News 08:00

BULLETIN 2 December 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula says there is no leadership struggle in the ANC
# The Parliament will today vote to scrap the 30-percent matric pass rate
# And Eskom says it may struggle to keep electricity tariff increases under 10-percent

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has denied reports that the party’s upcoming 5th National General Council might be turned into a leadership contest. This comes as some senior ANC members reportedly want to see president Cyril Ramaphosa out. The National General Council, which will be held next week in Ekurhuleni, will assess progress, strengthen the organisation, and refine policies. Mbalula says there is no leadership struggle in the ANC, and they have closed ranks to protect Ramaphosa:

# Parliament is today set to vote on Build One South Africa’s motion to end the 30-percent pass mark for matric subjects. Last Friday, Parliament debated the motion to replace the current 30-percent matric pass mark with a 50-percent minimum standard. The debate highlighted both the urgent need for education reform in South Africa and widespread misunderstandings about the National Senior Certificate pass structure. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane says the 30-percent pass mark entrenches mediocrity and low expectations:

# Eskom is warning that the delayed judgment relating to its 54-billion-rand settlement with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa could prevent it from keeping annual electricity price hikes under ten-percent beyond the 2028 financial year. The settlement would grant the power utility additional allowable revenue of 12-billion-rand, resulting in estimated standard tariff increases of 8.76-percent and 8.83-percent. AfriForum and the Minerals Council South Africa are contesting aspects of the proposed settlement.

# The White House has defended Admiral Frank Bradley, who it said ordered a follow-up strike that killed survivors on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has come under fire after he reportedly gave an order that everyone on board the boat should be killed. Eleven people were killed, with a follow-up strike reportedly done after two people survived the initial blast. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the second strike was legal and conducted in self-defence:

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has named his final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Rising stars Shandre Campbell and England-based midfielder Tylon Smith are among the headline picks, both earning their first call-ups to a major international tournament. Burnley striker Lyle Foster is the only inclusion from a club among the top five European leagues. Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker, Themba Zwane, who recently returned from injury, has not been included in the squad. Bafana are in Group B with Angola, Zimbabwe, and Egypt.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-10-cents and the euro at 19-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-358-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-223-dollars-94-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-7-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….