News 17:00

BULLETIN 20 February 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula reiterates South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme is not fully dependent on USAID
# ActionSA defends the SARS commissioner amid political attacks
# And six elephants are killed by a train in Sri Lanka

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says South Africa’s HIV/Aids programme can continue despite funding cuts from the US. American president Donald Trump gave a directive to halt funding with USAID. Speaking in Cape Town, Mbalula acknowledged that non-profits may be affected, but stressed that the country managed the programme before USAID’s involvement. He says discussions are ongoing for a sustainable solution:

# ActionSA says political attacks on South African Revenue Service commissioner Edward Kieswetter are unacceptable and threaten the independence of the service. The party criticised Finance minister Enoch Godongwana and minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for their off-microphone remarks about Kieswetter during a news conference after the budget speech was postponed yesterday. ActionSA’s Alan Beesley supports Kieswetter’s call for better tax collection instead of tax hikes:

# A passenger train derailed after striking a herd of elephants near a wildlife reserve in central Sri Lanka. No passengers were injured, but six elephants were killed. AFP reports two injured elephants are being treated. According to police, this is the worst such wildlife accident the country had seen. There are an estimated seven-thousand wild elephants in Sri Lanka, where they are protected by law. Killing an elephant is a crime punishable by imprisonment or a fine.

# Rugby: Argentina international forward Guido Petti Pagadizabal will join Harlequins for the 2025/26 season from French club Bordeaux-Begles. The 87-cap Los Pumas lock has made 62 appearances since joining last season’s Top 14 finalists from Super Rugby outfit Jaguares in 2020. The 30-year-old, who can be deployed at second row or flanker, featured for Argentina in the 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups. Petti is now set to join compatriot Rodrigo Isgro at Quins, whose Stoop ground is close to English rugby union’s Twickenham headquarters.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-42-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 97-thousand-377-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-943-dollars-7-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Afrikaans anti-apartheid newspaper Vrye Weekblad is closing down once more. Editor Max du Preez expressed disappointment, marking the end of its digital revival after first shutting down in 1994 due to financial and government pressure. Known for its bold criticism of apartheid, the newspaper faced harassment and legal battles leading to its closure two months before the dawn of democracy. It was relaunched online in 2019 but now ceases operations again. Du Preez says this ends a significant chapter in Afrikaans journalism.

Stay tuned for more news………….