News 15:00

BULLETIN 5 December 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Umalusi confirms the matric exam results will be announced on 12 January
# A taxi official is shot dead in Gauteng
# And rugby: Rassie stays with the Boks until 2031

# Quality assurance body Umalusi has confirmed the staggered marking of the National Senior Certificate exam papers which began on the 18th of November, will conclude on the 18th of this month. Umalusi head Mafu Rakometsi says marks will be captured until the fifth of next month, and the Quality Council For Trades and Occupations will review examination management. He says the outcomes will be announced by Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube on the 12th of January:

# Johannesburg police have opened a murder case after a taxi association official was shot and killed in Sandton. The victim and another man were approached by two gunmen armed with automatic rifles. Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo says the killing is suspected to be linked to an ongoing taxi conflict in Alexandra. He urges anyone with information to contact their nearest station:

# The High Court in the Free State is hearing arguments on the readiness of the prison escape trial involving Thabo Bester and his co-accused. The matter stalled in September after Bester changed lawyers for the fourth time, as well as co-accused Nandipha Magudumana pursue of a Constitutional Court challenge on her extradition from Arusha, Tanzania. Bester and Magudumana were arrested in 8 April 2023 after fleeing the country. Prosecutors have asked the apex court to address delays caused by Magudumana’s appeal.

# Rugby: Rassie Erasmus will stay on as Springbok coach for a further four years. SA Rugby’s president, Mark Alexander, says they are proud to reaffirm their commitment to excellence by extending the agreement until after the 2031 World Cup in the USA. He says the decision reflects not only on Erasmus’s remarkable track record, but also the enduring impact he has made in shaping the game’s identity. Alexander says under Erasmus, the Boks have achieved historic milestones, consistently setting the standard for performance on the global stage.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-94-cents and the euro at 19-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-58-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-508-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-223-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Human Sciences Research Council says fostering a culture of zero tolerance for corruption is fundamental to achieving a just and equitable South Africa. The council has released its results from its research project, Corruption and Behaviour Change: Tracking Social Norms and Values in South Africa. The study demonstrates the dire state of corruption in the country. The council’s Steven Gordon says many adults reported living in communities where public officials engage in bribery, nepotism and sexual extortion:

Stay tuned for more news………….