News 13:00

BULLETIN 7 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SAA management offers an additional one-percent salary increase for its pilots
# The operation aimed at retrieving alleged illegal miners in Sabie has been completed
# And cricket: JP Duminy departs as Proteas’ white-ball batting coach

# South African Airways has announced that the pilots’ strike, which began on Thursday, has been suspended today. This resolution follows successful negotiations between SAA Executive Management and the South African Airways Pilots Association. SAA’s spokesperson, Vimla Maistry says management has offered an additional 1-percent salary increase, resulting in a total salary increase of 9.47-percent for SAA pilots:

# Mpumalanga police say the operation aimed at retrieving alleged illegal miners at an abandoned mine in Sabie was completed last night. Police spokesperson, Donald Mdhluli, says since the operation started, a total of 153 alleged illegal miners were brought to the surface. He says three bodies were also retrieved on the first day of the operation:

Meanwhile, ActionSA says it is deeply concerned by the Mpumalanga provincial government’s recent prioritisation of rescuing the trapped zama zamas. ActionSA’s Thoko Mashiane says this incident underscores a glaring hypocrisy that must be called out. She says  for eight years, the families of Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi, and Solomon Nyirenda have endured unbearable heartache as their loved ones remain trapped underground at Lily Mine:

# Cricket: A process has started to get a successor to JP Duminy after his resignation as the Proteas’ white-ball batting coach. Cricket South Africa announced he was leaving immediately due to personal reasons. CSA says the former Proteas allrounder had been a key member of the limited-overs coaching staff since March last year. He ended his playing career for South Africa in 2019 after 46 Tests, 199 ODIs and 81 T20s in which he scored a total of nine-thousand-154 runs and took 132 wickets.

# And finally, the princess of Wales has hosted her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. This is the biggest event since her return to royal duties after ending her chemotherapy. Among the one-thousand- 600 guests were families affected by the Southport knife attack, and a candle was lit by Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who had a cancer diagnosis. The prince of Wales joined Catherine at the service, along with the couple’s three children, prince George, prince Louis and princess Charlotte. The televised carol service has become something of a royal tradition in recent years.

Stay tuned for more news………….