News 16:00

BULLETIN 10 November 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Koeberg Unit 2 passes a critical nuclear safety test
# More South Africans rely on multiple lenders as debt pressures grow
# And rugby: Rassie admits the French captain Antoine Dupont presents a difficult challenge

# Eskom says Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 has successfully passed a critical nuclear safety test, confirming the structural integrity and leak-tightness of its containment building. The Integrated Leak Rate Test is conducted every ten years as part of regulatory requirements. In a statement, Eskom says independent international experts confirmed that the unit met all safety standards. The milestone supports Koeberg’s 20-year operating licence extension. Maintenance work will continue before Unit 2 returns to service.

Meanwhile, chairperson Mteto Nyati says the power utility is entering a new era of responsible energy management, focused on affordable and reliable electricity. Speaking at the Nuclear and Clean Energy Conference in Pretoria, Nyati says Eskom is moving from crisis management to long-term energy planning after more than 500 days without load-shedding. He says nuclear power-clean coal technologies will support energy security, with plans for 5.2-gigawatts of nuclear capacity:

# South Africans are increasingly turning to retailers, microlenders and online lenders for cash as financial pressure mounts. DebtBusters’ latest Debt Index shows banks now account for just 65-percent of new debt counselling applicants’ borrowing, the lowest level on record. Almost two-thirds of applicants have payday loans, while the average person has a record 8.8 credit agreements. Benay Sager of DebtBusters says middle-income earners are particularly squeezed by rising living costs, with growing financial stress among younger and older consumers:

Moving abroad:

# North Korea has accused United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of siding with South Korea in a dispute over a landmine explosion near their shared border. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticised Guterres for urging the two countries to resume dialogue to ease tensions. The September explosion in the Demilitarised Zone injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul and the UN Command blame mines planted by the North, but Pyongyang denies responsibility and accuses the South of fabricating the evidence.

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has admitted French captain Antoine Dupont’s unpredictability presents difficult challenges for the world champions in Friday’s Nations Championship encounter in Paris. He believes the scrumhalf’s ability to play on instinct makes him particularly difficult to contain, even suggesting his own teammates might not always know what he is going to do next. France demonstrated its attacking potential in their 54-17 victory over Fiji last weekend in Lyon, scoring eight tries.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-40-cents and the euro at 18-rand-39-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-2-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-163-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-75-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-8-sents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….