News 09:00
BULLETIN 29 September 9 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Kganyago warns that a major cyberattack could spark the next global financial crash
# The South African Council of Churches says the spate of mass shootings is a national crisis
# And Putin orders an increase in the size of the Russian army
# South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago warns that a major cyberattack could spark the next global financial crisis. He delivered a keynote address at the 3rd Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection Forum on Africa and geopolitics in Johannesburg yesterday. Kganyago stated that the worsening global disorder, driven by geopolitics, climate shocks, artificial intelligence risks, and high debt, raises policy risks and threatens financial stability. He called for the establishment of robust regulatory and security guardrails to protect the financial system:
# The South African Council of Churches says the recent mass shootings in the country are no longer a series of isolated tragedies, but a national crisis. Over the weekend, 18 people were shot dead at a tavern in Wedela, Gauteng, while ten people were killed at an entertainment venue in Lwandle, Cape Town. Meanwhile, eleven people were shot dead in KwaMakhutha, KwaZulu-Natal, last week. The council’s general secretary, Reverend Mzwandile Molo, says the country is witnessing a “debasement of its moral fibre”:
# The DA wants the Information Regulator to investigate a possible breach of the Protection of Personal Information Act. This follows a data breach involving Gauteng’s e-panic button app. The party’s Michael Waters says residents’ personal information may have been exposed. Waters wants answers on how the breach happened, how long the information was accessible and whether affected residents were informed:
# Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed a decree ordering an increase in the size of the army, while also instructing that funds be allocated to the Ministry of Defence to carry out the order. The expansion, which follows a similar increase ordered in August, will put the size of the armed forces at over two-million, of which 1.55-million are active servicemen. This comes as both Russia and Ukraine have suffered mounting casualties in their respective armies in the more than four-and-a-half-year war.
# Soccer: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has indicated that he is prepared to support substantial increases in funding for the world governing body’s 211 members. This follows a joint request from UEFA and CONCACAF for at least 164-million-rand per association during the 2027–2030 cycle from FIFA’s cash reserves. Infantino has faced criticism over his aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which would have involved selling stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. The FIFA Council will consider the funding proposal next month.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 18-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-77-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-227-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-129-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 103-dollars-72-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….