News 11:00

BULLETIN 18 November 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The SACP will review its political independence
# An Aboriginal senator is censured for heckling King Charles
# And rugby: Welsh coach Warren Gatland is considering his future after his side’s 11th consecutive loss

# The South African Communist Party will use its fifth Special National Congress next month to review its decades-long relationship with the ANC. The Tripartite Alliance has been strained following the ANC’s decision to include the DA in the government of national unity. In its pre-conference discussion document, the SACP says its identity as an independent political entity has diminished and is increasingly seen as an extension of the ANC. It adds that the national elections’ outcomes have intensified questions about the alliance’s effectiveness.

# Cosatu says an urgent set of interventions to stabilise and rebuild local government is desperately needed as is a new funding model. The union federation presented its submission on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement Division of Revenue Amendment Bill to Parliament last week. The bill covers adjustments in budgetary allocations to provincial and local governments for the 2024/’25 financial year. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the state of local government is extremely worrying:

# The DA in Gauteng says over 16-thousand-240 formal food establishments have been found to be non-compliant with food safety regulations in the province since 2020. The province has recorded over 400 cases of food poisoning with 23 deaths, mostly children. The DA says given the high number of formal food establishments that are not compliant with food safety regulations, it is clear that there is a need for more health inspectors in Gauteng. It adds that the lack of health inspectors is putting the lives of residents at risk.

# Australian lawmakers have voted to censure Aboriginal senator, Lidia Thorpe, who heckled King Charles during his visit to Canberra last month. She interrupted a reception for the king yelling “You committed genocide against our people” and “You are not our king.” A censure motion carries no constitutional or legal weight. The Senate, which passed a censure motion 46-12 against Thorpe, described her behaviour as disrespectful and disruptive. Thorpe says she has no regrets:

# Rugby: Wales’ coach, Warren Gatland, says he will now consider his future after his side tumbled to a record eleventh consecutive Test defeat. Australia demolished Wales 52-20 in Cardiff yesterday. Gatland met with Welsh Rugby Union chairperson Richard Collier-Keywood and executive director of rugby Nigel Walker after the game. Wales take on world champions South Africa on Saturday. Gatland says this is the most challenging time he has faced as a coach:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-8-cents and the euro at 19-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-586-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-584-dollars-57-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-1-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….