News 08:00

BULLETIN 13 December 8 am/pm

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Macpherson will visit the Redcliffe-site in KwaZulu-Natal
# Manufacturing production rises 0.2-percent in October
# And golf: Chacarra leads as Schaper chases in Alfred Dunhill Championship

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson will visit the construction site this afternoon, where a four-story building collapsed in Redcliffe, north of Durban. The New Ahobilam Temple of Protection in Verulam partially collapsed. leaving two people dead and three others trapped. Public Works and Infrastructure spokesperson James de Villiers says Macpherson will be briefed about the incident and joined by senior officials:

Meanwhile, Cosatu has noted repeated safety failures in the construction sector, after the death of at least one worker when a building collapsed in Redcliffe in KwaZulu-Natal. Spokesperson Zanele Sabela draws parallels with the 2023 George tragedy in the Western Cape. She urges urgent rescue efforts, thorough investigations, and criminal charges for any wrongdoing:

# Statistics South Africa reports that manufacturing production increased by 0.2-percent in October compared with the same month last year, led by growth in food, beverages, and electrical machinery. However, the wood, paper, and glass sectors recorded declines. Stats SA’s Nicolai Claassen says manufacturing sales fell 0.8-percent month-on-month, but were up one-percent over the past three months, driven by the metals and furniture sectors:

# The Western Cape Government is urging motorists, freight operators, and pedestrians to prioritise safety ahead of a busy festive season travel weekend. Since the start of December, 43 incidents involving heavy vehicles have been recorded on provincial roads, including breakdowns, collisions, and overturns. Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku says traffic law enforcement will be on duty day and night along major routes, reminding pedestrians to cross safely and stay visible:

# Some 60 African migrants were brought to Malta on Friday after their boat capsized close to the Mediterranean island. It is one of the biggest groups to arrive in recent years. The group was rescued by Maltese armed forces boats and landed in Bugibba, north of Valletta. Eyewitnesses said several ambulances and many police officers were on the site. The migrants were huddled in blankets, with some carried away on stretchers. Migrant arrivals on small boats in Malta have become relatively rare, with just over 200 coming in 2024 compared to more than two-thousand in 2020.

# And golf: Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra will take a two-stroke lead into the weekend of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Royal Johannesburg, with Jayden Schaper his nearest challenger. The young South African pushes for a DP World Tour title for the second week in a row. Chacarra shot an entertaining 66 to lead on 15 under par. Schaper is hoping to put some pressure on the leader after a second round of 64 to climb to 13 under par overall. Schaper came close to winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2020 when he finished second to Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Stay tuned for more news………….