News 12:00

BULLETIN 19 December 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ACSA executives face allegations of misconduct and nepotism
# Botswana’s lifting of the vegetable import ban from South Africa is welcomed
# And rugby: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is motivated to help the Stormers turn things around

# The Airports Company South Africa is under scrutiny following allegations of misconduct and nepotism involving senior executives. IOL reports accusations include irregularities in tender processes and preferential hiring practices favouring former colleagues. This comes amid a controversial one-billion-rand Smart Security screening tender, raising concerns about governance within the organisation. The company has a history of controversies, including unresolved contract disputes and unpaid invoices.

# The National Agricultural Marketing Council has welcomed Botswanan president Duma Boko’s decision to lift restrictions on imports of vegetables from South Africa. These include turmeric, pumpkins, green peas, and mushrooms. Phase two will follow in April when the ban on products such as beetroot, butternut, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes will be lifted. The council’s spokesperson, Mashao Mohale, says the effects of Botswana’s import restrictions were felt at various levels, including loss of export earnings and the disruption of fragile food systems:

# Parts of Southern Africa face another dry season following an El Niño-induced drought, the worst in decades. Despite expectations of October rainfall, countries such as Zimbabwe have seen little rain. Over half of its 16-million population required food aid this year, with families skipping meals to conserve supplies. The World Food Programme expressed concern about worsening conditions. WFP’s country director, Barbara Clemens, believes land reforms and climate change have further weakened Zimbabwe’s ability to sustain food production.

# Rugby: The Stormers’ Springbok flyhalf, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, says he is ready to put his injury woes behind him, as he prepares to make his return against the Lions in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday. The 22-year-old, who made his Test debut against Wales in June, has suffered a knee injury and concussion in recent months. The Stormers have won just two of their opening six games of the URC season. Feinberg-Mngomezulu says the team is motivated to turn things around:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-27-cents and the euro at 18-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-5-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-356-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-615-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-41-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Gregg Wallace will be replaced by restaurant critic Grace Dent in the next series of the BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef. She will join regular presenter John Torode as a judge during next year’s 20th season of the TV cooking competition. Wallace is facing allegations of inappropriate behaviour from more than a dozen people across a range of shows over a 17-year period. It was announced last month that he would step away from his presenting role amid an external review into historical allegations of misconduct.

Stay tuned for more news………….