News 07:00

BULLETIN 6 October 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# International Relations says the return of the detained South Africans in Israel is advancing
# A poll shows voters are placing blame on the Republicans for the government shutdown
# And golf: SA’s Richard Sterne finishes third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says a specialist team met with a group of South African activists detained at the Negev Israeli Prison facility. The group, including Mandla Mandela, was on board Gaza-bound aid ships that form part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, when they were detained by Israeli forces last Wednesday. Israel claimed the flotilla was violating a lawful naval blockade. DIRCO’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says Flotilla, a civilian-led initiative, was embarking upon a peaceful and humanitarian mission:

# The ANC National Executive Committee is finalising an ambitious economic action plan aimed at improving South Africa’s economy. The party’s economic transformation sub-committee chairperson, Zuko Godlimpi, says the plan, to be outlined by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, is crucial for economic growth. He adds that a blueprint already exists, citing the state’s progress in turning around Eskom as an example of how strategic intervention can yield tangible results:

# Department of Employment and Labour has dismissed allegations that it failed to process payments for Education Assistants and General Education Assistants, under the Basic Education Employment Initiative Phase Five. The department contributes over four-billion-rand in funding toward the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, which supports the EAs and GEAs programme. Minister Nomakhosazana Meth says payments for September could not be processed because the Department of Basic Education had not submitted all the required documents on time. She adds that releasing the funds without due process would undermine good governance.

# A DA delegation will conduct an oversight visit at Weilers Farm Clinic in Kanana Park, south of Johannesburg, today, following reports that 190 children under five were treated for severe malnutrition last year. DA representatives, including Jack Bloom, will investigate why early intervention failed, why children are not accessing social grants or food banks, and what measures can be taken to prevent further malnutrition in the area.

# A CBS News/YouGov poll has found that 39-percent of Americans blame president Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress most for the federal government shutdown. The impasse largely centres on enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which Democrats say need to be addressed now, and Republicans argue should wait to be debated until the end of the year. According to the poll, 40-percent of Democrats and 45-percent of Republicans believe the parties’ positions are not worth a shutdown. Forty-nine-percent of Americans are concerned about the effect of the government shutdown on the economy.

# Golf: Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre shot a six-under 66 to complete a four-stroke victory in a weather-affected Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The third round was postponed on Saturday because of stormy weather, and the tournament was reduced to 54 holes. MacIntyre finished on 18 under par to claim his fourth DP World Tour title. England’s Tyrell Hatton finished solo second on 14-under, while South Africa’s Richard Sterne and England’s John Parry shared third, a stroke further back. MacIntyre says the conditions were horrible:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-23-cents and the euro at 20-rand-20-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 123-thousand-949-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-911-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….