News 12:00

BULLETIN 9 October 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Home Affairs withdraws an asylum directive
# Six Zimbabweans admit to using South Africa as a transit point for Russian military recruitment
# And rugby: Several changes are made to the Sharks’ team for the Stormers derby

# The Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn a directive on asylum seeker applications issued on 28 September following a Constitutional Court ruling. The department says the directive was an operational measure to implement the court order and was issued without the knowledge of minister Leon Schreiber or other political office-bearers. It denies claims the decision was politically motivated, but says its implementation led to serious, unforeseen consequences. This includes, the fact that refugee reception offices operations were overwhelmed within a matter of days since the directive was issued.

Meanwhile, Forum for South Africa is calling for a national referendum on immigration, border management, asylum processes and the country’s constitutional framework. Forum leader Tebogo Mashilompane says people who enter South Africa legally, obey the law and contribute to society must be treated with dignity and respect. But he says public frustration is growing over government’s perceived failures to control illegal immigration and secure the country’s borders:

# Cape Town has launched South Africa’s first metro-built hybrid power station in Atlantis, which is expected to save residents at least 400-million-rand over 20 years. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the Helderhoop solar and storage power plant will generate electricity at a lower cost than Eskom. He says the project forms part of the city’s efforts to reduce its reliance on Eskom and limit the impact of rising electricity costs on residents:

# Six Zimbabweans have admitted to using South Africa as a transit point for Russian military recruitment. They stand accused of unlawfully offering or rendering foreign military assistance to Russia without the required authorisation. The admissions are contained in a plea and sentencing agreement before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. News24 reports two of the six facilitated and coordinated the other four’s accommodation and travel arrangements for Moscow in conjunction with a Russian recruiter.

# Rugby: Sharks’ head coach JP Pietersen has made several changes to his side for tomorrow’s United Rugby Championship derby against the Stormers in Cape Town. The visitors won their first two home matches of the season, while the hosts had mixed results overseas. Versatile Springbok André Esterhuizen will captain the Sharks, which also include his international team mates Ox Nché, Thomas du Toit, Jaden Hendrikse, Vusi Moyo, Eben Etzebeth, Edwill van der Merwe and Ethan Hooker in the starting line-up. Prop Vincent Koch provides cover on the bench.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-53-cents and the euro at 18-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-523-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-195-dollars-11-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….