News 12:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 10 November 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Thandi Modise says efforts in clamping down on illegal mining are yielding results
# The EFF in Tshwane welcomes the reinstatement of 81 municipal workers
# And Rugby: Sergeal Petersen expects the Bok trio will spark a fire in the team

# Defence and Military Veterans minister Thandi Modise says to date, four-thousand-and-67 suspects have been arrested on various illegal mining charges, including at Eskom. The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster held a media briefing today, to provide progress made in combatting organised crime. Modise says government will no longer tolerate foreign nationals who continue to attack South Africa’s economy through illegal mining activities:

Play sound: ENG ThandionIllicitMining

# The EFF in Tshwane says 81 municipal workers who were fired for participating in the strike by the South African Municipal Workers Union have been reinstated. Over 100 municipal workers were dismissed after the City of Tshwane gave them an ultimatum to either return to work or face termination of their contracts. The EFF’s Obakeng Ramabodu says the reinstatement of the workers is a significant victory that showcases their relentless pursuit of justice. He says their fight is far from over, as they are calling on the city to recall the remaining 45 employees.

# Discovery Insure urges government’s National Health Insurance scheme to work hand-in-hand with the private sector for its success. CEO Adrian Gore stresses the current healthcare status quo in South Africa is unsustainable, necessitating universal health coverage. He emphasises the importance of a collaborative approach to ensure the workability of the NHI Bill. Gore suggests a blended and multi-funder model as a more viable means of implementing universal health coverage, citing the potential need for 200-billion-rand in funding based on the current bill.

# Rugby: New Bulls winger Sergeal Petersen expects the Springbok backs Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie will spark a fire in the team when they join the Pretoria outfit later this month. The Bulls are currently third on the United Rugby Championship log after two victories in three matches. Petersen, who scored a try against Zebre in his first match for the team last weekend, says he is thrilled over the arrival of the three Boks, believing everyone will feed off their World Cup success.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-64-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-80-cents and Bitcoin trades at 36-thousand-432-dollars-9-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-956-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Surgeons in New York have performed the world’s first transplant of an entire human eye. Aaron James, who survived a high-voltage electrical accident, underwent 21 hours of surgery that replaced half of his face in May this year. One of the leading surgeons on the team, doctor Eduardo Rodriguez, told CNN it was a challenge transplanting the whole eye, the eyeball, its blood supply, and the critical optic nerve that must connect it to the brain:

Play sound: ENG RodriguezOnSurgery

Stay tuned for more news………….