News 09:00

BULLETIN 24 October 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nersa wants public comment on Eskom’s proposed amendments
# Minister Gwarube welcomes the criminal charges laid against eight Milnerton High School pupils
# And the European Union adopts its 19th package of sanctions against Russia

# The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has released a consultation paper on Eskom’s application to amend the losses charge calculation methodology for embedded electricity generators. In August, Nersa clarified calculation errors in its earlier multi-year price determination for the power utility, which resulted in higher electricity tariffs totalling 54-billion-rand for 2026 and 2027. Nersa’s spokesperson, Charles Hlebela, says Eskom intends to implement the amended methodology in the 2026/2027 financial year’s schedule of standard tariffs:

# The MK Party says it will file a class action lawsuit against the government of national unity over the deaths of several children in Naledi, Soweto, in Gauteng, who died after eating poisoned snacks last year. The party’s Nathi Nhleko believes the government must be held accountable for failing to protect vulnerable communities and ensure food safety in township shops:

# Basic Education minister, Siviwe Gwarube, has welcomed the criminal charges laid against eight Milnerton High School pupils involved in the violent attack of a Grade 10 learner. They appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, facing eight charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The learners were granted bail of two-thousand-rand each. The department’s spokesperson, Terence Khala, says the minister has reaffirmed that violence, bullying, and intimidation have no place in education:

# The European Union has adopted its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, energy infrastructure, and organisations in India and China. The sanctions include a ban on liquefied natural gas imports from Moscow as of January 2027, tighter rules on oil transactions, and fresh action against ships involved in sanctions evasion. Five new banks in Russia have been added to the list of banks subject to a transaction ban. The EU says the new package of sanctions substantially increases the pressure on the Russian war economy.

# Tennis: Four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner is through to the quarterfinals of the Vienna Open in Austria. The Italian defeated compatriot Flavio Cobolli, 6-2, 7-6, as he looks to lift the trophy for a second time. Second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany is also through to the last 16 after beating Italian qualifier Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-4, to record his 50th tour-level win of the season. Frenchman Corentin Moutet dented Daniil Medvedev’s hope of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals, defeating the Russian 7-6, 6-4.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-8-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-995-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-106-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….