News 09:00

BULLETIN 22 December 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fixing relations with the US will take rationality and strategic urgency
# Cosatu rejects a proposed 4.1% pay hike for public office bearers
# And, flooding in parts of Tshwane leaves one person dead

# Deputy minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Alexandra Abrahams, says a deliberate misinformation campaign regarding a white genocide in the country is hampering South Africa’s bilateral relations with the US. Relations have been strained between the two countries over US president Donald Trump’s false beliefs of a genocide, his invitation for white Afrikaners to seek refuge in the US, and blocking South Africa from participating in the G20. Abrahams says it will take rationality, humanity and strategic urgency to repair the relationship with the country’s second-largest trading partner.

# The Congress of South African Trade Unions has come out strongly against a proposed 4.1-percent salary increase for politicians and other public office bearers. The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers’ recommendation would result in salary increases for members of Cabinet, Parliament, provincial legislatures, municipal councils, government commissions, and the judiciary for the 2025/2026 financial year. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks has described the recommendation as tone-deaf and morally indefensible:

# One person has died from drowning in Olievenhoutbosch as severe thunderstorms caused widespread disruptions in parts of Tshwane over the weekend, resulting in flooding. Reports of flooded households and obstructed routes required clearing and traffic management interventions in several areas, including Centurion and Temba. Tshwane Emergency Services’ spokesperson, Nana Radebe-Kgiba, says they have identified high-risk flooding areas across all regions:

# Israel has approved 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, bringing the number of new settlements over the past few years to 69. The settlements are considered illegal under international law. Far-right Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says the Israeli government is stopping the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he labels a terror state. According to anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, under Israel’s current government, figures show, the number of settlements in the West Bank has surged by nearly 50-percent.

# Soccer: Host Morocco began their Africa Cup of Nations Group A campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Comoros in Rabat on Sunday. Second-half goals from man of the match Brahim Díaz and Ayoub El Kaabi secured the win for the home side, who last won AFCON in 1976. Today, Morocco’s other Group A opponents, Mali and Zambia, face off, while South Africa takes on Angola, and record seven-time champions Egypt will clash with Zimbabwe.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-73-cents and the euro at 19-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-973-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-395-dollars-3-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-59-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….