News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 December 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Solidarity says South Africa and the US must repair their relationship
# Minister Senzo Mchunu will appear before the Madlanga Commission today
# And, Zelensky says Russia must not be rewarded for its aggression

# Solidarity says it is in the interest of both South Africa and the US that the dispute between the two governments is urgently resolved. US president Donald Trump has continued to falsely accuse South Africa of committing genocide against Afrikaners and confiscating land from white people. Solidarity says the first step towards normalising relations should be the immediate appointment of ambassadors to both countries to reopen the blocked diplomatic channels. It adds that the countries could then appoint a joint task team to investigate and resolve the smaller points of contention.

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu, who is on a leave of absence, is set to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry today. He has been linked with criminal networks and is accused of using his political influence to protect individuals under criminal investigation. Mchunu has dismissed the allegations against him as baseless. The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, says they have entered phase two of the inquiry, where implicated individuals have the opportunity to offer their explanations or refute the claims made against them:

# The South African National Taxi Council says it’s stepping up road safety measures ahead of the festive travel rush. Following the launch of its Hlokomela campaign, the council will conduct roadworthiness checks, safety awareness drives, and engagements across all provinces. Santaco’s Rebecca Phala says they will work closely with the government, law enforcement, and civil society partners to promote responsible travel:

# The International Pentecostal Holiness Church says attempts to undermine its leader, Michael Sandlana, are politically motivated. Following his arrest last week, Sandlana and three others have been charged with corruption and money laundering, linked to allegations that a judge received over two-million-rand in kickbacks to favour one faction in the church’s succession dispute. The church urges members to stay calm, united, and prayerful, rejecting any interference aimed at seizing control of church leadership or assets.

# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says his country’s priorities remain focused on security guarantees and maintaining sovereignty and territory. He had a meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday, as efforts continue to bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end. Zelensky has insisted that Russia must not get rewards for its aggression on Kyiv. He adds that only Ukraine can make decisions about its territory, and security guarantees must not be discussed without both Ukrainians and the European Union.

# Motorsport: Red Bull has apologised for comments about Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, implying that he intentionally let McLaren’s Lando Norris overtake him on the penultimate lap of Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, said it looked like Antonelli had just pulled over and let Norris through. This is after the Italian ran wide and lost fourth place to the championship leader. Red Bull says they were clearly incorrect and regret the online abuse Antonelli has received since.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-9-cents and the euro at 19-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-58-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-646-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-213-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….