News 11:00

BULLETIN 28 December 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA calls for heightened protection at border crossings between South Africa and Mozambique
# The announcement of South Africa’s new lottery licence operator has been delayed
# And, soccer: Amorim has worst start at Manchester United since 1932

# ActionSA is calling on the government to ensure that the formal border crossings between South Africa and Mozambique receive heightened protection and that the vulnerable areas for illegal crossings along the borders also get monitored. The organisation’s president, Herman Mashaba, says South Africa must remain neutral and avoid the mistakes it made over the years in shamelessly siding with ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe, against the best interests of the people of that country:

# The announcement of a new licence operator for South Africa’s lottery has been postponed yet again. The operator is set to begin after Ithuba’s licence expires in May. The appointment process continues to face delays and allegations of conflict of interest. Trade and Industry minister Parks Tau says he is awaiting advice from Treasury on the best way to ensure the continuation of the lottery in the interim. According to GroundUp, the National Lotteries Commission has contingency plans in place, using 3.9-billion-rand in reserves to fund good causes in case of disruptions.

# Eskom says it has reached a significant milestone in its commitment to provide reliable electricity supply. Spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the power utility has successfully completed over nine months without load-shedding since 26 March this year. She says this achievement underscores Eskom’s dedication to addressing the country’s energy challenges through its investment in the Generation Recovery Plan and enhanced maintenance protocols:

# Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba has lauded Seshego police for swiftly arresting a 28-year-old man after his 13-year-old girlfriend gave birth at Seshego Hospital on Christmas Day. Ramathuba called for justice, emphasising the need to protect children. She says the arrest highlights ongoing efforts to combat statutory rape, as government initiatives aim to reduce teenage pregnancies through sexual health education and accessible services. The suspect remains in custody and will appear in court soon.

# And, soccer: Ruben Amorim admitted he had no idea how long it will take for him to revive Manchester United. He says his focus was on survival after a 2-0 defeat by Wolves on Thursday condemned him to the worst start by any Old Trafford boss in nearly 100 years. Amorim is the first United manager to lose five or more of his first 10 matches in charge since Walter Crickmer in January 1932. United now faces in-form Newcastle at home in their last match of the year.

Stay tuned for more news………….