News 15:00

BULLETIN 4 December 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen denounces a Daily Maverick article as vindictive
# Putin says Russia will take all of Ukraine’s Donbas region militarily or otherwise
# And rugby: Tickets are still available for this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens

# DA leader John Steenhuisen has accused Daily Maverick and journalist Rebecca Davis of publishing a vindictive, fact-free article linking his official work on agricultural market access in China to illegal wildlife trafficking. Steenhuisen clarified the photo cited shows him greeting a Vietnamese G20 delegation for a trade memorandum of understanding, not Chinese officials. He condemned the reporting as shoddy journalism, defended his work opening new markets for South African products, and has referred the matter to his attorneys and the Press Ombud.

# Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has admitted to the Madlanga commission he received money from controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, describing their relationship as very close, like brothers. Evidence leader Mahlape Sello questioned whether Mkhwanazi received funds personally or through Matlala’s companies. Mkhwanazi claimed the money was for casual needs, adding they frequently met socially until recent allegations strained communication:

Moving abroad:

# Russian president Vladimir Putin says his country would take full control of Ukraine’s Donbas region by force if Ukrainian forces don’t withdraw. He was speaking to India Today ahead of a visit to New Delhi. Putin says he would either liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian soldiers must leave. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier Moscow should not be rewarded for a war it started. Russia currently controls 19.2-percent of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, all of Luhansk, and more than 80-percent of Donetsk.

# Rugby: Tickets are still available for this weekend’s world sevens series tournament in Cape Town. Prices start at 250-rand per person per day. The Blitzboks, the defending champions, are in a demanding group with New Zealand, who won the season’s first tournament in Dubai last weekend, Fiji and Great Britain. They are still stressing over the fitness of playmaker Selvyn Davids and powerful forward Ryan Oosthuizen, who were both injured in Dubai. Action starts at the Cape Town Stadium at 10 o’clock Saturday morning.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-99-cents and the euro at 19-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-144-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-197-dollars-75-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-77-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The City of Cape Town is deploying 212 staff to keep children safe at beaches this festive season through the Identikidz programme. Parents can register their children and receive numbered armbands to ensure quick reunification if they get lost. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham, says last year, the initiative tagged over 133-thousand children and safely reunited 302 with their families:

Stay tuned for more news………….