News 08:00

BULLETIN 30 October 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government of national unity clearing house mechanism adopts its terms of reference
# The SABC is calling for a viable funding model
# And rugby: Arendse is excited to be back with the Boks

# The Government of National Unity Clearing House Mechanism has adopted its terms of reference following a meeting chaired by deputy president Paul Mashatile. In 2024, president Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the Clearing House Mechanism to resolve policy disagreements within the ten-member GNU. The Presidency says the Clearing House Mechanism agreed that sufficient consensus applies only to decision-making bodies, which are the GNU and the Political Leaders Forum. It also agreed on referral procedures and the non-inclusion of local government matters.

# The SABC says it needs a viable funding model to keep it financially stable. In the 2024/2025 financial year, the public broadcaster reported a net loss of 253.3-million-rand, up 28-percent from 197.8-million-rand the year before. At the heart of the problem is the SABC’s funding model, which relies heavily on TV licence fees and adverts. SABC chairperson, doctor Khathutshelo Ramukumba, told Parliament’s standing committee on Appropriations that only 14-percent of South Africans pay their licences:

# Gauteng police’s Anti-Gang unit has arrested a 20-year-old suspect in connection with the deadly gang shooting in Westbury earlier this month. Four teenagers approached a group of seven boys between the ages of 13 and 19 and opened fire, killing two and injuring five others before walking away from the scene. Police spokesperson, Brenda Muridili, says the suspect was arrested in Diepkloof, Soweto:

# The death toll from Hurricane Melissa continues to rise as the storm left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 1 storm, is crossing through the Bahamas, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds. Authorities in Jamaica have recovered four bodies, and at least 23 people have died in Haiti, ten of them children. One person also died in the Dominican Republic. Jamaican prime minister, Andrew Holness, says the destruction is catastrophic:

# Rugby: Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse is excited to return to Springbok action against Japan in London on Saturday. This will only be his fifth match for South Africa this season after injuries kept him out of the other six. Arendse’s last international match was against Australia in August. He will play opposite Ethan Hooker while his usual partner, Cheslin Kolbe, plays fullback. The only recognised number 15 in the squad, Damian Willemse, is still nursing an injury and will only be considered for next weekend’s match against France.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-18-cents and the euro at 19-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-771-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-929-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….