News 16:00

BULLETIN 3 November 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Dumisani Mbotho says the Hawks head alerted him about reports of fake officers in Sandton
# Russia continues to target energy infrastructure in Ukraine
# And eight Cape Town beaches are awarded the prestigious blue flag status for 2025/26

# Hawks divisional commissioner, Dumisani Mbotho, says he was at the Hawks awards in Pretoria when businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe was arrested in December last year. He is the third witness before the Madlanga commission for today. Mbotho has previously faced controversy over inappropriate WhatsApp posts and meeting a suspected crime boss, Nafiz Modack. Mbotho testified he was contacted by then Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya, who asked if he was aware of an operation in Sandton:

# The Department of Health will host a public panel discussion on accelerating universal health coverage and health security in South Africa at the University of Pretoria this evening. This is in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Clinton Health Access Initiative. The department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, says universal health coverage and health security are two of the most urgent priorities in global health today:

Moving abroad:

# At least two people were killed in a drone attack in Ukraine’s southwestern Odesa region as Russia continues to target Ukrainian infrastructure. The State Emergency Service says the Russian drone attack on a car park on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast killed two people. Odesa regional head Oleh Kiper says three other people were wounded. Tens of thousands of homes were also left without power after Russia attacked the front-line Zaporizhzhia region with drones and missiles.

# Tennis: Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime has strengthened his bid for a second appearance at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. He is up to eighth place in the Race To Turin following his run at the Paris Masters where he lost to Italian Jannik Sinner in the final. Auger-Aliassime has a 160-point lead over ninth-placed Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who will compete at the Hellenic Championship in Athens this week. Musetti needs to win the title to overtake Auger-Aliassime and secure the last spot.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-30-cents and the euro at 19-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-978-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-nine-dollars-6-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

# And finally, eight of Cape Town’s beaches have earned blue flag status for the 2025/26 season, recognising excellence in safety, water quality, and environmental management. The beaches, announced at the Blue Flag Awards in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape, are Bikini Beach, Camps Bay, Clifton’s Fourth Beach, Fish Hoek, Llandudno, Melkbosstrand, Muizenberg, and Silwerstroomstrand. The programme, coordinated by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, will officially run from the first of next month until the end of February, ensuring world-class, safe, and sustainable coastal experiences.

Stay tuned for more news………….