News 07:00

BULLETIN 20 October 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The secret trial of Zuma’s spy faces a legal challenge
# Business Leadership SA says the government needs to invest its budget to drive growth
# And golf: The Sunshine Tour announces a strong start to 2027

# The Campaign for Free Expression, Media24, amaBhungane and Daily Maverick have asked the High Court in Pretoria to open the trial of two former State Security Agency officials to the public. Thulani Dlomo, known as former president Jacob Zuma’s spy, and Patrick Mshotholo are on trial over the alleged misuse of 12-million-rand in intelligence funds. The campaign’s Nicole Fritz argued that the order barring public access is too broad and undermines public oversight:

# Business Leadership South Africa says that despite South Africa stabilising its national debt and finances, growth is the missing ingredient. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana will table the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement tomorrow. BLSA CEO Busisiwe Mavuso says that with the economy expected to grow barely above one-percent this year, there is little momentum to support improving revenues for the government. She says all the right ingredients are being gathered to support growth, including the structural reforms implemented in the country’s network industries, leading to reliable electricity, cheaper data, and improved logistics.

# The Motor Industry Staff Association calls for greater awareness of teen depression, cyberbullying and suicide following the deaths of two teenagers. A matric learner at St Anne’s Diocesan College in KwaZulu-Natal, Reneiloe Monkhi, died on 15 October, while Ashleigh Saville from Mitchells Plain died on 7 October. Saville’s father says she faced months of cyberbullying. MISA’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says families, schools and communities must work together to protect young people:

# Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina says the City of Tshwane failed to warn Bronkhorstspruit residents that unchlorinated water was unsafe for use. This follows a gastrointestinal outbreak, with 408 cases reported in Tshwane Region Seven between the 7th and 8th of this month. Most of those affected were children under the age of four, while no deaths have been recorded. Majodina says the Water Research Commission has been appointed to conduct independent water quality tests, with results expected tomorrow:

# French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu has given cities the power to impose partial curfews to protect people, property and businesses. The country is reeling from its worst rioting in years, as protesters have been demonstrating against rising fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services. Two-thousand businesses have been directly impacted by the demonstrations. Lecornu says ultra-left radical groups are to blame for the instability being witnessed. He says around 80-percent of people arrested as part of rioting and looting over the weekend face criminal charges.

# Golf: The Sunshine Tour has announced a strong start to 2027, with four tournaments co-sanctioned with the HotelPlanner Tour set to tee off on South African fairways. The schedule will begin with the SDC Open followed by the Durban Open in January. In February will be the CIRCA Cape Town Open and the DATA Pro-Am. Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt says so many South African professionals have used the opportunity created by the HotelPlanner Tour events in the country to play their way onto the DP World Tour and beyond.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-41-cents and the euro at 18-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-470-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-128-dollars-63-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 111-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….