News 16:00

BULLETIN 14 November 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA reiterates its opposition to Eskom’s 40-percent price hike
# The Human Rights Commission launches a probe into the police’s operations targeting illegal miners
# And rugby: The Boks make 12 changes to the starting 15 for the battle with England

# The DA’s leader in Gauteng, Solly Msimanga, submitted over 200-thousand signatures to energy regulator NERSA in Pretoria today, opposing Eskom’s proposed 40-percent electricity tariff hike. Hundreds joined the DA’s protest, demanding affordable and reliable power. Msimanga called for public participation as NERSA opens hearings. He also emphasised accountability and relief amid South Africa’s energy and cost-of-living crisis:

# The South African Human Rights Commission is investigating police operations in Stilfontein in North West today, after complaints about blocked access to essentials for illegal miners in Stilfontein and Orkney. Hundreds of miners from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have emerged, with many believed still underground. The operation has led to over 600 arrests so far.

# KwaZulu-Natal premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has appealed to the national government for budget relief, highlighting severe constraints on essential services in the province. In his media briefing, Ntuli outlined the challenges faced by the education, health, and social development sectors due to budget cuts, which have impacted service delivery. He expressed hope that the provincial needs would be prioritized in the next national budget:

# Rugby: The Springbok starting 15 against England shows 12 changes to the team which defeated Scotland 32-15 last weekend. Only Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nché and Bongi Mbonambi remain. Bulls prop Wilco Louw joins RG Snyman and loose forwards Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese in the starting line-up. Grant Williams starts at scrumhalf and Manie Libbok at flyhalf. They are joined by Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Aphelele Fassi in a new backline. The bench has five forwards and three backs.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-34-cents and the euro at 19-rand-31-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-167-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-553-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The iconic South African visual Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu’s celebrated exhibition, Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting, is set to be showcased at the Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg from next Wednesday until April next year. The exhibition chronicles Mahlangu’s artistic journey through archival works such as her BMW Art Car, and a series of prints she created in collaboration with the late former president Nelson Mandela. Curator Nontobeko Ntombela says Mahlangu’s work has had a profound effect on South African contemporary art.

Stay tuned for more news………….