News 16:00

BULLETIN 31 March 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa announces a 1.4-billion-rand allocation for disaster recovery in five provinces
# BOSA’s leader leads the public fight against the VAT hike
# And tennis: The Miami Open champion improves 30 places in the world rankings

# The minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has announced the allocation of 1.4-billion-rand in disaster relief funds to assist five provinces affected by recent disasters. The funds will support the repair of infrastructure, restore basic services, and aid local economies in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. Hlabisa told the media the money will help repair schools, clinics, and roads, and bolster the recovery of impacted communities:

# Build One South Africa has accused the government of national unity of targeting working families with higher taxes through its proposed budget. As the chairperson of Parliament’s Appropriations Committee, party leader Mmusi Maimane has launched a nationwide petition to stop the increase and urged Parliament to focus on reducing unnecessary costs. BOSA’s Roger Solomons says Maimane is leading opposition to the proposed VAT increase, calling it an unfair burden on struggling citizens.

# A thriving black market for unauthorised medicines has emerged in Johannesburg, primarily catering to immigrants who face barriers to accessing healthcare. Ground Up reports that smuggled medicines, including antibiotics and contraceptives, are sold without prescriptions, bypassing the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority. This informal trade has raised concerns about public health, as improper usage of drugs can lead to side effects and the circulation of counterfeit medicines. SAHPRA, in collaboration with law enforcement, is now working to address this illegal market.

# Tennis: Young Czech player Jakub Mensik improved 30 positions in the latest men’s world rankings after clinching the Miami Open title yesterday. The 19-year-old stunned 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia in straight sets, denying the 38-year-old the coveted 100th professional title of his career. Mensik is now in 24th position. Italy’s suspended Jannik Sinner stays on top of the rankings despite not playing for the past two months. Germany’s Alexander Zverev is second, followed by Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, American Taylor Fritz and Djokovic.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-37-cents and the euro at 19-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-79-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-483-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-122-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-71-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The widow of the late anti-apartheid activist Aziz Pahad, Angina, has honored South Africans who fought for freedom, praising their humanitarian efforts. She was speaking at the inaugural Aziz Pahad Peace, Security, and Human Rights Dialogue in Pretoria. Pahad highlighted her husband’s dedication to mentoring future diplomats and his opposition to US president Donald Trump’s America First policies, warning they threaten global stability:

Stay tuned for more news………….