News 14:00

BULLETIN 9 December 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC’s National General Council outlines a proposal to block vote-buying
# Paramount takes on Netflix in the battle for control of Warner Brothers
# And golf: 2028’s British Open is moved to accommodate the Olympic Games

# The ANC is discussing a radical proposal to curb vote-buying on day-two on its National General Council meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng. The plan, backed by the party’s Veterans League, would introduce a one-member, one-vote system, scrapping the current delegate-based elections that allegedly enable manipulation and vote-buying. Reformers argue the change would restore internal democracy and strengthen trust in leadership elections. The proposals are part of broader efforts to renew the party’s integrity and public standing.

# The GOOD Party has expressed outrage at the unprecedented violence that has claimed the lives of several children and left others wounded across Cape Town. In the space of one week, at least six children, aged between four and 16, were victims of brutal violence, including multiple murders and shootings. GOOD’s Jonathan Cupido says this wave of terror is a sickening contradiction to the national observance of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children:

# Union federation Saftu says government needs to do more to confront the growing crisis of pesticide exposure, food contamination, and the devastating health consequences for farm workers and rural communities. A recent study has found that 67 pesticides, which are already banned in Europe, were still exported to and used in South Africa. Saftu’s spokesperson, Asive Dyani, says hazardous pesticides cause disproportionate harm to human health and the environment:

Moving abroad:

# America’s major media and entertainment group, Paramount, has launched a hostile 1.8 trillion-rand bid for Warner Brothers. This is a direct challenge to the takeover deal for the film studio and streaming giant announced by Netflix last week. Paramount says its cash offer directly to shareholders in Warner Brothers Discovery will be more lucrative than the Netflix deal. Paramount’s bid includes Warner Brothers Discovery’s cable television assets, while Netflix’s bid is limited to the Warner Brothers film and television studios, HBO and the HBO Max streaming service.

# Golf: The 156th British Open in 2028 will be played in August to avoid clashing with the golf competitions for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in July. The world’s best players faced having to choose between featuring at the Olympics or competing in the final major of the year. The Open will return to its usual mid-July dates in 2029. Spokesperson Mark Darbon says they have worked collaboratively with the relevant bodies and partners to agree on alternative dates for staging the major.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-2-cents and the euro at 19-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-177-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-207-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-51-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….