News 14:00

BULLETIN 8 December 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# COPE demands the release of a secret intelligence report on criminal infiltration
# Thousands flee the Thailand-Cambodia border after deadly clashes and air strikes
# And rugby: Exciting encounters for the third round of the World Sevens series in Singapore

# COPE demands the immediate release of key sections of a classified intelligence report on criminal infiltration of the justice system from November last year. Spokesperson Pakes Dikgetsi says the report reveals organised crime paying prosecutors and attorneys to secure bail for dangerous suspects. He calls on president Cyril Ramaphosa to act, implement the Zondo and Mufamadi commissions’ recommendations, and restore public trust and safety:

Meanwhile, ActionSA in Gauteng says the province is facing an organised-crime emergency and innocent communities are paying the price for the state’s failure to maintain order. This follows the horrific mass shooting at a tavern at Saulville Hostel in Atteridgeville in the west of Pretoria where at least 12 people were killed and 13 injured over the weekend. ActionSA’s spokesperson, Zwelithini Mtshali says residents in townships, suburbs and informal settlements live under siege while criminals act with growing boldness:

# The Western Cape expanded its conservation estate by 47-thousand hectares with two new nature reserves, Waterkloof and Zebraskop in the Little Karoo, and the expansion of Anysberg in the same region and Knersvlakte in Namaqualand. CapeNature’s Luke Folb says the additions protect threatened plants and wildlife, including Cape mountain zebras, and improve landscape connectivity. He adds the expansion supports biodiversity, climate resilience, and South Africa’s 30-percent land conservation target by 2030:

Moving abroad:

# Thousands of civilians are fleeing the border between Thailand and Cambodia after an escalation of violence between the two countries. A Thai military spokesperson says Air Force jets bombed Cambodian military positions after a Thai soldier was killed in an exchange of fire. This is the most serious confrontation between the two countries since an agreed ceasefire in July. Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim warns the renewed clashes risk unravelling the careful work that had gone into stabilising relations between the two neighbours.

# Rugby: South Africa has been drawn in Pool A alongside Fiji, Great Britain and Spain for the Singapore Sevens to be played at the end of January. The Blitzboks defeated Argentina 21-19 to claim back-to-back Cape Town titles yesterday. Argentina, meanwhile, head a tough-looking Pool B that includes France, New Zealand and Australia. In the women’s draw, Cape Town champions Australia will face the USA, Japan and Fiji in Pool A, while arch-rivals New Zealand will face France, Canada and Great Britain in Pool B. 

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-97-cents and the euro at 19-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-61-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-990-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-203-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….