News 12:00

BULLETIN 18 September 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The PSA welcomes the suspension of the UIF commissioner amid corruption allegations
# The Green Connection says extending Koeberg’s lifespan is a reckless gamble
# And cricket: Markram takes over from Bavuma for the Proteas’ encounter with Afghanistan

# The Public Servants Association welcomes the suspension of the Unemployment Insurance Fund commissioner Tebogo Maruping over alleged corruption and misuse of power. Maruping is accused of being involved in a questionable agreement with Thuja Holdings, risking five-billion-rand meant for UIF relief. The PSA’s Claude Naiker commends the decision, stating that corruption within the fund harms vulnerable citizens and should not be tolerated:  

# The Green Connection says extending the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s lifespan is a reckless gamble with public safety. The power station’s unit one suffered an unexpected shutdown last Wednesday. Following Eskom’s recent maintenance of the unit, the National Nuclear Regulator granted it a 20-year operating licence extension in July. Green Connection’s, Liz McDaid, says the extension of Koeberg’s life decision is fatally flawed:

# It is estimated the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country stands at 80-thousand, and the number of wounded at 400-thousand. According to the Washington Post the numbers come from confidential data dating back to earlier this year from sources familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, the UK’s Defence ministry estimates more than 600-thousand Russians have been killed or wounded since the beginning of the war.

# Cricket: Temba Bavuma will sit out today’s historic first ODI against Afghanistan in in the United Arab Emirates due to illness. In his absence, Aiden Markram will lead the team. This ODI series marks the first-ever meeting between Afghanistan and South Africa outside of ICC tournaments. The second ODI on Friday will also be played in Sharjah. This series will be followed by a series of ODIs and T20Is against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-53-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-182-dollars-51-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-569-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The City of Cape Town, in collaboration with the Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust, has announced the proposed renaming and upgrade of Lupin Park in Milnerton. The park was often visited by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and is located on the doorstep of his family residence. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says he hopes that the upgraded park will become a symbol to remind Capetonians of the values that Tutu have always lived by:

Stay tuned for more news………….