News 08:00

BULLETIN 5 October 8 pm

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa is on 191 days without load-shedding, with billions in diesel saved
# The Al Jamah-ah leader joins a mass rally for Palestinian solidarity
# And, road running: The Parkrun phenomenon celebrates 20 years

# South Africa has now had 191 days of no load-shedding. Eskom attributes this to its Generation Operational Recovery Plan, saving 11.51-billion-rand in diesel costs year-on-year. Spokesperson Daphne Mokoena says the Energy Availability Factor improved to 63.2-percent, with top-performing stations like Duvha achieving 81.9-percent. She says the ongoing improvement in the generation fleet’s performance is also attributed to accelerated maintenance:

# Al Jamah-ah says its leader, Ganief Hendricks, will join the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and over 40 organisations in a march to Parliament, marking one year since the start of the war in Gaza. The march demands an end to Israeli invasions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, and calls for sanctions on Israel. He urges Parliament to pass the Apartheid Bill and enforce justice for Palestinians:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile has successfully concluded his working visit to the UK, aimed at fostering trade and investment to boost South Africa’s economy. Key engagements included meetings with financial institutions and government leaders. Mashatile highlighted South Africa’s investment opportunities and the country’s political stability under the new government of national unity. The visit also reaffirmed bilateral relations between the two nations, focusing on trade, innovation, and the Just Energy Transition.

# Israel has not given assurances to the Biden administration that targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities is off the table in retaliation for the Iranian ballistic missile strikes earlier this week.  A top US State Department official told CNN it’s really hard to tell if Israel will use the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks to retaliate. President Joe Biden said earlier this week the US would not support Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear programme. The US has been working for almost a year to prevent the conflict from turning into a bigger war.

# And, road running: Parkrun, the global five-kilometre run phenomenon, celebrates its 20th anniversary today. It began with just 13 participants in London’s Bushy Park, and has grown to over two-thousand-500 locations across 23 countries, attracting more than 100-million finishers. Founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt lauds Parkrun as a powerful force for good, promoting health and community. The free event, managed by volunteers, welcomes runners of all abilities, from Olympians to first-timers.

Stay tuned for more news………….