News 07:00

BULLETIN 1 December 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says the US stance on white genocide in South Africa is blatant misinformation
# Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the Israeli president for a pardon in his corruption case
# And rugby: The Blitzboks finish fifth in the Dubai Sevens

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says, despite the challenges and misunderstandings that have arisen, South Africa remains a firm and unwavering friend of the American people. He says it was regrettable that the US chose not to participate in the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Ramaphosa stated that it was even more unfortunate that the reasons the US gave for its non-participation were based on false allegations that South Africa is perpetrating genocide against Afrikaners and the confiscation of land from white people:

# South African Revenue Service commissioner Edward Kieswetter has urged that his successor be both competent and possess integrity, as his term ends in May 2026. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika after receiving the Kathy Award from the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Kieswetter warned that a wrong appointment could undermine years of institution-building and public trust. He stressed the importance of prioritising South Africa’s interests above personal gain to preserve SARS’s integrity:

# Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube will today launch the 496-million-rand Education Outcomes Fund in Midrand, Gauteng, aimed at expanding access to quality Early Childhood Care and Education. The Ministry spokesperson Terence Khala says the initiative will scale high-impact programmes, strengthen provider capacity, and improve early learning results. He says that using outcome-based funding, the model directs resources to proven interventions and supports early childhood development practitioner professionalisation:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a formal pardon from president Isaac Herzog in his ongoing corruption trial. He has been on trial for the past five years on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases. In a letter to Herzog, Netanyahu stated that it was in his personal interest to prove his innocence in the ongoing trial, but the public interest dictates otherwise. A pardon, he insisted, would help Israel fend off threats and seize opportunities by fostering national unity.

# Rugby: The Springbok Sevens finished in fifth place at the Dubai Sevens. South Africa outplayed Great Britain 34-0 and Spain 21-12 to finish strongly on Sunday. Meanwhile, New Zealand defeated Australia 26-22 to win the tournament, with Fiji finishing third after beating France 24-7. Blitzboks coach Philip Snyman says they did not perform to their own expectations, but emphasised that they will rectify their mishap in the Cape Town Sevens this weekend:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-11-cents and the euro at 19-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-467-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-237-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Today is World Aids Day under the theme, Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response. In 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally, while approximately 630-thousand people died from HIV‑related causes in the same year. In South Africa, deputy president Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as the South African National AIDS Council chairperson, will lead the national commemoration day in Limpopo. There are 7.9 million people in South Africa who are estimated by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to be HIV positive. 

Stay tuned for more news………….