News 13:00

BULLETIN 20 September 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Rise Mzansi urges support for Eskom amid calls for revenue recovery
# The EFF urges president Cyril Ramaphosa to sign 17 pending bills on his desk
# And cricket: South Africa will continue playing against Afghanistan

# Rise Mzansi has called for continued support for Eskom to maintain energy stability and expand transmission infrastructure. Speaking during a debate on the utility’s eight-billion-rand revenue recovery, the party’s Makashule Gana warned that without proper funding, Eskom could face further challenges. Gana acknowledged Eskom’s recent leadership improvements, which have ended rolling blackouts for over 150 days: 

# The EFF is urging president Cyril Ramaphosa to sign 17 bills on his desk awaiting his signature, including the Communal Property Associations Amendment Bill. Of these 17 bills, seven were passed in May as the sixth Parliament rushed to conclude its business. EFF member of Parliament, Veronica Mente, suggested the need for Constitutional Court involvement to expedite the process, saying Parliament must ensure these bills become law to benefit South Africans.

# The GOOD Party says it agrees with the DA that the proposed national electricity tariff increase of 36-percent on top of a four-percent recovery charge is unaffordable and should be resisted. However, the party says this smacks of opportunism and hypocrisy for the DA, who are fighting in the High Court for the right to implement higher tariff increases in Cape Town. GOOD’s secretary-general, Brett Herron, says Cape Town residents should not be charged a cent more than is necessary for electricity:

# Cricket: South Africa’s controlling body has released a statement stressing it will continue organising matches against Afghanistan. Cricket South Africa stresses it is unfair to subject Afghan cricket players, both male and female, to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban. CSA has faced criticism for its ties with a country where women are severely suppressed, but points to the power of allowing its national teams to face Afghanistan. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has also supported the view, saying the rights of Afghanistan’s women players must be protected and respected.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-56-cents and the euro at 19-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-35-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-428-dollars-96-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-609-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-72-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The City of Tshwane Emergency Services says it is on high alert as cold weather conditions are expected across the metro from today until Sunday. The South African Weather Service has warned that an intense cut-off low-pressure system will bring very cold, wet and windy conditions to the southern and eastern parts of the country this weekend. Tshwane Emergency Services’ spokesperson, Lindsay Mnguni, there may be possible snow and scattered thunderstorms:

Stay tuned for more news………….