News 13:00

BULLETIN 23 May 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile honours 21 fallen MK Operatives in Soweto 
# Vivo Energy is to invest over ten-billion-rand in South Africa following the Engen merger
# And rugby: The Sharks are gunning for a first-ever cross-continental title

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile is delivering the keynote address during the handover of headstones to 21 families of fallen former MK operatives in Soweto today. His office says these operatives were murdered or abducted by apartheid forces between 1986 and ’89 while fighting for democracy. Their remains were exhumed and reburied following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s process. Government says the ceremony underscores the commitment to remember and memorialise the sacrifices for democracy and justice.

# Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, says Vivo Energy, owned by global commodities trader Vitol, will invest an initial ten-billion-rand in its South African operations. This follows the company’s merger with Engen. Patel says this investment is part of a range of public interest and competition commitments, designed to prevent job losses and continue supply contracts with local refineries:

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta says mother tongue-based bilingual education is very progressive, but it may have unintended consequences in some provinces. From next year South African schools will incrementally offer mother tongue-based bilingual education from Grade four. Makaneta says this might not yield the desired results in provinces such as Gauteng, as it may be used to exclude learners:

# Rugby: The Sharks will contest their fifth cross-continental final when they face Gloucester in tomorrow’s Challenge Cup final in London. They reached four Super Rugby finals but lost all of them. Now they have a chance to win silverware in a new competition. Sharks director of rugby Neil Powel says they are ready for the decider:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-42-cents and the euro at 19-rand-96-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-41-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-708-dollars-25-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-363-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-17-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Ultima Antarctic Expeditions has opened bookings for its upcoming Antarctic season, between November this year and February next year, with only 250 seats available. Guests depart from Cape Town to inland Antarctica in just 5.5 hours. Of the available seats, the most exclusive are just 100 seats for the ultimate experience: the South Pole and Emperors Expedition. This includes visits to ancient ice caves and the experience of observing penguins in their natural habitat. CEO Riaan Aucamp says they see the expeditions as creating future Antarctic ambassadors.

Stay tuned for more news………….