News 17:00

BULLETIN 10 December 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The state loses its bid to remove Danny Jordaan’s advocate
# Gauteng’s Education Department allocates funds for mobile classrooms to meet the 2025 demand
# And cricket: The Proteas Women are ready for a historic Test against England

# The state’s attempt to force the recusal of South African Soccer Association president Danny Jordaan’s legal representative, Norman Arendse, has been dismissed in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Gauteng. Prosecutors argued Arendse was conflicted due to prior ties with SAFA and his potential involvement as a witness. Arendse refuted the claims, citing no current SAFA affiliations. The court ruled it lacked jurisdiction over recusal issues, advising the matter be taken to a higher court. Jordaan and two co-accused face fraud charges.

# The Gauteng Education Department has allocated 207-million-rand for the creation of 453 mobile classrooms and 73 ablutions, to help accommodate 325-thousand-858 learners placed in schools for 2025. This budget allocation follows 625 mobile units that had been procured to create satellite schools in high-pressure areas. MEC Matome Chiloane says the department has also invested 1.1-billion-rand in learner transport. The department will transport over 227-thousand learners to about 765 schools across the province next year.

The Western Cape Education Department has meanwhile called on communities to safeguard schools from burglaries and vandalism during the holidays. Education MEC David Maynier emphasised that schools are vital community assets, and their protection is crucial for learners’ futures. He urged vigilance and cooperation with police to ensure a safe environment, appealing for immediate reporting of suspicious activities near schools:

# Cricket South Africa has unveiled the 15-player Proteas Women’s squad for their one-off Test against England at Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval from the 15th. The match marks South Africa’s first home Test since March 2002. Fast bowler Tumi Sekhukhune replaces right-arm medium bowler Ayabonga Khaka. Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, and Chloé Tryon return to the squad after missing the previous Test against India. Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi believes this is a great learning opportunity:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-88-cents and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 97-thousand-654-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-673-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A professor at the University of Pretoria, Natasja Holtzhausen-Du Toit, says whistleblowers should be rewarded for their courage, rather than paying with their lives. She says this was the case for senior financial official at the Gauteng Department of Health, Babita Deokaran, who didn’t keep quiet about the fraud she’d uncovered, and was assassinated outside her home. Holtzhausen-Du Toit says whistleblowers promote transparency and accountability in both the private and public sectors:

Stay tuned for more news………….