News 11:00

BULLETIN 23 October 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Godongwana denies the fuel levy relief is aimed at appeasing voters ahead of the elections
# Sixteen people were killed after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits Tibet
# And rugby: Five Springboks return to the Sharks’ match 23 for the URC clash against Cardiff

# Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has denied opposition parties’ claims the temporary fuel levy relief he announced in the mini-budget was electioneering, just two weeks before the local government elections. The ten-billion-rand relief will see the fuel levy reduced by three-rand a litre on diesel and one-rand-50-cents on petrol from November fourth to December first. Godongwana says it’s just a coincidence that the reprieve is on the same day as the elections:

# The South African Local Government Association has welcomed the revised white paper on Local Government, calling it a landmark milestone for reforming the municipal system and restoring public trust. It lays the foundation for far-reaching legislative, institutional and financial reform of the entire local government system. SALGA deputy president Xola Pakati says it’s encouraging that it reflects several reforms the organisation has consistently advocated for, including a differentiated and fit-for-purpose local government system:

# The City of Tshwane has activated alternative water supplies for the Pretoria CBD and surrounding areas after water-quality tests detected microbiological contamination in water supplied from the Findlay reservoir. It was detected after a sewer pipe burst, resulting in elevated microbial levels that exceeded the capacity of the existing chlorination measures. Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo says the areas have been switched to an alternative supply from Salvokop reservoir:

Moving abroad:

# At least 16 people have died and 65 have been injured after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the Nagqu region in Chinese-controlled Tibet. According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, 339 houses have collapsed, and power has largely been cut off to the region. The China Earthquake Administration has activated a level two emergency response, its second-highest tier, while the US Geological Survey has recorded seven tremors close to the epicentre. Premier Li Qiang has called for urgent efforts to organise rescue operations.

# Rugby: Sharks coach JP Pietersen has brought three of his Springboks back into the starting-15 for tonight’s fourth-round United Rugby Championship clash against Cardiff in Wales. Following their mandatory rest in last Saturday’s 40-33 Challenge Cup victory over Lyon, André Esterhuizen returns as captain, with Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe named on the wings. Two other Boks, props Ox Nché and Thomas du Toit, are set to come off the bench. The loose trio of Manu Tshituka, Matt Romao and Nick Hatton remains unchanged.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-52-cents and the euro at 18-rand-52-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-663-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-14-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 115-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….