News 06:00

BULLETIN 4 October 6  am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government urges restraint amid the Middle Eastern conflict
# Minister Ramokgopa opposes the Eskom tariff hike
# And the Table Mountain Cableway celebrates its 95th anniversary today

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has called for restraint as deadly fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanon border. Israel launched ground raids into southern Lebanon after an airstrike killed 15 Hezbollah militants. The fighting has resulted in over one-thousand deaths. DIRCO’s spokesperson Chrispin Phiri expressed concern over the growing violence and urged all sides to avoid further escalation. 

# Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has announced government opposition to Eskom’s proposed tariff hikes exceeding 20-percent, with plans to delay carbon tax implementation beyond 2026. Eskom’s multi-year request includes increases of 36-percent, 11.8-percent, and 9.1-percent starting in April 2025. Ramokgopa emphasised the hike’s negative impact on households and businesses. He says government is pushing for a revision during NERSA’s consultation process to ease energy poverty without undermining Eskom’s financial stability.

# The DA is calling for a no-fault mediation system to tackle the rising medico-legal crisis in the healthcare system. Currently, there are over nine-thousand active medico-legal cases, costing provinces 23.6-billion-rand from 2020 to last year.  The DA’s Karl le Roux believes this system could speed up resolutions and lower legal costs, helping to relieve pressure on public healthcare and improve patient care nationwide: 

# Eskom and the Emfuleni Municipality have reached an agreement relating to the attachment of the bank accounts, and to ensure that the municipality can pay salaries to its employees. The municipality owes the power utility eight-billion-rand, which accounts for ten-percent of the total amount owed by municipalities across the country. Eskom’s Gauteng spokesperson, Amanda Qithi, says Emfuleni has also signed the distribution agency agreement with the power utility, as instructed by the Pretoria High Court:

# Cricket: The Proteas women start their T20 World Cup campaign in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates today when they take on the West Indies. South Africa is currently fifth in the world rankings, only one position in front of the Windies. The Proteas also face Bangladesh, England and Scotland in Pool B. The top two teams in the two groups qualify for the semifinals, taking place on the 17th and 18th of this month. The final will be played in Dubai on the 20th.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-48-cents and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-728-dollar-21-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-655-dollars-9-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-85-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Table Mountain Cableway commemorates its 95th anniversary today. To celebrate, South Africans with birthdays in October get a free return ride. The company’s director Selma Hercules, says a special 195-rand anniversary ticket is also available online for the month. In addition, she says funds raised from the 8 November Golf Day will support Volunteer Wildfire Services and Wilderness Search and Rescue:

Stay tuned for more news………….