07:00 News

BULLETIN 11 December 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Paul Mashatile urges the ANC to regulate the funding for leadership contests
# AZAPO says the education system is failing township learners
# And rugby: The Bulls have nine Boks on tour to play the Saints in England

# ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile says the party needs to consider allowing its members to openly use money to campaign for positions at conferences. Following the 2017 conference, president Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign came under scrutiny after leaked financial statements of the CR17 campaign showed that they raised millions of rand for it. Speaking to the Sunday Times on the sidelines of the National General Council, Mashatile says members must be allowed to openly fundraise for leadership campaigns under strict regulations:

# According to Business Leadership South Africa, South Africa’s economy shows signs of recovery, with gross domestic product growth of 2.1-percent and improving business confidence. In her weekly newsletter, CEO Busisiwe Mavuso said investment is beginning to pick up, especially in manufacturing, retail, and agriculture, while strong demand for Eurobonds reflects market optimism. Mavuso added that 2026 must turn this momentum into real growth, with electricity and logistics reforms being critical to sustaining economic expansion.

# The Azanian People’s Organisation says the education system is failing, particularly in township schools. Overcrowded classrooms and a flawed progression policy are leaving learners unprepared, with many unable to meet university requirements. The party calls for an overhaul of grade 12 promotion requirements. AZAPO’s Nomasango Nama warns that without bold reforms, many matriculants will remain underqualified and jobless:

# The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, to be evicted from its upmarket Pretoria offices over unpaid rent. The company was awarded a 360-million-rand police tender in 2024. National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola cancelled the contract in May this year, following an internal audit that flagged poor performance, bid fronting, and serious procurement irregularities. The court has granted Menlyn Maine Towers legal claim to Medicare24 moveable property and payment of 258-thousand-890-rand in rental arrears with interest.

# The United Nations Human Rights chief, Volker Türk, has rejected suggestions by the Israeli military that the so-called “yellow line” of concrete blocks it has erected inside Gaza represented a new border line. The yellow line, currently splitting Gaza in half, was intended as the first of three demarcation lines, to which Israeli forces would withdraw as the ceasefire progressed through its three stages. Türk says Gaza as a territory needs to be respected in its entirety:

# Rugby: Nine Springboks were included in the Bulls’ touring squad for the Champions Cup match against Northampton Saints in England. Flyhalf Handré Pollard is being rested according to the Boks’ mandatory rest period, but the Pretoria team can count on other Boks such as Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Cobus Wiese, Akker van der Merwe, Elrigh Louw, and Willie le Roux. The Bulls hope to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to defending champion Bordeaux-Begles at Loftus.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-92-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-65-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-994-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-237-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….