News 17:00

BULLETIN 20 November 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The South African Reserve Bank cuts the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75-percent
# Parliament’s ad hoc committee warns it will not tolerate the intimidation of witnesses
# And motorsport, Lando Norris believes the Las Vegas Grand Prix will be a greater challenge than previous races

# The South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee has unanimously agreed to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75-percent, citing an improved inflation outlook. Governor Lesetja Kganyago told the media the move reflects steadier economic growth, stronger household spending, and easing inflation pressures, while the central bank remains committed to its new three-percent inflation target:

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating police corruption says it will not tolerate witness intimidation. This follows claims that forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan sent a threatening message to Police minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedric Nkabinde, while he was testifying. Committee members are calling for O’Sullivan to be summoned urgently and for legal action to protect witnesses and address the alleged intimidation. Nkabinde had implicated O’Sullivan in interfering with police operations and influencing senior officials:

# The DA in Gauteng today held a picket outside premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office in Johannesburg, demanding arrests and the return of looted funds from Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni. The party called for the speedy sale of seized assets to directly benefit patients, criminal charges for all implicated, procurement reforms, and the dismissal of Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. The DA’s Jack Bloom also demands justice for whistleblower Babita Deokaran:

# The Western Cape government says the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak detected at a Gouda feedlot earlier this month is under control. The affected farm remains under strict quarantine, and all cattle have been vaccinated and tagged. Farms within a ten-kilometre radius are being monitored while officials continue tracing animal movements. MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Ivan Meyer, warns all movement of cloven-hoofed animals must stop immediately, or farmers will face legal action.

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris, who looks on course for his maiden world drivers’ championship title, is expecting a much trickier race in the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the US this weekend. He says this is due to the track layout and low temperatures. The Briton has a 24-point lead over Australian teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris, who has won the two previous races in Mexico and Brazil, says he has been able to extract more from the car and make fewer mistakes:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-50-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-607-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-76-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-47-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….