News 14:00

BULLETIN 11 March 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The National Treasury opens the first window for public sector megaproject financing
# The taxi industry demands urgent government action on subsidies and operating licences
# And Olympic Games: A former Zimbabwean swimming star wants to become the IOC’s next president

# The National Treasury has launched the first window for applications under the Budget Facility for Infrastructure, aimed at funding public sector megaprojects. The window, open until April 16, will consider infrastructure proposals valued at over one-billion-rand. The programme focuses on projects that need fiscal support to cover viability gaps. Treasury will open four application windows in the 2025/26 financial year, with each quarter dedicated to reviewing large-scale infrastructure proposals.

# The South African National Taxi Council urges Finance minister Enoch Godongwana to include taxis in public transport subsidies in tomorrow’s budget speech, as they carry millions of people daily. According to the council, rail transport receives 56-percent of funding, buses 43-percent, and taxis only one-percent. Santaco’s Rebecca Phala warns that massive backlogs in issuing operating licences, some dating back years, are leaving many legal taxi operators unable to work and facing police crackdowns:

# The City of Cape Town is currently conducting a feasibility study on the iconic unfinished Foreshore freeway bridge. Construction began in the 1970s but was halted in 1977 due to budget constraints. Mayoral committee member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, confirmed the study. Former Transport minister Fikile Mbalula estimated the completion cost at 1.8-billion-rand. News24 reports the metro aims to complete the bridge, pending public participation and funding.

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has urged Sports minister Gayton McKenzie to retract his call for banning illegal foreigners from hospitals. Makaneta warns that such rhetoric harms undocumented learners, making them fear seeking medical care. He cites a High Court in Makhanda ruling affirming all learners’ rights, regardless of documentation. He calls on government to ensure inclusive policies that protect vulnerable children from discrimination and xenophobia:

# Olympic Games: Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe, believes she has what it takes to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee. The 41-year-old won seven Olympic swimming medals during her illustrious career, and later became an administrator, with 12 years’ experience in the IOC. Coventry is currently serving as her country’s minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation. She is seen as one of the frontrunners to replace Germany’s Thomas Bach during the IOC’s elections in Greece later this month.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-25-cents and the euro at 19-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-60-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-622-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-912-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-65-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….