News 08:00

BULLETIN 13 November 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen rejects reports of external pressure to remove minister George
# The ANC says the budget provides a positive roadmap for the economy
# And the US House of Representatives passes the funding bill to end the government shutdown

# DA leader John Steenhuisen has rejected media reports that minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Dion George, was fired because of external pressure and interests. President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed George with Willie Aucamp as his replacement. The DA’s Alexandra Lilian Amelia Abrahams is the new deputy minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. The DA’s spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, says the party holds 12 positions within the national executive, and these roles must be occupied by the most capable individuals:

# The ANC says the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement demonstrates that under its leadership, fiscal discipline and social justice can coexist. Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana tabled the budget in Parliament yesterday, where he announced a new inflation target for South Africa of three-percent with a one percentage point tolerance band. The ANC says it particularly welcomes the allocation of 943-billion-rand over the next three years for infrastructure investment. The party says Godongwana has provided a positive roadmap for the economy, but much still needs to be done.

Meanwhile TLU SA criticises Finance Minister Godongwana’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement for addressing fiscal figures but failing to tackle South Africa’s deeper problems. The organisation’s Bennie van Zyl says misguided policy, undermined property rights, political appointments over expertise, and institutional decay remain unaddressed. Van Zyl says while debt stabilisation and infrastructure plans are noted, TLU SA stresses that sustainable growth depends on clear policy, accountability, free-market principles, and competent, expert management of state institutions:

# The US House of Representatives has voted to end the longest government shutdown in the country’s history, by approving a short-term government funding bill. The deal passed 222 to 209, with six Democrats joining the Republicans to vote yes. The bill has been sent to president Donald Trump for final signature to end the government shutdown of a record 43 days. US House Speaker Mike Johnson says voters are going to remember which political party played games with their lives:

# Tennis: Defending champion has sealed his place in the last four of the ATP Finals in Turin. The Italian defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-3, to extend his winning streak on indoor hard courts to 28 matches. Sinner still has a chance to claim the year-end number one ranking, but needs to defend his title and hope that Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t win another match. Meanwhile, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime claimed his first win at the season-ending tournament, beating American Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-6, 7-5.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-7-cents and the euro at 19-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-41-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-736-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-204-dollars-75-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-44-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….