News 16:00

BULLETIN 26 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Tshwane’s mayor vows action over the water contamination crisis
# The South African National Blood Service warns blood stocks have fallen to 3.9 days
# And an Australian murderer loses a bid to eat Vegemite in prison

# Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya says the city will take action against officials found negligent in the water contamination crisis in Bronkhorstspruit. She visited the area and said internal and external investigations would examine chlorine shortages, communication failures and the decision not to shut down the affected plant. Moya says the findings will determine accountability, including possible dismissals. She says the immediate priority is protecting residents’ lives, reducing infections and completing work at the plant:

More health matters: The South African National Blood Service has warned national blood stocks have dropped to 3.9 days’ cover, below the five-day target. It needs three-thousand-500 units daily, but collections are falling short, with some regions below three days and Group O stocks under severe pressure. With the festive season approaching, demand for surgery, childbirth, cancer and emergency transfusions remains high. Senior manager Monique Schreiner says they need public support to rebuild stocks and reminds the public every donation saves lives.

# Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi has urged women and communities to report corruption, intimidation, violence, and criminal activities without fear. She joined women leaders, political formations, faith-based organisations and civil society at the KwaZulu-Natal Election Peace Prayer in Durban. The department’s spokesperson, Palesa Rammitlwe, says Kubayi emphasised that hatred, intimidation, political intolerance and every form of violence must be rejected:

# Rugby: The new sevens world series will start in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the last weekend of November. That will be followed by the Cape Town event a week later, and regular season tournaments in Singapore, Perth in Australia, and Vancouver in Canada, ending in New York in the US. The world championship events will be played in Hong Kong in China in April, and Valladolid in Spain and Bordeaux in France in May. South Africa won both series last season.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-63-cents and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-150-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-17-dollars-6-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 115-dollars-39-sents a barrel.

# And finally: A convicted Australian murderer has lost a court battle to have Vegemite allowed in prison, arguing the ban violates his cultural rights. Andre McKechnie, who is serving a life sentence, challenged the long-standing prohibition in Victoria’s Supreme Court. Judge Claire Harris ruled the restriction was justified on security grounds. Prison authorities say the salty yeast spread could interfere with drug-sniffing dogs and be used to make illegal alcohol. Vegemite has been banned in Victorian prisons since 2006.

Stay tuned for more news………….