News 11:00

BULLETIN 23 October 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Sakeliga criticises government’s bid to halt six constitutional challenges against the NHI Act
# Rise Mzansi blames minister Mchunu for crippling Crime Intelligence
# And the UN launches a forum to tackle the debt crisis in developing countries

# Business lobby group Sakeliga has filed a conditional counter-application to the High Court in response to Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s bid to halt six constitutional challenges to the National Health Insurance Act. The minister cites the need to conserve public resources while the procedural challenges are resolved in court. Sakeliga argues his action will shield the government’s deeply flawed NHI Act from judicial review, while inflicting ongoing harm on the public.

# Rise Mzansi says Police minister Senzo Mchunu’s decision to halt the filling of vacancies at the Crime Intelligence division has weakened the South African Police Service’s ability to fight crime. The party’s Makashule Gana says the freeze affected 18 posts, including senior managers and social media specialists, in key provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape, regions hit hardest by organised crime, political killings, and gang violence:

# The DA says Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s decision to disband the Amapanyaza crime prevention wardens for retraining as traffic officials proves as right the DA’s long-standing warnings. The DA argues the wardens were never properly trained or funded. DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga demands clarity on the accreditation, funding, and rollout of the retraining:

Moving abroad:

# The United Nations has launched the Sevilla Forum on Debt, which will promote fairer lending, faster restructuring, and long-term reform of the post-war financial system. About 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on servicing debt than on health or education. UN secretary general, António Guterres, says more than 60 developing countries now spend at least ten-percent of government revenue on interest payments, while many face declining access to affordable credit:

# Soccer: Banyana Banyana were held to a 1-all draw in the first leg of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa. South Africa took the lead through Kgalebane Mohlakoana, but the hosts equalised through Ruth Kipoyi Monique just before halftime. Neither side managed to find a breakthrough in the second half and had to settle for a draw, with Banyana Banyana securing the all-important away goal. The second leg will take place in Johannesburg this coming Tuesday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-37-cents and the euro at 20-rand-15-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-80-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-115-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….