News 13:00

BULLETIN 19 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The High Court criticises the Road Accident Fund for protecting its former CEO
# SANParks investigates a fatal fall on the Lion’s Head trail in Cape Town
# And cricket: Australia is in the pound seats after the third day in Adelaide

# The High Court in Bloemfontein has criticised the Road Accident Fund for going to great lengths to protect former CEO Collins Letsoalo in a long-running legal battle over unpaid damages. The case involves Zimbabwean national Kazibone Mlambo, awarded more than 2.7-million-rand in 2023 as a third-party claim against RAF for damages resulting from a motor vehicle accident. Judge Johannes Daffue found the RAF in breach of court orders. He ordered payment within 60 days, but dismissed a bid to jail Letsoalo for 30 days, citing procedural confusion.

# Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero says cleaning up the city’s CBD remains a top priority amid concerns about decay and high crime levels. His comments follow the death of media personality Warrick Stock near Carlton Centre earlier this week. Morero visited the family. His spokesperson, Khathutshelo Mulaudzi, says he recommitted to implementing measures to address crime and law enforcement challenges, highlighting that crime prevention is a key focus:

# A hiker has died after falling from a trail on Lion’s Head within the Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town. Emergency services responded immediately, but couldn’t rescue the hiker. SANParks’s JP Louw says the matter was handed to police for investigation. He thanked Wilderness Search and Rescue, SANParks rangers, SkyMed, and others who assisted:

Moving abroad:

# US president Donald Trump signed into law a nearly 17-trillion-rand annual defense policy bill, despite provisions providing new aid to Ukraine and reigning in his ability to reduce US involvement in the defense of Europe. The sweeping legislation determines everything from how many ships, aircraft and missile systems are bought, to a pay raise for soldiers, and how to address geopolitical threats. The White House’s announcement was a quiet affair, with no Oval Office ceremony attended by reporters.

# Cricket: Australia has a 356-run lead with six wickets in hand after the third day of the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide. The hosts took the visitors’ two remaining first-innings wickets this morning, removing captain Ben Stokes for 83 and Jofra Archer for 51 after a ninth-wicket partnership of 106 runs. England ended on 286 after Australia posted a first innings-total of 371. The Aussies reached 271 for four at stumps. The situation is getting desperate for England, who already lost the first two Tests.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-76-cents and the euro at 19-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-895-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-326-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 59-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….