News 18:00

BULLETIN 5 December 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cabinet urges public-police partnerships to strengthen the fight against crime
# The National Student Financial Aid Scheme submits its 2022/23 report to Parliament
# And rugby: The Blitzboks coach has a different strategy for the weekend’s tournament in Cape Town

# Cabinet has called for stronger collaboration between the public and police to enhance the fight against crime. They believe working together will lead to safer environments and better crime-fighting strategies. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told the media crime prevention requires collective action from all sectors of society, to tackle rising crime and create a safer environment for citizens:

# The National Student Financial Aid Scheme has finally submitted its 2022/23 annual report to Parliament, marking a significant step forward despite leadership instability. The portfolio committee on Higher Education expressed concerns over NSFAS’s accountability, citing wasteful expenditure. Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie emphasised NSFAS’s crucial role for students, urging accountability to sustain future funding. Spokesperson Jabulani Majozi noted that stakeholders assure readiness for the next academic year:

# Etana Energy has signed a groundbreaking 1.8-billion-rand guarantee facility deal with GuarantCo and British International Investment to unlock nine-billion-rand in renewable energy projects. The agreement supports South Africa’s energy transition, enabling 500 megawatt of wind and solar power. It also seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.2-million tonnes annually. The company says this provides revenue certainty for independent power producers, advancing the Just Energy Transition Partnership goals.

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman has a different strategy towards this weekend’s tournament in Cape Town, which they desperately want to win. The players are trying to overcome the extra pressure from playing at home. They are not allowed to see their families during the event, as Snyman believes their focus should only be on rugby. He realises the change in format, with only the four group winners advancing directly to the semifinals, also adds to the pressure on the Blitzboks.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-2-cents and the euro at 19-rand-4-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-98-cents and Bitcoin trades at 102-thousand-857-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-646-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-43-cents a barrel

# And finally: A US study has revealed that exposure to common air pollutants, such as organic carbon and particulate matter, increases infertility risks. The research, conducted on one-thousand-400 individuals undergoing in-vitro fertilisation, highlights the impact of pollution on both men and women. It found that pollutants, particularly from vehicles and wildfire smoke, negatively affect fertilisation rates. The study urges the importance of reducing exposure, especially during critical stages of conception, and using air filtration systems for protection.

Stay tuned for more news………….