News 06:00

BULLETIN 3 December 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Lamola emphasises the importance of trade relations with Nigeria
# Solidarity will take legal action if the government disregards the BELA agreement
# And cricket: The Proteas need three more Test victories to reach the World Test Championship final

# International Relations and Cooperation minister Ronald Lamola stressed the importance of expanding trade relations between South Africa and Nigeria and utilising opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area. The minister co-chaired the Ministerial Meeting of the Bi-National Commission with the Nigerian minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Cape Town yesterday. Lamola expressed concerns about the state of peace and security in some parts of Africa and globally:

# Trade union Solidarity says its agreement with the government on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act remains firm, despite opposition. According to the union, the agreement, signed with the Presidency and ministry of Basic Education, postpones implementing controversial provisions until required norms, standards, and policies are finalised, which could take up to 18 months. Solidarity’s CEO Dirk Hermann warns legal action will be pursued if the government tries to bypass the agreement:

# Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, has expressed sadness over the deaths of two learners from Wilhelmina Hoskins Primary School in Riverlea. A grade seven boy was shot at home on Saturday, and a grade four boy died yesterday after eating biscuits from a local spaza shop. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona says emergency services attempted to assist, but the child was declared dead at home:

# Twenty-one illegal miners have resurfaced on their own from Margaret shaft and shaft ten in Stilfontein in the North West. They are from Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This comes after the High Court in Pretoria ordered the government to allow community members and organisations to provide humanitarian aid to the illegal miners still underground. More than one-thousand-200 miners have resurfaced from the various shafts since August 18 following Operation Vala Umgodi.

# Former teacher and journalist Willem Breytenbach has pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault and three of sexual assault in the Cape Town Regional Court. The charges span incidents from 1997 to 2018, including his time as a teacher and later interactions with colleagues. Breytenbach apologised through his lawyer and was found guilty by Magistrate Amori Graf. Closing arguments for sentencing will commence soon.

# Cricket: Victory in their remaining three Tests of the season will see the Proteas reach the final of the current World Test Championship. South Africa is currently in second position behind India after the 233-run victory over Sri Lanka in Durban. If they can win the second Test in Gqeberha, as well as the following two against Pakistan, they will qualify for the final, irrespective of other results. India, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England, and Pakistan can also still reach the final.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-13-cents and the euro at 19-rand-3-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-94-cents and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-585-dollar-23-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-638-dollars-75-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-81-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….