News 15:00

BULLETIN 29 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A North-West University professor says South Africa can tackle the fuel shock without losing fiscal credibility
# The African Peoples Convention urges a shift from land ownership to economic productivity
# And cricket: Rajasthan Royals’ captain could be sanctioned for vaping in India

# North-West University professor Raymond Parsons says South Africa can manage the global fuel price shock without losing fiscal credibility. He argues targeted relief measures, supported by higher-than-expected revenue and spending reviews, can cushion households while keeping public finances stable. Parsons warns global oil volatility will continue to pressure fuel prices, but says careful policy trade-offs can maintain investor confidence and limit inflationary impacts on the economy:

# The African Peoples Convention says Communal Property Associations are failing to deliver economic benefits despite controlling millions of hectares of land. It cites weak governance, lack of funding access, poor business capacity, and unclear tax rules. APC’s Themba Godi calls for urgent reforms, including a dedicated support agency, financial sector inclusion, and professionalisation of leadership. He says land reform must move beyond ownership to meaningful economic development and job creation:

# Sakeliga has welcomed an order by the High Court in Pretoria yesterday, setting strict deadlines for government’s foot and mouth disease vaccine plan. Anton Meijer of the organisation says the ruling strengthens farmers’ legal challenge and pressures the government to allow private vaccine measures and improve disease control urgently:

# ActionSA has warned Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi of a looming wastewater crisis. Gauteng Environmental Affairs spokesperson John Moodey says over half of the province’s systems are critically strained, with many exceeding capacity and discharging polluted water. The party estimates 2.14-billion-rand is urgently needed for repairs, citing vandalism, load-shedding and poor maintenance. Moodey calls for immediate audits, funding realignment and stronger accountability to prevent environmental and economic fallout in the province’s water infrastructure.

# Cricket: Rajasthan Royals’ captain, Riyan Parag, could face disciplinary action by the Indian Premier League after images of him vaping in the dressing room went viral on social media. E-cigarettes were banned in India in 2019, and violations carry jail terms or hefty fines. Parag is struggling to score runs this season, accumulating just 117 runs in their nine matches so far. India’s governing body, the BCCI, can reportedly fine him for breaking IPL rules and setting a bad example.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-57-cents and the euro at 19-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-40-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-505-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-568-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 106-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….