News 14:00

BULLETIN 25 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Treasury ends the fuel levy relief
# A bloody weekend in Cape Town as 13 people are killed in a spate of shootings
# And rugby: Cheslin Kolbe’s return to Cape Town is confirmed

# National Treasury has ended its temporary fuel levy relief, removing a measure that had helped cushion motorists from high fuel prices. The decision means consumers are likely to face increased fuel costs as the tax adjustment takes effect. Treasury says the relief was always intended as a short-term intervention. The move is expected to impact transport costs and inflation pressures, with stakeholders warning of knock-on effects across the economy, particularly for households and businesses dependent on fuel-intensive logistics and commuting.

# ANC veteran Tokyo Sexwale has criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal, calling his explanation a childish non-story. The scandal, revealed by the former head of the State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, is under parliamentary investigation with Ramaphosa facing an impeachment process. Speaking on SMWX podcast, Sexwale questioned claims that undeclared US dollars found at Ramaphosa’s farm came from a cattle sale to Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa:

# Cape Town police are investigating a wave of shootings over the weekend that left at least 13 people dead. Spokesperson Andrè Traut says six men were killed in Makhaza and Endlovini, including three victims found in an informal dwelling, and three others shot at a shebeen this morning. Motives remain under investigation. Spokesperson Novela Potelwa also confirmed seven more killings in Khayamandi, with multiple shooting scenes and no arrests yet made.

Meanwhile, the DA in Gauteng says it will urgently engage acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia to devolve certain policing powers to provincial level, enabling a more efficient and responsive crime-prevention strategy. The party’s Crezane Bosch says the latest fourth quarter crime statistics released by police revealed that Gauteng accounted for 54.8-percent of all kidnapping cases recorded nationally. She says this is making it the highest contributor in the country:

# Rugby: Springbok speedster Cheslin Kolbe’s return to Cape Town had been confirmed. The 32-year-old versatile back player left the Stormers for French outfit Toulouse in 2017, and moved to Japan in 2023. The native from Kraaifontein in the Mother City made his debut for South Africa in 2018 and played 49 Tests since, scoring 136 points. Kolbe thanked his team, Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, for making his time in Japan special. He will join the Stormers at the start of July.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-566-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-571-dollars-53-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-67-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….