News 11:00

BULLETIN 8 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# RISE Mzansi does not expect the state of the nation address to reflect the real state of the country
# Amnesty International South Africa calls on president Ramaphosa to avoid politicking and take accountability
# And rugby, the Western Cape will host the U20 World Championship for a second successive year

# RISE Mzansi says as usual little of the state of the nation address will reflect the real state of South Africa and the difficult conditions under which citizens live. This evening, president Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the address, which sets out the government’s key policy objectives and deliverables for the year ahead. RISE Mzansi’s spokesperson, Mabine Seabe, says the party will observe if the issues outlined in the People’s Manifesto will receive meaningful attention:

Meanwhile, Amnesty International South Africa is calling on Ramaphosa to avoid politicking when he delivers the state of the nation address. The organisation’s Shenilla Mohamed says the president must provide a sober analysis of the situation in the country, take responsibility, and present viable solutions that can be implemented without delay. She told Newzroom Afrika that South Africans are tired of lip service:

# Western Cape premier Alan Winde says the implications of the nationally imposed budget cuts go beyond health care services and have hit departments including education and social development. A total of 6.7-billion-rand has been reduced from the Western Cape’s Provincial Equitable Share, over the next three financial years as part of nationally imposed fiscal consolidation. Winde says the hard truth is that the quantum of the budget cuts is now so large, that it will be almost impossible to fully mitigate the loss of funding from the national purse.

# The Zimbabwean government has declared its intention to abolish the death penalty following its first cabinet meeting of the year. Currently, 62 prisoners face the death penalty, governed by laws allowing it for murder under aggravating circumstances, applicable only to men aged 21 to 70-years. The proposed law aims to replace capital punishment with lengthy sentences for murderers while preserving deterrence. Since 1980, Zimbabwe has recorded 79 executions, with the last in 2005. Parliament will soon vote on the legislation.

# Rugby: The World Rugby Under 20 Championship will again be hosted in the Western Cape in June and July this year. After claiming the bronze medal last year, the Junior Springboks will aim to impress once again on home soil. They are in Pool C with England, Argentina and Fiji. SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer, says they are determined to improve on last year’s event and to present a memorable, world-class tournament that players, match officials and rugby fans will thoroughly enjoy.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 44-thousand-475-dollars-61-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-475-dollars-61-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-51-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….