News 15:00

BULLETIN 21 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A memorial service for the George building collapse victims is being held today 
# Eskom extends the Camden, Grootvlei, and Hendrina operations to 2030
# And rugby: Jacques Nienaber says the Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse will be like a Test

# A memorial service for the victims of the collapsed George building is being held at Lawaaikamp Community Hall today. Thirty-four people died when the  residential building under construction collapsed about two weeks ago. Nine people are still in hospital. The Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, handed over the construction site to the Department of Labour and the police for further investigations on Friday. More than one-thousand rescue workers and volunteers assisted with the rescue operations.

# Eskom has approved the continued operation of the Camden, Grootvlei, and Hendrina power stations until 2030, deviating from the original decommissioning plan of 2023 to 2027. Eskom’s head of generation, Bheki Nxumalo, stated this extension is to stabilise the grid and accommodate new capacity. The decision, endorsed by Cabinet, aims to maintain energy security amid a supply deficit. The impact on South Africa’s decarbonisation commitments and Just Energy Transition Investment Plan remains uncertain, with updates expected in June regarding emission-reduction targets and the closure of other power units.

# India’s government spice board has launched factory inspections of two top companies in the wake of foreign bans following accusations some products were tainted with pesticides. India is a key spice producer making up some 12-percent of global exports. The Spices Board of India launched checks at processing plants of popular producers MDH and Everest, together making up more than a quarter of India’s market, to ensure that they meet global standards. Both companies deny their spices pose a health risk.

# Rugby: Two giants of European rugby will meet in the Champions Cup final on Saturday. Irish side Leinster will face French club Toulouse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Toulouse is the most successful team in the history of the competition with five wins, while Leinster won the competition four times. Former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is now senior coach of Leinster and expects the intensity of a Test match in the final against Toulouse:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-14-cents and the euro at 19-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-160-dollars-49-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-417-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The National Sea Rescue Institute is challenging all South Africans to brave the cold and take a splash for a cause by participating in a winter solstice plunge to raise essential funds. The NSRI’s spokesperson, Andrew Ingram, says as the winter solstice approaches, marking the longest night of the year on 20 June, they are encouraging all citizens to embrace the chill and celebrate the return of longer days with an invigorating plunge:

Stay tuned for more news………….