News 06:00

BULLETIN 11 November 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa secures a loan of almost 16-billion-rand to revive major cities
# The implementation of AARTO is postponed to 2026
# And rugby: André Esterhuizen says the Boks will use the knowledge from previous Tests against Italy

# Government has secured a 15.91-billion-rand loan from the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The six-year South Africa Metro Trading Services Programme aims to improve the accountability, financial health, and operational performance of essential urban services in the country’s eight largest metropolitan municipalities. These include Johannesburg, Cape Town, eThekwini, and Buffalo City. Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana says metros will unlock the incentive grant funding by demonstrating improved institutional and service delivery performance in water supply and sanitation, electricity, and solid waste management. 

# Members of Parliament say they are prepared to visit Kgosi Mampuru Prison to obtain testimony from convicted drug dealer Cat Matlala. The parliamentary committee believes his evidence could shed light on alleged links between inmates and officials involved in prison corruption. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni, says arrangements are being discussed with Correctional Services to allow Matlala to testify under secure conditions before the committee concludes its investigation:

# The rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences has been postponed to 1 July next year, instead of 1 December. According to the Transport Ministry, the delay follows assessments that found some municipalities are not yet ready. Ministry spokesperson Collen Msibi says key issues include finalising training for law enforcement and back-office staff and aligning municipal systems:

#  President Donald Trump has pardoned Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and dozens of other allies accused of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss, a U.S. Justice Department official said on Monday. Trump, in a proclamation dated Friday, said the move would end “a grave national injustice” and “continue the process of national reconciliation. Trump was indicted over the alleged plot to seek phony electors backing his false claims that he won in 2020. The case was dismissed after last year’s election when prosecutors cited policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

# Rugby: Versatile Springbok André Esterhuizen says they will use the knowledge from this year’s two Tests against Italy when the two countries meet again in Turin this Saturday. The Boks won both home Tests against the Azzurri in July. Esterhuizen was in brilliant form against France last weekend when he had to alternate between centre and flanker after Lood de Jager’s red card. He says Italy is an unpredictable team, referring to their victory over the Wallabies on Saturday, and they expect a tough battle.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-14-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-58-cents and Bitcoin trades at 106-thousand-111-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-119-dollars-64-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South African actor Jonathan Pienaar passed away in his sleep at his home in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, on Monday. He was 63. Pienaar is best known for his roles in Yizo Yizo, Binnelanders, Roots, and Isidingo. He also appeared in numerous South African and international films, including Blood Diamonds, Dollars and White Pipes, Wild at Heart, and Venus Noire. Actor Anton Dekker described Pienaar as a truly unique actor and a great human being, while director and producer Denver Vraagom says he was a friend and a soul mate.  

Stay tuned for more news………….