News 13:00

BULLETIN 30 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Motshekga visits Komatipoort, expresses sadness after SANDF tragedy
# A suspect in the Saulsville mass shooting abandons bail, case remanded to February 2026
# And, the Western Cape High Court rules in favour of Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association

# Defence and Military Veterans minister Angie Motshekga is visiting the Komatipoort border post in Mpumalanga following the deaths of two South African Defence Force soldiers who drowned on Christmas Day. The soldiers were crossing a flooded bridge near Macadamia Military Base during border patrols. One body has been recovered, while DNA tests are underway on the second set of remains. Motshekga says the loss is deeply felt by the nation:

# The accused in the Saulsville mass shooting appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate Court on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and abandoned his bail application. The matter was postponed to 19 February 2026, with the accused remanded in custody. Police spokesperson Athlena Mathe says he will appear tomorrow in Atteridgeville, facing 12 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder:

# The Western Cape High Court has ruled in favour of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association, ordering the metro to provide an alternative venue for the association. In September, the metro withdrew its approval for the Vygieskraal Stadium to be used for the historic event, arguing that the event was graded as medium risk while the stadium can only host low-risk events. The metro has also been ordered to assist the association in complying with safety rules for events. The association says the ruling has brought much relief.

# The Department of Defence and Military Veterans says South Africa’s participation in military exercises with various countries is intended to strengthen multilateral and bilateral relations. The department is facing criticism as Iran will join Russia and China in a naval exercise in Cape Town in January. The DA earlier said the participation of Iran and Russia makes it increasingly difficult for the government to maintain that South Africa is genuinely pursuing a policy of non-alignment. However, the department emphasised that joint and multinational military exercises are important.

# Soccer: Deputy minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, has congratulated Bafana Bafana on making the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. South Africa defeated Zimbabwe 3-2 in their final Group B match to progress to the knockout stage for the third consecutive time. Mabe says the performance by Bafana Bafana reflected disciplined execution, tactical organisation, and an ability to manage high-pressure continental competition. The deputy minister has urged South Africans to continue supporting the team.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-65-cents and the euro at 19-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-51-cents to the dollar and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-640-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-373-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-55-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….