News 18:00

BULLETIN 22 October 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa launches a revised white paper to overhaul local government
# Umkhonto we Sizwe founding member Ronnie Kasrils says MK recruits were taught to fight apartheid, not white people
# And, cricket: The Proteas thrash Australia to level the Test series

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced major reforms aimed at fixing failing municipalities and improving service delivery. Speaking at the launch of the revised white paper on local government in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa proposed matching municipal responsibilities to their capacity, strengthening accountability and ensuring water and electricity revenue is used to maintain infrastructure. He said the reforms are intended to restore public trust and ensure communities receive reliable basic services:

# Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says the launched final revised White Paper on Local Government framework aims to strengthen municipal accountability, financial sustainability and service delivery. Speaking in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, Hlabisa says it proposes merit-based appointments for municipal officials and competent leadership, and proper financial management in municipalities. He emphasised to the SABC that the revised policy takes effect at an opportune time ahead of the local government elections:

# Umkhonto we Sizwe founding member and former Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils has told the Khampepe Commission that young recruits arriving at training camps in the 1970s and 1980s wanted to kill white South Africans, driven by anger at apartheid. Kasrils says recruits were taught that the struggle was against the apartheid system, not race based. He said that the training emphasised the Freedom Charter and the ANC’s non-racial principles:

# Taiwan has issued a warning as powerful Typhoon Champi approaches, bringing warnings of destructive winds, heavy rain and dangerous coastal waves. The storm’s gusts have reached 227 kilometres an hour, with more than 200 flights cancelled across Taiwan and Japan. Authorities warn that rainfall in northern Taiwan’s mountains could reach one metre. The typhoon has also forced changes to Keen Sword, a major US-Japan military exercise involving about 56-thousand personnel. Officials say training schedules are being adjusted to protect participants as the storm approaches.

# Cricket: South Africa have beaten Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Kagiso Rabada took six wickets in the match, including four in the second innings, while Marco Jansen claimed the final wicket to seal a commanding victory. Jansen finished with five wickets for the loss of 33 runs in Australia’s first innings, when they were dismissed for just 99. The result levels the three-Test series at one-all after South Africa lost the opening Test in Durban.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-51-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-8-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-500-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-52-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 113-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….