News 09:00

BULLETIN 25 November 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Financial Transformation Council questions the meaning of the G20 summit declaration
# Minister Steenhuisen says the agricultural inputs system is not on the brink of collapse
# And Zelensky welcomes significant amendments to the proposed peace plan

# The Financial Sector Transformation Council says South Africa is confronted with the more difficult work of interpreting what the G20 Leaders’ Summit declaration means for Africa’s future. The declaration commits major economies to tackling global inequality, reforming international financial systems, and boosting inclusive growth with a strong focus on Africa and the broader Global South. The council’s Buntu Gwija says Africa’s story has never been shaped by declarations:

# Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has dismissed claims that South Africa’s agricultural inputs regulatory system is on the brink of collapse. This follows claims by the lobby group SAAI, alleging a persistent collapse in the administration of Act 36, which governs the registration of pesticides, fertilisers and farm feeds. The department’s spokesperson, Joylene van Wyk, says significant inroads have been made in modernising the system to help eliminate unnecessary delays:

# ActionSA has opened a criminal case after eight of the party’s activists were shot at while campaigning at the Barcelona Primary School VD in Ward 109, Ekurhuleni. None of the activists was injured. ActionSA’s spokesperson, Matthew George, says it is concerning that this incident occurred less than 24 hours after successful anti-drug raids conducted in the very same area by mayoral candidate Xolani Khumalo, which targeted known drug dealers and criminals operating in the community:

# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed proposed changes to the US 28-point peace plan, saying now the list of necessary steps to end the war can become doable. The original plan calls on Kyiv to withdraw from cities it controls in the eastern Donbas region and limit the size of its army. Zelensky says the revised plan was truly the right approach. He adds that the sensitive issues, he will discuss with US president Donald Trump. A Kremlin official has rejected the amendments as completely unconstructive.

# Golf: The Sunshine Ladies Tour will have a strengthened 2026 schedule, boosting ten tournaments. Anchoring the schedule will be the co-sanctioned events with the Ladies European Tour, the Joburg Ladies Open, and the Investec South African Women’s Open. The MCB Ladies Classic, to be played in Mauritius, is a new addition next year. Sunshine Tour commissioner, Thomas Abt, says growing the player pathway is incredibly important, and the schedule provides the players with even greater opportunities to develop their careers on an international stage.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-30-cents and the euro at 19-rand-92-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-21-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-146-dollars-58-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-43-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….