News 13:00

BULLETIN 10 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Home Affairs introduces a new remote work visa
# The DA wins its case for more voting stations abroad for the upcoming elections
# And tennis: Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Monte Carlo with an arm injury

# Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced a new addition to South Africa’s visa offerings, the remote work visa. This visa is designed for individuals employed in other countries who wish to work remotely while residing in South Africa. It targets professions such as information technology, auditing, and finance. Motsoaledi says applicants must earn at least the equivalent of one-million-rand annually and will enjoy a six-month tax exemption on their employment income:

# The DA has welcomed the Electoral Court’s ruling setting aside the Election Commission’s decision not to allow the casting of special votes at consulates. In February, the DA took the IEC and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to court to request that embassies, high commissions and consulates be included as voting stations for next month’s general elections. The DA Federal Council’s chairperson, Helen Zille, says this is an enormous victory for South Africans living overseas.

# Police minister Bheki Cele says at least 23 vehicles that were stolen in South Africa and found in Mozambique have been successfully handed over to South African owners since the launch of a joint action plan in February last year. Cele and Mozambique’s minister of the Interior, Pedro Ronda, concluded a two-day bilateral technical working group in Maputo. Cele says the Mozambican police and SAPS are both signatories to a joint action plan, aimed at addressing transnational crime in both countries and across the region:

# Tennis: Italian Lorenzo Sonego stepped in as the lucky loser to replace third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz at the Monte Carlo Masters. The Spaniard had to withdraw after he sustained an injury to his right arm. He earlier expressed concern over an ankle injury that kept him off the court earlier this season. Alcaraz withdrew before he was due to play Felix Auger-Alliasime in his first match of the tournament. The Canadian beat Italian Luca Nardi in straight sets in the first round.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-54-cents and the euro at 20-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-53-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-22-dollars-36-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-352-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-67-cents a barrel.

# And finally, more artists have been included in the line-up for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival next month. The likes of South Africa’s platinum-selling queen of Afro-jazz, Judith Sephuma, American R&B group Moonchild, and the UK’s Tunde Baiyewu of  Lighthouse Family have been added. The ever-popular Mi Casa is also on this year’s billing. Organiser of the festival, espAfrika, says the line-up has delivered a masterful blend that showcases today’s global melting pot of cultures and storytelling.

Stay tuned for more news………….