News 13:00

BULLETIN 10 November 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Unite for Change will contest in all eight metros in next year’s local government elections 
# Nzimande issues a stern warning to the SACP about breaking away from the tripartite alliance
# And rugby: The Springboks extend their lead at the top of the world rankings

# The coalition comprising RISE Mzansi, the Good Party, and Build One South Africa, Unite for Change, will be on the ballot of the 2026 local government elections in all eight metros, with a mayoral candidate in each. The coalition alliance has opened its candidate applications for the elections. Unite for Change leadership council member, Brett Herron, says a decision on which local and district municipalities the alliance will compete in will be made at a later stage:

Meanwhile, the national chairperson of the South African Communist Party, Blade Nzimande, has called for a special national congress to address several structural and ideological challenges ahead of next year’s elections. The SACP’s fifth national congress in December last year resolved to contest the elections independently from the ANC. In a scathing document, Nzimande says some elements within the SACP have confused tactical independence with opportunistic adventurism. He underscores the party’s need to reinvest massively in ideological training to strengthen its analytical edge.

# The family of a civilian murdered by ANC insurgents near the Botswana border in 1978, Jaap van der Merwe, has officially requested AfriForum to help find answers about possible political interference in the prosecution of an identified suspect. Van der Merwe’s body has never been found. CEO Kallie Kriel says one of the surviving suspects in the case, who at the time used the pseudonym John Msibi, did not apply for amnesty before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and is still alive:

# The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services says the fire in the Cogmanskloof mountains above Montagu and Ashton remains active. The fire, which started on Thursday afternoon in the veld above Zolani, initially spread into CapeNature-managed land on the mountain peaks. From there, it ran along the ridge and onto the Montagu side of the mountains. The municipality’s spokesperson, Jo-Anne Otto, says firefighting operations have been challenged by strong, shifting winds and persistent high temperatures:

# Rugby: South Africa remains top of the World Rugby rankings following their 32-17 comeback victory against France in Paris on Saturday. The Springboks’ lead over second-placed New Zealand has increased to 1.71 points. Ireland and England remain in third and fourth after victories over Japan and Fiji, respectively, and France is still fifth. The top six teams after the Autumn Nations Series will be in Band 1 for the 2027 World Cup draw on December third, with sides ranked seventh to 12th in Band 2.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-18-cents and the euro at 19-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-63-cents and Bitcoin trades at 106-thousand-457-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-82-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….