News 12:00

BULLETIN 28 November 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# An economist says the economic impact of the frosty relations between South Africa and the US will emerge within a year
# Solidarity calls for government action over massive retrenchments in the ferrochrome industry
# And rugby: Erasmus says naming a forward-heavy bench for Wales was not in his original plan

# Aluma economist Frederick Mitchell says the economic implications of the strained relationship between South Africa and the US will likely emerge within 12 to 24 months. US president Donald Trump this week stated that South Africa will not be invited to the G20 leaders’ summit in Florida next year, claiming genocide against Afrikaners. Mitchell says South Africa faces a critical crossroad, whether to remain within the G20 framework or to carve out new paths in international trade networks. He says the need for diversified partnerships has never been more pronounced.

# Solidarity is calling on government to adopt a focused approach to rescue vulnerable employees in the ferrochrome industry. Samancor Chrome is the latest company planning to initiate a retrenchment process early next year. Approximately two-thousand-496 employees may be affected by a possible closure or downsizing at several operations. Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis says the company can no longer afford to sustain losses while waiting for government relief in the form of reduced electricity tariffs:

# The DA says it has repeatedly tried to get answers about the location and safekeeping of important City of Johannesburg artefacts, namely the mayoral chain and regiment sword. The artefacts are supposedly kept safely in a bank. The DA’s Bongani Nkwanyana says an oversight visit to view the artefacts two weeks ago was postponed for vague reasons that don’t hold up. He says the speaker of the council reportedly saw the chain last month, yet other councillors still cannot access it:

Moving abroad:

# Amnesty International says Israeli authorities are still committing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on 10 October. At least 347 people, including 136 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire was announced. Amnesty International says despite a reduction in scale of attacks, there has been no meaningful change in the conditions Israel is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza, and no evidence to indicate that its intent has changed.

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he would not have opted for a 7-1 split on the bench for tomorrow’s clash against Wales in Cardiff if he had a full squad. Both teams are without many first-choice players because the match falls outside of the Test window. Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who is the only back on the bench, is in line to win his 50th cap. Erasmus says they kind of rolled the dice because they only have 24 players:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-16-cents and the euro at 19-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-170-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-161-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….