News 09:00

BULLETIN 25 October 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Julius Malema calls for free water and electricity for social grant beneficiaries
# AfriForum urges government to accept the SpaceX offer to five-thousand rural schools
# And rugby: The Bulls hold off Ulster fightback for a bonus-point URC victory

# EFF President Julius Malema has called for free water and electricity for social grant beneficiaries in South Africa. Addressing the party’s Tshela Thupa local govenment election campaign rally at KaMaqhekeza Stadium in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, Malema says vulnerable households should have access to basic services without the added burden of unaffordable utility bills. The proposal comes amid ongoing concerns about the rising cost of living and the financial pressure facing low-income households:

# AfriForum is urging the government to accept SpaceX’s offer to provide free internet access to five-thousand rural schools in South Africa. The organisation’s Louis Boshoff says the offer was made more than a year ago, on condition that Starlink, SpaceX’s internet service provider, is granted access to the local market. Boshoff accuses the government of refusing to relax ownership requirements, which include a provision for at least 30-percent black ownership of licensed companies:

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta says Sector Education and Training Authorities should measure success by how many learners secure jobs or start businesses, rather than simply counting those trained or certificates issued. Statistics South Africa’s second-quarter 2026 figures show that the official unemployment rate at 33.6-percent, rising to 47.4-percent among young people aged 15 to 34. Makaneta says skills development programmes must translate into meaningful employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to help address the country’s unemployment crisis:

# Western Cape Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers says significant progress is being made on the 1.165-billion-rand road improvement project and flood-damage repairs along Franschhoek Pass. The project includes road upgrades, resurfacing and extensive repairs following severe flooding, with completion scheduled for July 2027, subject to favourable construction conditions. Simmers says Franschhoek Pass is expected to reopen during the builders’ break, from mid-December to mid-January, with stop-and-go traffic controls in place.

Moving abroad:

# Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched in France yesterday, with largely peaceful rallies giving way to clashes ​in Paris and Marseille as night fell. French law enforcement agencies deployed more than 70-thousand police officers across the country to prevent a repeat of last week’s unrest. The Interior Ministry said more than 400-thousands people ‌took part in protests, though unions said the true figure was twice as high.The main demonstration took place on the southeastern fringes of Paris, where at least 110-thousand people turned out to denounce rising living costs and growing inequality.

# And finally rugby: The Bulls beat the Irish team Ulster 34-26 in their 4th round United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The hosts raced into a 21-7 lead in the first half, with captain Marcell Coetzee scoring twice and eighthman Elrigh Louw adding another try. Ulster fought back strongly in the second half, scoring three tries to close the gap to five points. However, replacement flyhalf Curwin Bosch sealed the Bulls’ victory with a penalty after the final hooter, securing a bonus-point win.

Stay tuned for more news………….