News 09:00

BULLETIN 17 September 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# COSATU is concerned by the USA’s unfounded allegations against South Africa
# POPCRU is calling for a decisive national response to gender-based violence and femicide
# And, Fiji declares HIV a national crisis

# Union federation COSATU says it is deeply concerned by the new visa restrictions imposed by the US against those it accuses of involvement in race‑based discrimination and uncompensated land seizures in South Africa. The restrictions stem from policies such as Black Economic Empowerment and land expropriation without compensation. COSATU’s Matthew Parks has criticised what he describes as factually unfounded allegations made by the US against South Africa. He adds that the country is a sovereign nation and is governed by its Constitution:

# The Mining Affected Communities United in Action, despite criminal charges being withdrawn against National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, president Cyril Ramaphosa must not lift his suspension. He faced four charges under the Public Finance Management Act related to the irregular awarding of a 228-million-rand SAPS tender to Medicare24. MACUA’s Christopher Rutledge says Masemola’s suspension must only be lifted after the Madlanga Commission has completed its consideration of the tender:

# The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union has strongly condemned the brutal and horrific killing of women across South Africa, demanding a decisive and urgent national response to end Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. This follows the discovery of the bodies of eight women in different parts of Ekurhuleni over the past two months. POPCRU spokesperson Richard Mamabolo says South Africa cannot accept a situation in which women are assaulted, violated, murdered and discarded as though their lives have no value:

# Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency as an estimated 1 in 60 adults now live with the virus and new infections have spiked. Five years ago, the estimate was one in 167. According to UNAIDS, of an estimated nine-thousand-100 people living with HIV in Fiji in 2025, only 39-percent were aware of their HIV status and only 22-percent were accessing antiretroviral treatment. New HIV infections increased 12-fold between 2010 and 2025. Fiji’s Health Ministry says the declaration recognises the seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent coordinated response needed.

# Motorsport: Monaco will next year also host a Formula One sprint race, taking the number to ten. Governing body F-I-A confirmed the 2027 calendar, also consisting of 24 Grand Prix races in 22 countries. The European leg includes the return of the Portuguese race in June, while Turkey rejoins the calendar in October and the Dutch Grand Prix drops from the list. The season starts in Bahrain on the 12th of March, and concludes in Abu Dhabi on the tenth of December.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-34-cents and the euro at 18-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-150-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-291-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….