News 13:00

BULLETIN 11 November 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SAFTU rejects the 3.5-percent salary increase for political office-bearers
# Smart ID services are now available at 753 bank branches
# And swimming: Smith’s legal battles with Swimming SA touted as a reason for switching allegiance to the Netherlands

# Union federation SAFTU has rejected president Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to grant a 3.5-percent salary increase to political office-bearers, including members of the national executive and Parliament. The federation does, however, support the four-percent increase for judges. SAFTU’s Asive Dyani says the independence and proper functioning of the judiciary are essential to constitutional democracy. She says this position cannot be used to justify increasing the pay of political office-bearers, while millions of people struggle to find work:

# Home Affairs expanded smart ID services to 753 bank branches, exceeding its target of 750. Minister Leon Schreiber says over one-million South Africans have used the service since its launch in March. The footprint has grown from 214 Home Affairs offices to 967 locations, an increase of over 350-percent in 246 days. Schreiber says citizens can walk into ABSA, Capitec, FNB or Standard Bank branches, with applications processed via biometrics in five minutes, without bookings or queues.

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Correctional Services says it will ensure that the Department of Correctional Services complies with court orders arising from the case involving former G4S Security employees at Mangaung Correctional Centre, now known as Grootvlei Correctional Centre. The Labour Court found the department in contempt of court for failing to insource staff from G4S. The department took over operational control of the prison in July this year. Committee chairperson Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng says the department’s application for leave to appeal has been rejected:

# Swimming: South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete Tatjana Smith’s decision to switch allegiance to the Netherlands is ascribed in part to her legal disputes with Swimming South Africa over withheld prize money and poor athlete provisions. The 29-year-old, who has dual citizenship through her father, Rene Schoenmaker, hopes to compete for the Netherlands in 2028’s Olympics in America. Smith explains it has stronger, more sustainable high-performance structures, while admitting to financial challenges in South Africa:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-57-cents and the euro at 18-rand-45-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-625-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-49-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-4-sents a barrel.

# And finally: The American actor who portrayed private detective Mike Hammer in the 1980s TV series has died at the age of 85. Stacy Keach’s career spanned over six decades and also included Shakespearean roles and appearances in productions such as Hemingway, Prison Break and The Bourne Legacy. His final appearance was in the Netflix production Jay Kelly last year. Keach’s wife, Malgosia Tomassi, says he died of heart failure in their home in Madgalenka, Poland. He is also survived by two children.

Stay tuned for more news………….