News 11:00

BULLETIN 17 October 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Lesetja Kganyago says the rand has weathered the Iran war shock
# The South African Firearms Trainers Association raises national security concerns over foreign involvement in the sector
# And tennis, Novak Djokovic gets a Basel wild card in his ATP finals bid

# South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago says the rand has remained relatively resilient despite economic uncertainty caused by the Iran war. Speaking to Bloomberg TV during International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, he said the currency’s reduced volatility reflected greater confidence in South Africa’s economic outlook. He emphasised that the future rate decisions will depend on economic conditions:

# The South African Firearms Trainers Association calls for investigations into alleged fraud, conflicts of interest and security risks in the firearms training sector. The association has also raised concerns about possible foreign influence in firearm certification for the military and police, although these remain allegations. The association’s president, Michael Mbedzi, says several cases have been opened with the police and are still under investigation:

# South Africa will prioritise climate adaptation finance, unemployment, inequality and poverty at the COP31 conference. Speaking in Sandton, climate change negotiator Maesela Kekana says the country will push for practical solutions, in just energy transition, and increased funding for developing nations. He called for clearer measures to track climate resilience, the urgent transition of the climate adaptation fund and for wealthy countries to turn their climate funding pledges into action:

# March and March movement member Wandile Nsibande has been granted one-thousand-rand bail, despite the State opposing his release. Durban Magistrate Sicelo Zuma granted bail despite concerns about public safety, Nsibande’s previous conviction and alleged breaches of his parole conditions. The charges relate to alleged incitement to commit public violence and other offences linked to an anti-immigrant protest organised by the movement in Durban’s central business district. Nsibande will return to court on 26 November, alongside his co-accused, Sphelele Shinga and Malizo Dzanibe.

# Tennis: Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has received a wild card for the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel later this month, as he fights to qualify for the ATP Finals. The 39-year-old has not played in Basel since 2011. He is a seven-time ATP Finals champion but currently sits 11th in the race for the eight places at the season-ending tournament in Turin. Djokovic won his 102nd career title in Beijing earlier this month but suffered an early exit in Shanghai. The Basel tournament runs from 26 October to 1 November.

# And finally, eleven restaurants in South Australia have made history by becoming the first in Australia to receive Michelin stars. The guide is internationally recognised for its ratings of restaurants. Magill Estate Restaurant in Adelaide received two stars, while ten other restaurants were awarded one each. The guide praised the state’s diverse food culture, which combines international cooking traditions with local ingredients. The announcement comes more than a century after the introduction of the Michelin Guide, following years of unsuccessful attempts to bring it to Australia.

Stay tuned for more news………….