Good News

BULLETIN 19 November 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Plans are underway to expand the port of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to accommodate larger cruise ships of up to 300 metres. The current setup requires vessels to anchor offshore, limiting tourist access during rough weather. A key stakeholder meeting this week is set to finalise long-term development strategies for the port. Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy says the upgrades are part of broader efforts to revitalise the port:

# A high-speed rail linking Gauteng and Limpopo is in development, starting with a Pretoria-to-Polokwane connection and potential extensions to Louis Trichardt and Musina. The 420-kilometre line aims to reduce traffic, boost tourism, and strengthen economic ties. According to Gateway Magazine, it will also create a direct corridor to Zimbabwe. Joint tourism initiatives, including a golfing route, are planned. The master plan for the project is set to be completed by the end of next year.

# The 2024 Santa Shoebox Project has collected 75-thousand beautifully decorated boxes donated by generous South Africans. These boxes, filled with essentials like toiletries, clothing, educational supplies, and toys, will bring joy to underprivileged children in schools, orphanages, and homes. Each of the beneficiary institutions will be hosting Christmas parties where the children will get to open their boxes and delight in the gifts. Since its launch in 2006, the initiative has reached over 1.2 million children.

# South Africa’s limited eight-part series science-fiction film, Transmission, won the best pilot film award at the NYC Web Fest in New York. The series is about a woman named Beth, played by Mikkie-dené le Roux, who escapes her abusive marriage and conservative community in Cape Town during a load-shedding event. The producers of the film received 500-thousand-rand funding from the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, to make the pilot.

# And finally: The nominations for the tenth annual Game Awards have been announced, with Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth receiving seven nominations each including for game of the year. Hannah Telle for Life is Strange: Double Exposure and Humberly González for Star Wars Outlaws have been nominated for best performance. Animal Well, Neva, and Balatro have bagged a nomination for the best independent game. The awards will be hosted by Geoff Keighley in Los Angeles on the 12th of December.

Stay tuned for more news………….