News Headlines 08:30

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 19 March 08:30 am
You are listening to ……..………. The time is ………… I am……….……..….… with the news headlines:

# Businesses are urged to plan to cope with the coronavirus
# Cogta committee fully supports the dissolution of the Tshwane Council
# And, abortions are no longer a crime in New Zealand

Our newscast follows at…………



News 08:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 19 March 8am

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:
# Businesses are being urged to make extraordinary plans amid coronavirus pandemic
# All harbour operations and handling of freight will go-ahead
# And, local rugby competitions could be restructured

# The business organisation, Sakeliga, urges businesses to find innovative ways to limit the spread of the coronavirus, but still keep their doors open. CEO Piet le Roux says extraordinary measures are needed in the interests of public health:

Play sound: ENG-RouxOnBusiness

# Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says all harbour operations and handling of freight will go ahead. He spoke to the media at Cape Town harbour where six passengers aboard cruise liner AidAmira were tested for the coronavirus. All tested negative. Mbalula says while cruise liners won’t be allowed in, cargo ships can still enter and leave harbours:

Play sound:  ENG-Fikile-Mbalula

# The University of the Witwatersrand says of the group of 350 students who came into contact with a student who tested positive for the coronavirus, 320 have been cleared after testing. The first student self-quarantined after coming into contact with a person who tested positive. But by then he had attended several classes, compromising other students. The university’s spokesperson Shirona Patel says students will be monitored for any symptoms:

Play sound: ENG-PatelOnStudents-1

# China’s National Health Commission has reported no new local cases of the coronavirus for the first time since the global health pandemic began. There have, however, been 34 new cases but the commission says it was people coming into China from abroad. According to Johns Hopkins University, there are currently more than 201-thousand confirmed cases and eight-thousand deaths related to the coronavirus around the world.

# Rugby: The sport’s controlling body in South Africa is planning to restructure local competitions amid the coronavirus pandemic. SA Rugby’s plans could see franchises and other provincial teams return to a new, locally-based derby competition following the suspension of Super Rugby and the PRO 14. CEO Jurie Roux stresses that nothing can happen in the next few weeks until the period of social distancing, as instructed by president Cyril Ramaphosa, has lapsed.

# Financial Indicators: The dollar is trading at 17-rand-46-cents and the euro at 19-rand-4-cents. One British pound costs 20-rand-6-cents. Gold is selling at one-thousand-468-dollars-88-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 25-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News Headlines 07:30

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 19 March 07:30 am
You are listening to ……..………. The time is ………… I am……….……..….… with the news headlines:

# Businesses are urged to plan to cope with the coronavirus
# China is showing signs of a post-coronavirus era
# And, SA Rugby contemplates new local tournaments

Our newscast follows at…………



News 07:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 19 March 7am

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:
# The first South African to contract the coronavirus has recovered
# Public servants are threatening to strike
# And, F1’s summer break has been brought forward

# KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala has confirmed that the first South African to contract the coronavirus has recovered and is ready to go home. The 38-year-old businessman from Hilton in the Midlands was diagnosed after returning from Italy with his wife and a group of eight other people. Half of the group tested positive for the coronavirus. Worldwide, more than 80-thousand of the around 200-thousand infected people have recovered so far, mostly in China.

# The University of the Witwatersrand says of the group of 350 students who came into contact with a student who tested positive for the coronavirus, 320 have been cleared after testing. The first student self-quarantined after coming into contact with a person who tested positive. But by then he had attended several classes, compromising other students. The university’s spokesperson Shirona Patel says students will be monitored for any symptoms:

Play sound: ENG-PatelOnStudents-1

# All establishments that sell liquor must, with immediate effect, close at six in the afternoon on weekdays and Saturdays, and at one on Sundays and public holidays. A notice in the Government Gazette reads that the establishments, including bars, clubs, shebeens and restaurants, may only open at nine the next morning. The same regulations, which form part of the Disaster Management Act, apply to all liquor stores. Government has introduced the measures as part of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

# Public servants threaten to bring the public service to a standstill in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak after they learnt that they won’t get an increase this year. The biggest union in the Public Service, Nehawu, says its members are preparing for a mass strike because government is reneging on a three-year salary agreement, which would have kicked in this year. The union plans to call on its members to strike countrywide on the 30th of this month.

# Motor racing: Formula One has brought it’s summer break forward from August to this month and April because of the coronavirus. The World Motor Sport Council approved the change. The break has also been extended from two to three weeks. The chief of F1, Ross Brown, told Sky Sports that the switch frees up August for potential races, which he feels are a strong possibility.

# Financial Indicators: The dollar is trading at 17-rand-43-cents and the euro at 18-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 19-rand-98-cents. Gold is selling at one-thousand-471-dollars-50-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 25-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The organisers of Britain’s best-known music festival, Glastonbury, have cancelled this year’s 50th-anniversary event due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has been held at a rural farm site in southwest England since 1970. The 135-thousand tickets for the five-day event in June, which sold out within 34-minutes, will roll over to next year. Pop superstar Taylor Swift had been set to headline Glastonbury for the first time. Beatles icon Paul McCartney and US rapper Kendrick Lamar were also set to perform.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News Headlines 06:30

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 19 March 06:30 am
You are listening to ……..………. The time is ………… I am……….……..….… with the news headlines:

# The country’s first coronavirus patient is going home
# Strict new operating times for all establishments selling liquor
# And, goverment faces a massive public servant strike

Our newscast follows at…………



News 06:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 10 March 6 am
You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:
# Cruise ships are banned from entering South African harbours
# A shop in Menlyn Park, Pretoria, reopens after a coronavirus scare
# And, the German soccer team donates millions to combat the virus

# Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has announced that no cruise ships are allowed to enter South Africa’s harbours as part of the measures to contain the coronavirus. He spoke to the media at Table Bay Harbour in Cape Town, where more than one-thousand-700 people on the luxury liner AidAmera are quarantined. All six patients tested were negative. Mbalula says cargo ships will still be allowed to enter and leave harbours.

# The department of Basic Education has confirmed that although schools closed yesterday, teachers will continue to work until tomorrow. Government decided to close schools till after Easter Weekend due to the coronavirus outbreak. The department says the Council of Education Ministers instructed schools to develop a curriculum catch-up plan, and minister Angie Motshekga urged parents to support their children at home with school work.

# The MTN shop in Menlyn Park, Pretoria, was closed yesterday after an employee had contact with someone who is suspected of having the coronavirus. A spokesperson says the employee was placed in quarantine while the rest of the personnel were tested. The shop will be cleaned properly before it reopens today. The other shops in the centre remain open.

# Real estate company Leadhome encourages prospective home sellers to keep their properties listed despite the sluggish economy and the potential impact of the coronavirus. According to CEO Marcél du Toit, it may not seem like an ideal time, but current internet traffic suggests otherwise. Du Toit points out that there is a definite surge in online traffic as a result of travel bans and remote working from home.

# Motor racing: Formule One has brought it’s summer break forward from August to this month and April because of the coronavirus. The World Motor Sport Council approved the change. The break has also been extended from two to three weeks. The chief of F1, Ross Brown, told Sky Sports that the switch frees up August for potential races, which he feels are a strong possibility.

# Soccer: Germany’s national team announced a donation of almost 50-million-rand to combat the coronavirus. By yesterday, the country recorded 13 deaths out of more than seven-thousand cases of the disease. The team says in a statement that the world of soccer has come to a standstill because people’s health and tackling the virus are without question the priority now.

# Financial Indicators: The dollar is trading at 17-rand-27-cents and the euro at 18-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 19-rand-85-cents. Gold is selling at one-thousand-484-dollars-74-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 25-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News 18:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 18 March 6 pm

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:

# All South Africans who returned from Wuhan tested negative for the coronavirus
# ISIS urges its fighters to stay out of Europe
# And a fitness expert urges people to exercise at home

# Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that all the South Africans who were repatriated from Wuhan, China over the weekend has tested negative for the coronavirus. He says the 114 citizens will remain in quarantine for the prescribed period after which they will be reunited with their loved ones. The group was put into precautionary quarantine on Saturday at the Protea Ranch Hotel near Polokwane.

# The terrorist group ISIS has warned its followers to avoid traveling to Europe because of the coronavirus outbreak. This is in contrast to its previous calls for jihadists to target the area. The directive is featured in the latest issue of the group’s al-Naba newsletter, which contains a full-page of directives to deal with epidemics taken from Islamic texts.

Europe has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus where as of yesterday, over thirty thousand people have been infected and over two thousand-500 people have died.

# World champion boxer and under Senator of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, has filed a bill seeking to prohibit and penalize indiscriminate spitting and expelling of nasal mucous in public areas. This follows the rise of corona infected patients in the country. If the proposed act is passed, people who are caught spitting or blowing their nose in public spaces could be fined between 15 thousand and 155 thousand rand.

# English soccer club Chelsea has made its hotel available to staff of Britain’s National Health Service assisting with the coronavirus outbreak. The club will allow the workers to use the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge for the next two months. Sky Sports reports that the offer is open to any staff working at hospitals in the north-west London region but that could be extended. Chelsea says owner Roman Abramovich will be covering the costs of providing the accommodation.

# Financial indicators: The dollar is trading at 17 rand-1 cents and the euro at 18 rand-52 cents. One British pound costs 20 rand-10 cents. Gold is selling at one thousand 503 dollars-8 cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 30 dollars-45 cents a barrel.

# And finally, while social distancing is the perfect excuse used by some for not going to the gym, experts say one of the best ways to guard against the coronavirus is to stay fit. Personal trainer Joe Loubser says there are a lot of exercises to be doing when cooped up at home.

Play sound: ENG-JoeLoubserTraining

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News 17:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 18 March 5 pm

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:

# All South Africans who returned from Wuhan tested negative for the coronavirus
# Gauteng police is looking for a former chairperson of the SABC
# And a fitness expert urges people to exercise at home

# Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that all the South Africans who were repatriated from Wuhan, China over the weekend has tested negative for the coronavirus. He says the 114 citizens will remain in quarantine for the prescribed period after which they will be reunited with their loved ones. The group was put into precautionary quarantine on Saturday at the Protea Ranch Hotel near Polokwane.

# The South African Restaurant Association says restaurants can survive the impact of the coronavirus on business if the correct safety measures are implemented. The country’s restaurants have not been ordered to close, but there has been a decline in the number of people still venturing out. Association spokesperson Wendy Alberts says those in the hospitality industry are working together, sharing tips and advice on how to prevent the spread of the virus in restaurants:

Play sound: ENG-WendyAlbertsRestaurantAssociation

The spokesperson of popular restaurant franchise Mozambik, Hein Kaiser, says they have implemented stringent hygiene measures to make sure business continues as usual:

Play sound: ENG-HeinKaiserRestaurants

# The police in Gauteng is looking for the former chairperson of the SABC, Ellen Tshabalala, after a warrant for her arrest was issued. The Magistrate’s court in Johannesburg issued the warrant after she could not be formally charged with fraud. Tshabalala resigned in December 2014 when she could not provide evidence about her qualifications. She was also mentioned at the state capture commission where she was blamed for the current financial difficulties at the SABC.

# While social distancing is the perfect excuse used by some for not going to the gym, experts say one of the best ways to guard against the coronavirus is to stay fit. Personal trainer Joe Loubser says there are a lot of exercises to be doing when cooped up at home.

Play sound: ENG-JoeLoubserTraining

# And financial indicators: The dollar is trading at 16 rand-95 cents and the euro at 18 rand-49 cents. One British pound costs 19 rand-98 cents. Gold is selling at one thousand 508 dollars-40 cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 30 dollars-45 cents a barrel.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News 16:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 18 March 4 pm

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:

# Restaurants are expected to survive the economic impact of the coronavirus
# A taxi organisation rolls out stringent measures
# And the Proteas go into self-isolation upon their return from India

# The South African Restaurant Association says restaurants can survive the impact of the coronavirus on business if the correct safety measures are implemented. The country’s restaurants have not been ordered to close, but there has been a decline in the number of people still venturing out. Association spokesperson Wendy Alberts says those in the hospitality industry are working together, sharing tips and advice on how to prevent the spread of the virus in restaurants:

Play sound: ENG-WendyAlbertsRestaurantAssociation

The spokesperson of popular restaurant franchise Mozambik, Hein Kaiser, says they have implemented stringent hygiene measures to make sure business continues as usual:

Play sound: ENG-HeinKaiserRestaurants

# The Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch in the Boland says they have measures in place to make sure that visitors will continue to receive and experience the great service they offer. This follows after a tourist who was part of a Dutch group that visited the farm last week, tested positive for the coronavirus. Spokesperson Danica van Zyl says preventive measures had been placed prior to the Dutch group’s visit to the farm and will continuously be implemented during and after their two-week closure.

# Taxi association governing body, Santaco, says major taxi ranks in the country have been identified where education and stringent measures will be rolled out in response to the coronavirus. It is estimated that 16-point-five million people use taxis as a mode of transport. Santaco President Philip Taaibosch, says the measures being implemented at taxi ranks will hopefully curb the spread of the virus:

Play sound: ENG TaaiboschOnIndustry

# Cricket: The Protea team went into self-isolation for the next two weeks when they returned to South Africa after their tour of India was cancelled because of the coronavirus. The sixteen players and management landed this morning after the final two one-day games were called off. The first encounter rained out. Cricket South Africa’s medical chief, Shuaib Manjra, says the players will be monitored for symptoms of the disease.

# And financial indicators: The dollar is trading at 17 rand-3 cents and the euro at 18 rand-66 cents. One British pound costs 20 rand-19 cents. Gold is selling at one thousand 506 dollars-40 cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 30 dollars-45 cents a barrel.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………



News 15:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 18 March 3 pm

You are listening to ……..………. The time ………… I am……….……..….… with the news.
In the bulletin:

# SAA cancells 162 flights
# A Gauteng municipality pays Eskom 50 million rand in outstanding debt
# And the Proteas went into self-isolation on their return from India

# South African Airways has cancelled 162 flights until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Of these, 38 are international flights and 124 are regional. The airline says the effects of the outbreak of the virus has led to travel disruptions and restrictions across the world, leading to the grounding of aircraft, releasing employees and cancelling flights for many airlines. SAA adds that it continues to aggressively review its schedule to match capacity with demand.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says all political party leaders are in agreement that they need to work together to defeat the coronavirus. He met with the leaders represented in Parliament at Tuynhuys today to discuss the national response to the virus. South Africa has 116 confirmed cases so far. Interim DA leader John Steenhuisen says they are concerned about the effect the coronavirus will have on the economy:

Play sound: ENG SteenhuisenOnEconomy

EFF leader Julius Malema says they fully support the measures that Government has implemented to try and curb the virus:

Play sound: ENG MalemaOnBusiness

# Eskom has confirmed that the Emfuleni municipality in Gauteng has paid 50 million rand of its outstanding debt. The power utility’s CEO, André de Ruyter, met with Cooperative Governance MEC Lebogang Maile yesterday to discuss the municipality’s unpaid two-point-three-billion-rand debt to Eskom. The utility’s spokesperson, Sikonathi Matshantsha, says an agreement between the two parties has been reached on a way forward:

Play sound: ENG MatshantshaOnEmfuleni

# Cricket: The Protea team went into self-isolation for the next two weeks when they returned to South Africa after their tour of India was cancelled because of the coronavirus. The sixteen players and management landed this morning after the final two one-day games were called off. The first encounter rained out. Cricket South Africa’s medical chief, Shuaib Manjra, says the players will be monitored for symptoms of the disease.

# And financial indicators: The dollar is trading at 16 rand-97 cents and the euro at 18 rand-63 cents. One British pound costs 20 rand-17 cents. Gold is selling at one thousand 501 dollars-10 cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 30 dollars-45 cents a barrel.

That is the end of this bulletin, our next newscast will be at ………