News 06:00

BULLETIN 2 December 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Judgment is reserved in Jacob Zuma’s appeal against his legal fees repayment order
# Minister Motsoaledi says South Africa cannot afford Lenacapavir
# And rugby: The Springboks are congratulated for an outstanding 2025 season

# The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has reserved judgment in former president Jacob Zuma’s appeal against a ruling ordering him to repay 28.9-million-rand in state-funded legal fees. In October, the court ordered Zuma to repay the money and found that the legal payments violated principles of public accountability and the rule of law. Between 2005 and 2019, the state covered Zuma’s legal costs for his corruption trial defence. Zuma’s legal team has argued that it is not justifiable that the former president should be liable to pay this amount.

# Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi says currently South Africa cannot afford to buy and distribute Lenacapavir, which is very expensive. Lenacapavir is a revolutionary long-acting injectable drug that offers six months of protection with just two annual doses. Motsoaledi says South Africa is getting more than three-quarters of the LEN doses that the Global Fund is donating to nine countries; however, that still falls far short of the number needed to make a sufficient dent in new HIV infections:

# The Absa purchasing managers’ index for last month fell sharply to 42 points, down 7.2 points from October, signalling a broad slowdown in manufacturing activity. New sales orders and business activity declined steeply, reflecting weak domestic demand, while employment rose slightly but remains below the neutral 50 mark. Inventories and supplier deliveries also fell, though lower purchasing prices, aided by a stronger rand and cheaper oil, may ease cost pressures. Expected business conditions nudged above 50-points, suggesting modest optimism for the next six months.

# AfriForum says the water system is in crisis, with municipal collapse, leaking infrastructure, and unpaid bills driving up water tariffs. Recent reports from water boards show KwaZulu-Natal municipalities are losing over one-billion litres of water daily, costing more than six-billion-rand a year. AfriForum’s Lambert de Klerk urged the National Treasury and the Department of Water and Sanitation to take immediate action by fixing leaks, enforcing accountability, and supporting community-led solutions to safeguard residents’ water security:

# The sons of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan fear authorities are concealing something after more than three weeks with no evidence that he is still alive. His son, Kasim Khan, told Reuters the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Khan, despite a judicial order for weekly meetings. The 72-year-old Khan has been in jail since August 2023 after being convicted on several charges. The family says the lack of communication has fuelled fears over what it calls a deliberate effort to push Khan out of public sight.

# Rugby: The President of SA Rugby, Mark Alexander, on Monday congratulated the Springboks for an outstanding 2025 season, including the successful defence of the Rugby Championship title, as well as a second successive unbeaten Outgoing Tour to Europe. Alexander said the team’s sacrifices, dedication, and unwavering commitment have once again united the nation and inspired millions. He said the Springboks have also carried themselves with dignity and humility as true ambassadors of South Africa. Alexander lauded the Boks for their resilience, discipline, and teamwork.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-7-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-55-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-754-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-234-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….