News 09:00

BULLETIN 23 November 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

#President Cyril Ramaphosa says the registration of spaza shops is good for the formalisation of the township economy
# The ANC reaffirms its commitment to renewal after the expulsion of Jacob Zuma
# And motorsport: A Vegas nightmare for Max Verstappen as Red Bull bring the wrong wing

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of registering spaza shops to formalise the township economy. Speaking at the Presidential Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives Awards, Ramaphosa noted recent concerns over food safety linked to informal traders, but highlighted their vital role in supporting local communities and economies. He stressed the need to integrate small businesses into the formal economy:

# The ANC has reiterated its focus on organisational renewal following the expulsion of former president Jacob Zuma. National spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri described the decision as final, urging members to prioritise service delivery, loyalty, discipline, and collective accountability. She called on party members to recommit to these principles, emphasising their importance for the movement’s integrity and South Africa’s progress:

# The DA is calling for national unity to protect children from the growing food contamination crisis. The party supports government plans, including a joint fund for small businesses and efforts to trace harmful chemicals in the informal sector. The DA’s Willie Aucamp also welcomes measures to strengthen the National school nutrition programme to ensure children receive safe, nutritious meals. Aucamp expressed concerns about the potential overreach of the newly declared state of disaster:

# A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning, bringing to six the number of foreign tourists who have died after apparently drinking tainted alcohol in Laos. Holly Bowles died more than a week after she fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. Her friend Bianca Jones, and a British lawyer Simone White, from south-east London, were confirmed to have died on Thursday. An unnamed US man and two Danish women are also among the victims of the suspected poisoning, believed to be connected to bootleg alcohol.

# And motorsport: Max Verstappen’s hopes of clinching a fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend took a dent yesterday when Red Bull revealed they brought the wrong rear wing. The team’s senior advisor Helmut Marko said it was too late to have a more appropriate one flown out to Vegas in time for the race. Verstappen leads McLaren’s Lando Norris by 62 points and needs simply to finish ahead of him in Las Vegas to become the sixth man to win four world championships.

Stay tuned for more news………….