News 15:00

BULLETIN 6 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Police are on high alert at the Lebombo border post amid protest threats
# NEHAWU is calling for a broad progressive front to defend the National Health Insurance Act
# And soccer: FIFA’s president defends the World Cup ticket prices

# Police and immigration officials are on high alert at the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga following threats of demonstrations from the Mozambican side. The situation is being closely monitored by border authorities to ensure safety and prevent disruptions to cross-border movement. Security has been reinforced in anticipation of possible unrest, although no incidents have yet been reported. Officials say their measures are precautionary, aimed at maintaining order and protecting travellers and personnel.

# Union NEHAWU says it denounces attempts by a coalition of big capital and right-wing elements to thwart and delay the full implementation of the National Health Insurance Act. The Constitutional Court is hearing a challenge brought by the Board of Healthcare Funders on whether Parliament met its constitutional obligation to facilitate meaningful public participation. NEHAWU’s spokesperson, Lwazi Nkolonzi, says they will fight to ensure that universal health coverage is achieved:

# Eskom says, despite National Treasury’s intervention through the municipal debt relief programme, outstanding municipal debt currently stands at 111.6-billion-rand. Nine municipalities have adopted council resolutions to sign the Distribution Agency Agreement following a consultation process with the power utility. Eskom’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says the municipalities have not settled their accounts for at least the last 18 months, and have not met the conditions of the debt relief programme:

# Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has urged citizens to exercise heightened caution following severe weather warnings issued by the South African Weather Service. Residents in parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape are already experiencing cold, wet, and windy conditions. The department’s spokesperson, Pearl Maseko-Binqose, says they are closely monitoring the evolving weather situation in coordination with disaster management structures across all spheres of government:

# Soccer: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended World Cup ticket prices, saying they reflect the demand to watch the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico. He says they have been obliged to take advantage of US laws that allow tickets to be resold for thousands of dollars above face value. Infantino says FIFA received in excess of 500-million ticket requests, compared with around 50-million combined for the previous two World Cups. He says 25-percent of tickets for the group phase were priced at around four-thousand-900-rand each.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-32-cents and the euro at 19-rand-23-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-641-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-711-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 96-dollars-54-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….