News 14:00

BULLETIN 31 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Reserve Bank Governor highlights inflation inequality in South Africa
# Parliament demands a full report on the Independent Development Trust’s hospital oxygen tender
# And rugby: Dan Sheehan takes over as Ireland’s captain to face the All Blacks in Chicago

# Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago says South Africa faced a sharp inflation divide in July 2022. Speaking to CNBC Africa, Kganyago says lower income earners faced 9.8-percent inflation compared to 4.9-percent for the wealthiest. He highlighted how inequality deepens as rising prices hit low-income households the hardest. Kganyago warned that ignoring inflation means siding with the rich, not the poor:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Public Works and Infrastructure has urged minister Dean Macpherson to submit a full forensic report on the Independent Development Trust’s hospital oxygen tender. Chairperson Carol Phiri told SABC News the committee rejected the summary report tabled this week, insisting that Parliament requires the complete document to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of the controversial tender:

Meanwhile, Parliament’s standing committee on Public Accounts has unanimously resolved to subpoena former Road Accident Fund CEO, Collins Letsoalo, after repeated attempts to secure his voluntary appearance before the committee. The committee’s chairperson, Songezo Zibi, says he will ask the speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, for her concurrence. He says the information the committee seeks is within Letsoalo’s personal knowledge and cannot be obtained by other means:

# Rugby: The returning Caelan Doris was picked on the bench for Ireland’s match against New Zealand in Chicago tomorrow night, with Dan Sheehan named as captain. Iain Henderson, Bundee Aki and Sam Prendergast are also on the bench. Jack Crowley starts at fly-half ahead of Prendergast, alongside half-back partner Jamison Gibson-Park. It will be the second time Ireland faces New Zealand at Soldier Field in the US after their historic first-ever victory over the All Blacks in 2016.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-4-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 109-thousand-88-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-11-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The North-West University honoured ten remarkable professionals at its prestigious biennial Alumni Excellence Awards ceremony held in Pretoria. The distinguished honourees include veteran South African actor Hans Strydom, World Cup cricket star Tazmin Brits, and health economist James Avoka Asamani. Strydom received the Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of his pioneering contributions to South African television and film, as well as his tireless advocacy for performers’ rights. The university says all the honourees are making a lasting impact in their respective fields.

Stay tuned for more news………….