News 16:00

BULLETIN 20 December 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Eastern Cape needs extraordinary measures after the death of 20 initiatiates
# One-thousand-500 vehicles pass through the N3 Toll Route per hour
# And the Springboks dominate SA Rugby’s nominations for its annual awards

# The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa in the Eastern Cape says the province needs extraordinary measures after 20 boys died during the current summer initiation season. Chairperson Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana says traditional circumcision does not kill, but it’s the people behind the process who are responsible for the deaths. He calls for traditional leadership to be capacitated urgently so they could be hands-on, with powers, to deal decisively with this carnage.

# The N3 Toll Concession says traffic volumes of one-thousand-500 vehicles per hour have been recorded on the N3 Toll Route in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and KZN. Spokesperson Thania Dhoogra says the increased traffic is expected to continue until Christmas and is likely to put more pressure on road users, law enforcement and emergency services:

Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town says with another expected rush on the roads towards Christmas, it appeals to long-distance operators to step up for their free vehicle safety checks. Mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says vehicle examiners already checked 664 vehicles, including 555 buses and 55 minibuses, with a 94-percent pass rate:

# Nigerian police arrested eight people following a stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern city of Ibadan in which 35 children were killed and six others seriously injured. Among those detained is the main sponsor of the event at the Basorun Islamic High School. The surge apparently started when the organisers distributed food and gifts. Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.

# On to sports news: World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Player of the Year, Springbok flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, is one of five nominees for SA Rugby’s Men’s Player of the Year, along with national teammates Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and Ox Nché. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cameron Hanekom, Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn and Henco van Wyk were nominated as Young Player of the Year. Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus, Sevens coach Philip Snyman and the Bulls’ Jake White will compete for Coach of the Year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-39-cents and the euro at 19-rand-12-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-89-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-604-dollars-22-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….