News 16:00

BULLETIN 21 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Reserve Bank seizes 67-million-rand from a former Steinhoff executive
# Kgosientsho Ramokgopa highlights the Independent Power Producer’s emission cuts and energy savings
# And cricket: The Proteas have a 34-run lead after the first day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur

# The South African Reserve Bank has seized 67-million-rand from former Steinhoff legal head Stéhan Grobler for breaching exchange control regulations. The funds will be transferred to the National Revenue Fund. Grobler, who resigned in 2018, faces fraud and racketeering charges after turning himself into the Hawks in March. He denies the charges and is out on 150-thousand-rand bail. Grobler will appear in court early next year as Steinhoff also pursues civil claims against him.

# Energy and Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the Independent Power Producer Programme aims to cut carbon emissions by 350 to 420 million tonnes annually. He noted savings of 5.1-billion-rand, and emphasised solar and wind energy adoption. Het says with 141 preferred bidders across nine bid windows, the ministry is accelerating clean energy projects and exploring online auction models to streamline bid evaluations:

# The DA has requested an urgent debate in Parliament on the ongoing national water crisis. This follows a warning from Rand Water in Gauteng about possible shortages if municipalities do not implement the necessary recommendations. The party’s George Michalakis calls for oversight of the national water task team and related departments, stating that the Gauteng provincial government has not acted quickly enough:

# A senator in Australia’s Parliament has shouted at King Charles that he was not Australia’s king and that they committed genocide against the people of Australia. Lidia Thorpe was stopped by security from getting close to the monarch and ushered out the chamber. Thorpe is the first Aboriginal woman from the state of Victoria to become a senator. She refused to take an oath of allegiance to the throne when she was sworn in, and was one of the protesters earlier when the royals laid a wreath at a war memorial.

# Cricket: South Africa reached 140 for six at the end of the first day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur. The Proteas’ bowlers did brilliant to bowl the hosts out for just 106, but South Africa’s stand-in Test captain, Aiden Markram, then lost his wicket for just six runs and another five batters were dismissed with a lead of just two runs. Tony de Zorzi contributed 30, Ryan Rickelton 27 and Tristan Stubbs 23. Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder will resume the innings tomorrow.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-12-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-215-dollars-15-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-735-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….