News 18:00

BULLETIN 7 November 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC calls for health and safety protocols for spaza shops amid the foodborne illnesses
# Rugby: Damian McKenzie will be in the number 10 jersey for the All Blacks against Ireland
# And president Ramaphosa unveils a statue of King Shaka at an airport in KwaZulu-Natal

# The ANC has called for stricter health and safety protocols for spaza shops following recent foodborne illnesses, which have affected children. The party is working with law enforcement, local businesses, and other partners to introduce stricter regulations for establishments like spaza shops to ensure public health is prioritised. ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula told the media the party is also closely monitoring investigations into these incidents:

# A second person has been arrested in connection with the 1.2-million-rand fraud case involving electoral commissioner Nomsa Masuku. Masuku appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Gauteng today alongside newly arrested co-accused, Mark Phillip Roux. The case involves allegations of fund siphoning and irregular scholarships during Masuku’s tenure at Standard Bank’s Corporate Social Investment programme. Both accused are out on 20-thousand-rand bail. The case is set to continue in February.

# The National Council of Provinces has questioned the Justice Department about critical issues raised by the Auditor-General. These include case backlogs, IT lags, and poorly maintained court facilities. Deputy Justice minister Andries Nel flagged these problems for their impact on justice delivery, with manual record-keeping highlighted as a key obstacle to performance. Despite an unqualified audit, the department has not produced a credible performance report since 2020. Basic infrastructure repairs are delayed by reliance on the Department of Public Works, further affecting court efficiency.

# Rugby: Damian McKenzie will wear the All Blacks’ number 10 jersey against Ireland in Dublin tomorrow night and Asafo Aumua will start at hooker. They replace Beauden Barrett and Cody Taylor, respectively, who were both ruled out with concussion. These injury-enforced changes are the only ones head coach Scott Robertson made to the team that narrowly beat England at Twickenham last weekend. This will be the first match between the two countries since New Zealand beat Ireland in the World Cup quarterfinal last year.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-33-cents and the euro at 18-rand-70-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-47-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-707-dollars-50-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-687-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-23-cents a barrel.

# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed King Shaka Zulu as a symbol of unity and leadership. He praised the newly unveiled statue at the King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal, calling it a historic moment for the Zulu people and all South Africans. According to Ramaphosa, the statue, a tribute to Shaka’s legacy, fosters national unity and serves as an enduring reminder of the strength and resilience that build nations: 

Stay tuned for more news………….