News 18:00

BULLETIN 25 October 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD party says the UK borrows from apartheid’s copybook in the banning of chief Zwelivelile Mandela
# Rugby: André-Hugo Venter will play his 50th match for the Stormers in Stellenbosch
# And Al Jama-ah plans to help one-million Muslim couples obtain valid South African marriage certificates

# The GOOD party says the United Kingdom’s decision to deny a visa to chief Zwelivelile Mandela beggars belief. Secretary-general Brett Herron says it is an ill-considered ban on free speech deployed to muzzle Mandela from speaking out in support of the struggle for justice for Palestine and Palestinians. Herron adds rather than bullying Mandela, the UK would better serve its citizens, and the citizens of Israel and Palestine, by using its muscle to get the protagonists talking about stopping the genocide in Gaza:

# The DA welcomes the launch of the private sector participation unit to improve the struggling ports and rail infrastructure. The unit, announced by Transport minister Barbara Creecy, will be managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The party believes private sector investment is crucial for reviving essential infrastructure. The DA’s Thamsanqa Mabhena calls for transparency, urging regular progress updates and parliamentary oversight: 

# Social Development minister Sisisi Tolashe has announced the introduction of alternative payments for social grants to combat rampant fraud within the South African Social Security Agency. The plan includes switching to dedicated bank cards for grant beneficiaries. During a National Assembly debate, Tolashe emphasised the seriousness of issues such as claims after beneficiaries had died, and double payments. She noted SASSA is investing in advanced technology to enhance fraud prevention and improve the integrity of the grant payment system.

# Rugby: Hooker André-Hugo Venter will play his 50th match for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship encounter with Glasgow Warriors in Stellenbosch tomorrow. The 23-year-old hooker will be joined in the starting line-up by World Cup winners Manie Libbok and Frans Malherbe, who are both making their first appearance of the season. With Libbok at flyhalf, Damian Willemse will line up at inside centre, with skipper Dan du Plessis outside him and Ruhan Nel on the wing. Kick-off is at 1:45 pm.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-63-cents and the euro at 19-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-470-dollars-54-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-736-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Al Jama-ah says it plans to help one-million Muslim couples obtain valid South African marriage certificates under new provisions by the Department of Home Affairs. The change allows Muslim couples to register their Nikah marriages, which will now be officially recognised on the national population register. Al Jama-ah’s spokesperson, Shameemah Salie, says the update provides legal recognition in line with Islamic law and reduces legal costs for couples: 

Stay tuned for more news………….