News 16:00

BULLETIN 21 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The fuel levy is set to increase from the seventh of June
# AfriForum takes the Expropriation Act to court over its constitutionality
# And severe weather triggers disaster response across KwaZulu-Natal

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced the fuel levy will be increased for the first time in three years. It means from the fourth of next month, the general fuel levy will increase by 16 cents per litre for petrol, and 15 cents per litre for diesel. This is the only new tax proposal in this year’s budget and plugs part of the hole created by the scrapping of the 0.5-percentage point VAT increase. Godongwana says next year’s budget will have to include tax measures to raise an additional 20-billion-rand.

# AfriForum has launched a court challenge at the North Gauteng High Court, seeking to declare the Expropriation Act unconstitutional. The group argues the act threatens private property rights, which allows expropriation with no compensation. AfriForum warns this could lead to abuse by mismanaged authorities. Spokesperson Ernst van Zyl says the organisation opposes the provision allowing property seizure during court disputes, and will fight locally and internationally to protect landowners:

# Poultry producer Astral Foods has warned that South Africa could face serious economic fallout if it loses access to the US market under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. News24 reports the company says while local chicken farms may not be hit directly, other industries like car and fruit exports could suffer. Astral CEO Gary Arnold says the poultry industry wants a voice in trade talks, and cautions the government against excessive trade concessions. AGOA is up for renewal in September.

# Soccer: Harry Maguire admits Manchester United had been nowhere near good enough as his troubled side look to salvage their season by winning the Europa League final against Tottenham. United face Tottenham in Bilbao, Spain, tonight, hoping to secure the first trophy of Ruben Amorim’s reign as manager. Amorim’s side is languishing in 16th place in the Premier League and is destined for the club’s worst finish since relegation in 1973/74. Maguire is well aware this is unacceptable for a club of United’s stature.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-86-cents and the euro at 20-rand-23-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-98-cents and Bitcoin trades at 106-thousand-751-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-305-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-76-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Severe weather has triggered a province-wide disaster response in KwaZulu-Natal. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi has activated teams after early morning thunderstorms and damaging winds led to a level two weather warning. The department’s spokesperson, Senzelwe Mzila, says disaster teams also dealt with a veld fire near Vryheid:

Stay tuned for more news………….