News 06:00

BULLETIN 10 December 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC moves to restore staff confidence
# Minister Ramokgopa approves a revised Eskom unbundling strategy
# And, Israel is responsible for nearly half of the journalists killed in 2025

# The ANC says discussions are ongoing between party management and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union following staff protests over late salaries and unpaid benefits. While payments have been made to staff, the talks aim to resolve remaining issues and ensure proper handling of salaries and contributions. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu says the party remains committed to addressing grievances and restoring confidence among its employees:

# Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says the alignment between Parliament’s ad hoc committee and the Madlanga commission is a deliberate move to strengthen oversight and restore public trust in the criminal justice system. In his address at the inaugural Babita Deokaran Lecture at Stellenbosch University, Hlabisa said the coordinated approach boosts accountability in high-profile cases and shows the government’s resolve to tackle wrongdoing and protect those who challenge criminal networks:

# Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has approved a revised unbundling strategy for Eskom in line with the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act. Under the approved strategy, transmission assets will remain with the National Transmission Company South Africa, which operates as a subsidiary of Eskom Holdings. Also government will begin the legal process to establish a fully independent Transmission System Operator, which will oversee system operation, market operation and central purchasing. Ramokgopa says the revised approach supports market reform while seeking to preserve Eskom’s financial stability during the transition.

# The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa has reiterated its demand for ArcelorMittal South Africa to be nationalised and for it to be placed under state control. In October, the Labour Court ordered AMSA to reinstate all workers who were unfairly dismissed from the steelmaker’s Newcastle and Vereeniging plants. The company has applied for leave to appeal the ruling. Numsa’s spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, says the Industrial Development Corporation must help secure a financial lifeline for workers at the two plants:

# Reporters Without Borders says 29 Palestinian journalists were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza this year, accounting for 43-percent of the 67 media workers killed globally. The deadliest incident was a double-tap strike on Nasser Hospital in August, which killed five reporters, including two from Reuters and AP News. Reporters Without Borders labels Israel the world’s leading killer of journalists for the third consecutive year. Press freedom advocates call for stronger protections amid ongoing conflict.

# Rugby: SA Rugby has standardised the age at which tackling is permitted for young players, which will see children in the under-5 to under-8 age groups participate exclusively in non-contact forms such as TAG and Touch Rugby. Full contact and tackle rugby will only start in the under-9 age group after following a structured programme, which will build foundational skills such as falling, rolling, wrestling and absorbing contact.  South Africa is currently the only major rugby nation without a clearly defined age at which children may begin tackling.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-3-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-973-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-210-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….