News 12:00

BULLETIN 18 November 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Investec’s CEO says South Africa’s economy could be 4,5-trillion-rand larger
# South Africa introduces a digital tourism hub for international guests before the G20 summit
# And rugby: The Bok assistant coach is frustrated at the inconsistent disciplinary decisions

# Investec CEO Fani Titi says it’s time for South Africa to prioritise contribution over compliance, and productivity over patronage. He was commenting on the current debate arround the role of broad-based black economic empowerment and its impact on the economy. According to Investec’s research, the South African economy would now be worth approximately 12-trillion-rand, rather than 7.5-trillion-rand, if there was greater economic inclusion. Titi argues if empowerment focuses on pragmatism instead of ideology, it would transform empowerment from a brake on growth into a flywheel for it.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus says transforming South Africa from a welfare state to a prosperous one must start with next year’s local government elections. The party says most municipalities are collapsing, with only 20-percent receiving clean audits and 64 already declared dysfunctional, which makes economic growth impossible. The FF Plus’s Jaco Mulder warns that failed services like water, electricity, refuse removal and roads are driving businesses away and blocking investment.

# The Department of Tourism, in partnership with Airports Company South Africa, SA Tourism, the Gauteng Tourism Authority, and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, will launch a smart Tourism Visitor Information Centre at OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng tomorrow. The interactive, paperless centre will provide real-time information on tourism, culture, and heritage across all nine provinces, welcoming G20 delegates and international visitors.

# Rugby: Springbok assistant coach, Mzwandile Stick, has criticised what he says are unfair and inconsistent disciplinary decisions that have gone against them during the year-end tour. Lock Franco Mostert received a direct red card against Italy on Saturday for an apparent high tackle, a week after Lood de Jager suffered the same fate against France. The Boks are preparing to face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. Stick says they are growing increasingly disillusioned with the current landscape:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-20-cents and the euro at 19-rand-96-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-758-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-21-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service has launched the ‘Just Say Goodbye’ awareness campaign aimed at helping South Africans recognise and respond to increasingly sophisticated phone-based scams. The service’s Andrew Simpson says these scams, known as vishing, involve fraudsters phoning victims impersonating representatives from banks, financial institutions, cellular companies, insurers, law enforcement or government agencies. He says they try to manipulate victims into revealing sensitive information or transferring funds:

Stay tuned for more news………….