28-rand-79-cents to 30-rand-23-cents for each ordinary hour worked. Meth says excluded from this national minimum wage increase are Expanded Public Works Programme workers, who are employed under a special dispensation.

# Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille says South Africa is strengthening its tourism growth strategy through investment promotion, improved air connectivity and visa reforms, as the country deepens engagement with key Asian markets. She concluded the Singapore leg of the department’s South-East Asia outreach programme. Last year, South Africa reached a record-breaking tourist season, with 10.48-million international arrivals between January and December, of which over nine-thousand-827 were from Singapore. De Lille says her visit has enabled the two countries to deepen trade and tourism cooperation.

# The ANC’s Cape Town caucus says the tragic killing of its councillor, Lazola Gungxe, once again raises serious concerns about the safety and security of public representatives. He was fatally shot after attending a community meeting at the Old Crossroads Community Hall in Nyanga yesterday afternoon. Gungxe was also a member of the ANC’s Dullah Omar regional executive committee. The ANC’s Judy-Ann Stevens says they hope the killers will be apprehended swiftly:

Moving abroad:

# US president Donald Trump has signed the government funding bill into law, ending a three-day partial government shutdown. The deal, which cleared the Senate last Friday, was passed in the House of Representatives in a 217-214 vote yesterday. The vote wrapped up congressional work on eleven annual appropriations bills that fund government agencies and programmes through September 30. Trump says this bill is a great victory for the American people:

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens player Ryan Oosthuizen says they are confident they will put on a better performance in the Perth Sevens in Australia this weekend. The Blitzboks finished fourth in Singapore last weekend. South Africa is in Pool A alongside Spain, Fiji, and Argentina. Oosthuizen, who will play in his 60th World Series tournament, says he is pleased with the outcomes of all the team’s discussions, mainly focusing on responsibilities and standards:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-90-cents and the euro at 18-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-81-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-249-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-and-65-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-49-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….