News 15:00

BULLETIN 1 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA fights the ANC to stop the VAT hike as budget talks begin
# The ANC’s National Executive Committee demands justice for rape victim Cwecwe
# And soccer: The energy is different at Manchester United after a mini-revival

# The ongoing debate over this year’s budget intensified today as the DA and ANC clashed over proposed tax increases. The party has vowed to block a planned 0.5-percent VAT hike, which they argue will further strain citizens. The fate of the proposed tax changes will be decided in Parliament’s joint Finance committee meeting. The DA’s Mark Burke has been tasked with amending the fiscal framework to prevent the increase:

# The ANC’s National Executive Committee has condemned the rape of seven-year-old Cwecwe at Bergview College school in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula stresses that gender-based violence and femicide are tearing society apart and require urgent intervention. Mbalula urges law enforcement to act decisively and calls on all citizens to fight GBV. He emphasises a call to action to end this pandemic:

# BMW South Africa has warned that the US’ 25-percent tariffs on imported vehicles and parts hinder free trade and innovation. According to the car manufacturer, trade policies including the African Growth and Opportunity Act, remain important for its local operations. It exports the X3 model to the US and warns that tariffs could threaten the AGOA deal. The automotive industry is actively assessing the potential impact on South Africa’s exports.

Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc still hopes for a negotiated solution to US tariffs, but that all instruments are on the table to hit back if necessary. US President Donald Trump is set to announce a new raft of tariffs against multiple countries, in what he has dubbed a Liberation Day to redress supposedly unfair trade imbalances. Von der Leyen says they will assess the announcements carefully to calibrate their response.

# Soccer: Coach Ruben Amorim says the energy is different at Manchester United after a mini-revival. He admits their confidence is fragile as they prepare to return to action following the international break. United, who travel to face high-flying Nottingham Forest today, are a lowly 13th in the Premier League, 12 points off the top four with just nine games to go. But they are unbeaten in seven matches in all competitions, though they exited the FA Cup on penalties at home to Fulham during that sequence.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-34-cents and the euro at 19-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-122-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-132-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….