News 17:00

BULLETIN 19 February 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen welcomes the budget postponement and calls for a pro-growth plan
# Solidarity urges government to act as AGOA benefits hang in the balance
# And tennis: A man is banned from WTA events after scaring Emma Raducanu

# DA leader John Steenhuisen has welcomed the postponement of the 2025 budget, calling it a responsible move for the sake of South Africans. The delay follows concerns from the government of national unity that the budget doesn’t align with economic goals, including a contentious proposed VAT hike of two percentage points. Steenhuisen says the extra time before the March tabling will help ensure a budget that prioritises economic growth and addresses South Africans’ financial struggles:

Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema has accused government of allowing party politics to interfere with the budget process. He describes the delay as unprecedented, warning that it would be a damaging legacy for Parliament:

# Trade union Solidarity has urged government to take swift action as South Africa’s benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act remain uncertain. The union warns that failure to secure South Africa’s continued participation could result in job losses and economic setbacks. Solidarity’s Jaco Kleynhans says the trade agreement, which provides duty-free access to the United States market, is crucial for several industries, including agriculture and manufacturing:

# The Postbank has blamed beneficiaries for the delay in issuing black cards for Sassa grants. The bank accuses recipients of not showing up at collection sites. It has a target of 100-thousand cards to swap daily in order to meet its March deadline. Members of Parliament have criticised the process for its poor communication and lack of accessibility. Lawmakers have also argued that blaming vulnerable citizens was unfair. The Postbank is now expanding collection sites and retailer partnerships to speed up the process.

# Tennis: A man was banned from women’s professional tournaments after an incident involving British player Emma Raducanu during the Dubai Championships. The 22-year-old was reduced to tears during her match against Chech player Karolina Muchova when she saw a certain man in the stands. This followed after he approached her earlier, exhibiting fixated behaviour. Governing body WTA says the man was evicted and banned from all events, pending a threat assessment. Raducanu was granted a restraining order in 2022 against a man who stalked her.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-35-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-253-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-939-dollars-4-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….