News 08:00
BULLETIN 21 November 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Israel recalls its ambassador to South Africa for consultations
# The National Freedom Party hopes the Independent Electoral Commission will lift its poll ban for the 2024 elections
# And cricket, Newlands will host the SA20 final
# Israel has recalled its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, for consultations. This decision comes in the context of strained relations with South Africa, whose senior government officials have called Israel’s military actions in Gaza genocide, and referred the matter to the International Criminal Court. The ANC says it will support a parliamentary motion calling for the Israeli embassy in the country to be closed temporarily. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says just like it took a decision to recall its diplomats, it was Israel’s sovereign right to do the same.
# The National Freedom Party has announced its intention to engage with the Independent Electoral Commission to secure a place on the 2024 ballot papers. The IEC recently suspended the NFP from contesting the upcoming elections, citing factionalism and leadership disputes. The party has been instructed to elect legitimate leadership by March to be eligible for participation. NFP secretary-general Canaan Mdletshe told Newzroom Afrika the party hopes to be among the contenders in next year’s elections.
# The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department together with police are investigating claims of bullying at eMpephose High School in King Cesthwayo District. This follows the circulation of a TikTok video shared by a Grade-Eleven learner who alleged that a boy was bullying her in her class. The alleged bullying is said to have escalated to assault when she was beaten up twice last week. The department’s spokesperson, Muzi Mahlambi, says they have assisted the girl in opening a case against the alleged perpetrator:
# Cricket: The final of the second season of the SA20 will be played at Newlands in Cape Town on the tenth of February. Sunrisers Eastern Cape will begin their title defence against Joburg Super Kings at St George’s Park in Gqeberha a month earlier, with a total of 33 matches to be played. Newlands will also play host to the first qualifier, while the Wanderers in Johannesburg will host the two back-to-back knockout matches – the eliminator and the second qualifier.
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-28-cents and the euro at 20-rand-4-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-92-cents and Bitcoin trades at 37-thousand-560-dollars-86-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-991-dollars-38-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-94-cents a barrel.
# And finally, South African Bone Marrow Registry ambassador Christine Roos has conquered the gruelling 33-kilometer False Bay crossing, dubbed the Everest of Cape Swims. Yesterday she braved the icy waters between Millers Point and Rooi Els and pushed through jellyfish stings, exhaustion and pain to complete the swim. Roos did this to raise at least 50-thousand-rand towards the registry’s Patient Assistance Programme. She says this swim was nothing compared to what patients and their families have to endure to find a matching donor as a result of a life-threatening blood disorder.
Stay tuned for more news………….