News 13:00

BULLETIN 5 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The South African Zionist Federation warns of repeated mistakes that could cost the University of Cape Town millions of rand in funding
# President Cyril Ramaphosa assents to a critical bill promoting rail safety
# And cricket: Australia makes one major change for the second Test against India

# The South African Zionist Federation says a proposed anti-Israel motion at the University of Cape Town could endanger millions of rand in research funding and student support. The motion, set for discussion today, echoes a 2019 proposal that risked losing 660-million-rand in United States research funding and other critical donations. The federation’s Rolene Marks warns political moves against Israel could jeopardise the university’s academic and financial stability, potentially affecting scholarships and partnerships.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has assented to the Rail Safety Bill, which recognises that safe railway operations are fundamental to the safety of all people. The legislation seeks to repeal the National Railway Safety Regulator Act which was last amended in 2009. Ramaphosa says the law recognises that safe railway operations promote the use of rail as an efficient mode of transportation and that the effective provision of railway safety demands uniform norms and standards. He adds it also promotes the harmonisation of South Africa’s railway safety regime.

# The City of Cape Town is gearing up for a record-breaking festive season, with hotels filling up quickly. The metro is preparing for an influx of domestic and international tourists as a result of major events such as the Rugby Sevens and multiple conferences. The Events Permit Office is currently processing over 160 permit applications for December alone. The metro says it is working collaboratively with its partners to enhance visitor experiences, prioritising air route expansion, and cruise tourism to attract both domestic and international travellers.

# Cricket: Fast bowler Scott Boland will replace the injured Josh Hazlewood in Australia’s only change for the second Test against India, starting in Adelaide tomorrow. Hazlewood has been ruled out with a side strain. The hosts lost the first Test in Perth by 295 runs. This will be Boland’s first match for Australia in almost 18 months. Captain Pat Cummins says there are lots of areas they need to improve in the second Test:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-7-cents and the euro at 19-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-211-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-643-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Spotify South Africa says 2024 was not just about global hits, it was the year for local sound to shine. This progress is reflected in a 93-percent growth in local music consumption and the rise of local sounds. This includes the infectious beats of Amapiano, traditional music, and beloved podcasts. Spotify’s, Sithabile Kachisa, says female artists made huge strides in the South African music scene, with Tyla and Lwah Ndlunkulu leading the charts for the most streamed albums:

Stay tuned for more news………….