News 13:00

BULLETIN 6 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Royal House of Mandela calls for the release of flotilla detainees
# Most parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane are expecting severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall
# And athletics: South Africa bag four medals, including two gold, at the World Para Championships

# The Royal House of Mandela has called for the unconditional release of all Global Sumud Flotilla detainees, including Mandla Mandela, detained by Israeli forces while delivering aid to Gaza. In a statement, the royal house thanked legal teams, diplomats, and supporters, while condemning the alleged mistreatment of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. It reaffirmed solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and urged global action against what it termed genocidal apartheid Israel.

Meanwhile, union federation Saftu has welcomed the South African Medical Association’s decision to suspend its relations with the Israeli Medical Association. The association says this decision follows concerns about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the conduct of the IMA with regard to international medical ethics and humanitarian obligations. Saftu’s general-secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, says SAMA’s decision is historic and courageous:

# The GOOD Party says it is concerned about Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s dismissive response to serious allegations of financial misconduct. This arises from the metro’s 2.1-billion-rand loan agreement with the French Development Agency. GOOD’s Suzette Little says the metro borrowed in euros, then converted the loan into rands, resulting in a 116-million-rand overrun due to exchange rate fluctuations. She says this violates the Municipal Finance Management Act:

# The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in most parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane from 2 pm this afternoon until 10pm this evening. This is caused by a cut-off low-pressure system. The City of Tshwane’s Emergency Services Department’s Nana Radebe-Kgiba says a 60-percent chance of rainfall is predicted:

# Athletics: South Africans Puseletso Mabobe and Simoné Kruger both won gold medals on the final day of the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, India. Mabote won the men’s T63 100-metres in a championship record time of 12.03-seconds. Kruger, the Paralympian gold medallist from Paris, produced a season’s best 37.39-metres in winning the women’s F38 discus. South Africa finished the championships with four medals, two gold and two bronze, won by Sheryl James and Collen Mahlalela. China topped the medals table with 52.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-28-cents and the euro at 20-rand-16-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 123-thousand-977-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-941-dollars-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….