News 12:00

BULLETIN 28 March 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cabinet is confident in economic resilience amid new investment initiatives
# The DA in Gauteng calls on premier Lesufi to fire the Health MEC following a court judgement on cancer treatment
# And Trump’s tariffs on imported vehicles and parts are blasted as the trade war intensifies

# Cabinet has expressed confidence in South Africa’s economic resilience, citing new investment initiatives that are expected to stimulate growth. The government is also prioritizing private sector involvement in key areas such as energy, infrastructure, and logistics to drive economic recovery and long-term development. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says the government supports the 2.5-billion-rand Google Cloud investment, which aims to enhance digital services and create jobs:

# The DA in Gauteng is demanding premier Panyaza Lesufi fires Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and head of Department Lesiba Malotana. This comes after the Gauteng High Court ruled that the failure of the department to provide radiation treatment to cancer patients is unlawful and unconstitutional. The DA’s Jack Bloom says the department and the CEOs of the Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko hospitals, have been ordered to update the backlog list of cancer patients awaiting radiation oncology services within 45 days:

# World powers have blasted US President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on imported vehicles and parts, vowing retaliation as a widening trade war intensifies. Major car exporter Germany urged a firm response from the European Union, while Japan said it will consider all options. The US duties take effect starting 3 April and impact foreign-made cars, light and key vehicle parts. Stock markets plummeted with Toyota, Hyundai and Mercedes leading the plunge. In New York, shares in General Motors tumbled with Ford and Stellantis also declining.

# Prosecutors in the sexual abuse trial of Gerard Depardieu recommended a suspended jail sentence of 18 months for the French star actor. The lead prosecutor, in a closing statement, also asked for the 76-year-old to be fined 395-thousand-rand and pay damages to the plaintiffs. The two women accused him of sexual assault during the filming in a movie in 2021. The prosecutor says Depardieu should also be ordered to undergo psychological treatment, and be included in France’s sex offender registry.

# Tennis: World number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will face American Jessica Pegula in the Miami Open final on Saturday. Sabalenka defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini, while Pegula ended the fairytale run of teenage wild card Alexandra Eala of the Philippines. In the men’s draw, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is through to the semifinals following victory over American Sebastian Korda. American Taylor Fritz, unseeded Czech Jakub Mensik, and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov are also through to the semifinals.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-17-cents and the euro at 19-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-54-cents and Bitcoin trades at 85-thousand-162. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-67-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-96-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….