News 15:00

BULLETIN 3 December 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mkhwanazi accuses a previous witness of lying and forging documents at the Madlanga commission
# No breakthrough yet in the peace deal between Putin and US negotiators
# And rugby: The 2027 World Cup draw pools the Springboks with Italy, Georgia and Romania

# Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has told the Madlanga commission retired deputy chief Revo Spies lied and produced forged operational plans during his testimony. This follows Mkhwanazi’s introduction of CAT VIP Protection Services to the city ahead of the state of the city address. Spies previously alleged that Mkhwanazi altered documents to mask private deals giving Matlala’s companies policing powers. Mkhwanazi denied the claims:

# A new National Planning Commission report warns that capital is accumulating in South Africa’s economy but not being reinvested in fixed assets needed for growth. The report states that the country’s financial ecosystem, made up of interlinked public and private balance sheets, is reinforcing exclusion and under-investment. It recommends a new macro-financial governance system, reforms to pension fund rules, strengthened development finance oversight, and expanded blended-finance models. The NPC says these changes could unlock five-trillion-rand for infrastructure and the Just Energy Transition.

# Eskom says the ongoing adverse weather conditions in parts of the country have resulted in increased electricity faults across its supply areas, particularly in Gauteng. The South African Weather Service has issued a warning of isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the eastern parts of the country this week. Eskom spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says these conditions are affecting the response times, particularly where access is restricted:

Moving abroad:

# Russian president Vladimir Putin and US negotiators appear to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on securing a Ukrainian peace deal. Russian officials say the talks were constructive, but no compromise was reached over territorial concessions from Kiev. Nato Foreign ministers are meanwhile meeting in Brussels to discuss the ongoing peace talks. Chief Mark Rutte says Moscow continues to test their deterrence and they face real and lasting dangers. He adds Russia has violated Nato’s airspace with drones and jets, and sent spy ships into its waters.

# Rugby: South Africa will be in Pool B together with Italy, Georgia and Romania for 2027’s World Cup in Australia. The official draw took place in Sydney today. For the first time there will be 24 teams competing in six pools. New Zealand, the hosts, Chile, and Hong Kong China are in Pool A, and Argentina, Fiji, Spain, and Canada in Pool C. Pool D consists of Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, and Portugal; France, Japan, the USA, and Samoa are in Pool E; and England, Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe in Pool F.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-8-cents and the euro at 19-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-973-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-205-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-5-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….