News 14:00

BULLETIN 28 November 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Reserve Bank is to acquire a 50-percent stake in BankservAfrica
# An education activist calls on minister Siviwe Gwarube to clarify the consent for publishing matric results
# And cricket: The Proteas are bowled out for 191 on the second morning in Durban

# The Reserve Bank is planning to acquire a 50-percent stake in BankservAfrica, the country’s largest payment clearing house, to advance digital payment systems. Discussions with BankservAfrica’s owners are ongoing. The central bank aims to enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, which it believes will support social development. The Reserve Bank’s Pradeep Maharaj told SABC News the investment seeks to modernise South Africa’s payment infrastructure:

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has urged Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube to clarify whether parental or guardian consent is required for publishing matric results under the Protection of Personal Information Act. The department plans to release results using exam numbers to protect learners’ privacy. However, Makaneta suggests issuing consent forms to ensure transparency and legal compliance:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Agriculture has summoned the Onderstepoort Biological Products Board to clarify its budget misreporting for the vaccine facility refurbishment project. Despite receiving 492-million-rand in 2012/13, the entity now estimates an additional 381-million-rand, citing outdated figures. The committee also raised concerns over weak consequence management after financial misconduct charges led to key resignations. Progress reports were requested from the department to address internal control failures and audit findings.

# Ukraine says it had downed 79 missiles and 35 drones launched by Russia overnight in its latest aerial barrage of 188 projectiles that Kyiv says targeted energy infrastructure. The Air Force added in its statement that 62 drones were lost from its radars or downed with electronic jamming defensive systems. President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia fired cluster munitions at Ukrainian energy facilities in a massive attack, slamming it as a despicable escalation by Moscow.

# Cricket: South Africa’s fight-back ended on 191 on the second morning of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Durban. The hosts were struggling on 80 for four when rain stopped play at lunchtime yesterday. Today, captain Temba Bavuma led from the front, contributing 70 runs. He was ably assisted by Keshav Maharaj with 24, while Kagiso Rabada scored a handsome 15 runs. Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara both took three wickets, and Vishwa Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya two each.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-18-cents and the euro at 19-rand-16-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-922-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-645-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….