News 09:00

BULLETIN 9 December 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom wants to develop sustainable solutions for the ferrochrome industry
# Cosatu remains concerned about  the government’s neo-liberal approach
# And hockey: South Africa plays to a draw against India

Eskom has signed a memorandum of understanding with Samancor Chrome and the Glencore–Merafe Chrome Venture to find long-term solutions for the struggling ferrochrome industry. A task team will suggest fair electricity pricing within three months. Once approved, the smelters will restart 40-percent of their operations. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the plan aims to protect jobs, support industry, and keep electricity costs fair for households and small businesses:

# The Congress of South African Trade Unions says it is extremely distressed by the state of local government, where mismanagement, corruption, underfunding, and failures to collect rates have seen workers unpaid and basic services deteriorate. The federation union presented its submission on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement’s Division of Revenue Amendment and Adjustments Appropriation Bills to Parliament. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says they remain concerned with the government’s overall neo-liberal approach to the budget:

# ActionSA says it is concerned that a key suspect in the murder of 12 people in Saulsville is a parolee who had been released from incarceration in September this year. The brutal attack unfolded at a hostel tavern on Saturday morning, when three gunmen opened fire. ActionSA’s Dereleen James says the country’s justice system, which is meant to protect law-abiding citizens, far too often extends grace to individuals who have shown a complete disregard for human life:

# Hockey: The South African men’s team held India to a 2-2 draw at Hartleyvale in Cape Town to keep the Test series alive, after losing the first Test 5-2. Harmanpreet Singh scored the opener for the visitors, while Dayaan Cassiem equalised for the hosts in the third quarter. Hans Neethling made it 2-1 for South Africa, but India managed to go level through Singh’s penalty corner in the final quarter. With this draw, South Africa ends a run of defeats to the Asian champions that stretched back 13 years.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-3-cents and the euro at 19-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-339-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-193-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-18-cents a barrel.

# And finally, One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio has earned nine Golden Globe Awards nominations. The movie, about the kidnapping of a former revolutionary’s daughter, is nominated for best musical/comedy film, while DiCaprio and his co-stars Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Chase Infiniti are all up for acting awards. Sentimental Value and Sinners earned eight and seven nominations, respectively. On the series front, The White Lotus leads with six nominations and Adolescence with five. The ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on 11 January.

Stay tuned for more news………….