News 13:00

BULLETIN 22 May 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Inflation slows down further to 5.2-percent in April 
# AfriForum is in possession of the docket related to Fikile Mbalula’s Dubai family holiday 
# And soccer: Marcus Rashford is left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad

# Annual consumer inflation has slowed down further last month. The consumer price index recorded an increase of 5.2-percent in April, down from 5.3-percent in March and 5.6-percent in February. Statistics SA says general food inflation slows, except for vegetables, fruit and hot beverages. Inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages moderated further from 5.1-percent in March to 4.7-percent in April, representing a fifth consecutive month of decline. Bread and cereal inflation declined for a 12th consecutive month in April. Annual rice inflation accelerated to 26.4-percent, the highest since May 2009.

# AfriForum’s private prosecution unit has obtained the police docket related to ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula’s 2016 family holiday to Dubai. Former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found Mbalula violated the Constitution by asking a South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee supplier to help pay for the trip. This was when he was Sports minister. The National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute. The unit’s Barry Bateman says they are more convinced that Mbalula has a case to answer:

# ActionSA has condemned the treatment of qualified agricultural practitioners by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development. It says last year, the department hired assistant agricultural practitioners under the disguise that they would permanently absorb them in due course. ActionSA’s Mpumi Edward, says they were promised a three-year contract at first, but the department reneged on its commitment. She says they were instead given a three-month contract until their contracts were terminated indefinitely:

# Soccer: Marcus Rashford paid for his poor season as the Manchester United forward was left out of England boss Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024. Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Chelsea skipper Reece James were among the other big names to miss out on the squad, that must be trimmed to a maximum of 26 before the tournament begins in Germany next month. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool duo Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones are the uncapped players in the squad.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-17-cents and the euro at 19-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-12-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-946-dollars-92-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-417-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The sight of Japan’s highest summit, the majestic Mount Fuji, has been blocked by a black mesh screen. The snowy three-thousand-776-meter-high peak is one of Japan’s most iconic tourist sights. Locals in Fuji Kawaguchiko have been complaining about littering in the town’s otherwise pristine streets. The screen was a desperate move and a sign of Japan’s struggle to accommodate the increasing number of visitors. Some locals are now speculating how soon someone will cut a hole in the mesh to still get the view.

Stay tuned for more news………….