News 08:00

BULLETIN 11 October 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Thirty suspects are arrested following the unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
# Soccer: Sundowns dethrone Pirates as the MTN8 champions
# And: Eight Cape Town beaches retain full Blue Flag status for the 2026/27 season

# Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane says 30 suspects have been arrested in connection with public violence and unlawful protests in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal since Thursday. Addressing a NATJOINTS briefing, Dimpane says 25 suspects were arrested in KZN and five in Gauteng. The charges include public violence, malicious damage to property, illegal gathering, obstruction and resisting arrest. She says some of those arrested are allegedly identified ringleaders who threatened to disrupt planned sporting events in Durban:

COSATU has meanwhile welcomed Home Affairs’ decision to pause the processing of refugee applications at its offices. Spokesperson Matthew Parks says the move is necessary to protect staff, applicants and members of the public. He condemns both violations of immigration laws and xenophobic violence, stressing that law enforcement is the responsibility of the state, not vigilante groups:

# Standard Bank Group has signed a subscription agreement to invest in OPay, a digital financial services platform operating primarily in Nigeria and other markets. OPay has filed a registration statement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and has applied to list its American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Standard Bank Group CEO, Sim Tshabalala, says Africa’s economic growth is increasingly driven by digital adoption, connectivity and new forms of economic participation. He says the proposed investment marks a step towards strengthening digital financial inclusion and expanding financial services across Africa.

# Soccer: Mamelodi Sundowns have ended Orlando Pirates’ four-year reign as MTN8 champions, beating the defending holders two-nil in the final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last night. Teboho Mokoena opened the scoring in the 11th minute, before goalkeeper Ronwen Williams saved a second-half penalty from Pirates’ Gamphani Lungu. Iqraam Rayners then converted a penalty in stoppage time to seal the trophy. The victory gives Sundowns their first MTN8 title since 2021 and Miguel Cardoso his first domestic cup with the club.

# Cricket: Australia have taken control of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban, after Matt Renshaw scored a career-best 190. The left-hander rescued the visitors from 124 for six, helping them reach 390 all out on the second day. He and Nathan Lyon shared a record 134-run partnership for the ninth wicket against South Africa. The hosts will resume play this morning on 27 for one at stumps, trailing by 363 runs, after Ryan Rickelton was dismissed for a duck. Play on the second day ended early as a result of bad light.

# And finally: Eight Cape Town beaches have retained full Blue Flag status for the 2026/27 season, with four more selected as pilot sites. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham, says this marks the fifth consecutive season that eight City beaches have achieved full status, continuing Cape Town’s 25-year participation in the international Blue Flag programme:

Stay tuned for more news………….