News 17:00

BULLETIN 7 November 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC rejects Helen Zille’s false claims on the government of national unity
# The EFF says US politics offer no lessons for Africa or the Global South
# And the Copernicus Climate Change Service report shows 2024 is set to be the hottest year on record

# The ANC has accused DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille of attempting to undermine its leadership with baseless and misleading claims. The party dismissed Zille’s claims about their involvement in shaping the government of national unity as false and misleading. In a media briefing, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula condemned Zille’s ongoing attacks on president Cyril Ramaphosa, labelling them as a desperate attempt for power:

# Labour lawyer Michael Bagraim says government can’t afford a salary increase of more than three-percent for public servants. He says government has rejected a demand for a six-percent salary increase crafted in the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council for the 1.3-million public servants. Bagraim says the Public Service wage negotiations are still in the early stages, and no conclusions have been reached yet:

# The EFF says United States politics offer no valuable lessons for Africa or the Global South. The party criticised the political system in America, arguing that it is deeply flawed and driven by elite interests, without real solutions for developing nations. EFF spokesperson, Leigh-Ann Mathys, says African countries should not look to the US for guidance, but instead focus on their own development paths and priorities:  

# Cricket: South Africa and India will face off in the first of four T20s at Kingsmead in Durban tomorrow in a repeat of the World Cup final four months ago which India won by a mere seven runs. The Proteas will be without their three most successful World Cup bowlers, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortjé and Tabraiz Shamsi. India also tours without most of its leading players, who are preparing for a Test series against Australia. The other T20s take place in Gqeberha, Centurion and Johannesburg.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-38-cents and the euro at 18-rand-75-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-53-cents and Bitcoin trades at 75-thousand-33-dollars-20-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-676-dollars-48-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-65-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Copernicus Climate Change Service report by European Union scientists indicates that 2024 is virtually certain to surpass 2023 as the hottest year globally. According to Reuters, the planet’s temperature now exceeds the pre-industrial average by over 1.5-degrees Celsius, marking a critical milestone. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels remain the primary driver of rising temperatures. The scientists urge accelerated climate action amidst extreme weather events fueled by climate change escalate globally. COP29 will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November.

Stay tuned for more news………….