News 09:00

BULLETIN 19 November 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Helen Zille says it’s not the DA’s job to protect the ANC
# Technological fraud and scams are becoming a major challenge
# And Hong Kong jails pro-democracy activists

# DA Federal Council chairperson, Helen Zille, says it is not the DA’s job to protect the ANC, but to tell the truth and to stand up for values, principles, and policies that will save South Africa. She was responding to a piece written by journalist Mondli Makhanya, who described Zille as the quintessential wrecking ball threatening the government of national unity. Zille says that none of her public utterances about the running of the coalition government had the potential to undermine or jeopardise its stability. 

# The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service says the role technology plays in fraud, and scams are becoming particularly challenging in South Africa. In 2022, the country experienced the most cyberattacks on the African continent. It is estimated that in 2023, the average number of weekly cyberattacks per organisation in Africa increased by 23-percent year-on-year, making it the highest average globally. Southern African Fraud Prevention Service’s, Roy Retief, says companies need to audit their cyber security policies, programmes, and protocols:

# Deputy minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, has welcomed the ruling by the Balfour Magistrate’s Court to impose a 160-million-rand fine on the Dipaleseng Municipality in Mpumalanga. The municipality was found to have contravened the National Environmental Management Act and the National Water Act. Seitlholo says that from December 2018 until August 2023, the municipality caused significant pollution to the environment by dumping untreated sewage into several areas, including the Suikerbosrand River and the Gasteplaas Dam:

# A Hong Kong court has sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to prison terms ranging from four to ten years on subversion charges. The group, which originally had 47 defendants, were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion, for their roles in holding an unofficial primary election in 2020. Thirty-one of the activists pleaded guilty and 14 others were found guilty in May following a trial. Two were acquitted. Legal scholar Benny Tai, who led the 2014 Occupy protests, received the longest prison term of ten years.

# Golf: Spain’s Sergio Garcia has reapplied for membership to the DP World Tour, as he seeks a European record-equalling eleventh appearance at the Ryder Cup. The 44-year-old resigned from the European tour last year after racking up fines after joining LIV Golf in 2022. Garcia has submitted his application to return to the DP Tour for the 2025 season and has settled his outstanding fines. He will also have to serve a suspension. European players wishing to be selected for the Ryder Cup must be members of the tour.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-91-cents and the euro at 18-rand-96-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-567-dollars-1-cent. Gold sells at two-thousand-623-dollars-41-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….