News 14:00

BULLETIN 13 November 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# China’s premier Li will attend the G20 summit
# The DA demands accountability over 17 South African men lured to join mercenary forces in Ukraine
# And soccer: Zambia accuses Bafana of underrating them before Saturday’s clash in Gqeberha

# China’s Foreign Ministry announced premier Li Qiang will attend the G20 summit in South Africa next weekend. A spokesperson says Li will also attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation event in Russia on Monday and Tuesday, and visit Zambia on Wednesday and Thursday. He says Li’s attendance at the G20 summit underscores China’s commitment to multilateralism and its engagement with the G20, which focuses on major issues related to the global economy.

# Suspended Police minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, has told Parliament’s ad hoc committee he was suspended from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate in 2018 after blowing the whistle on then–executive director Robert McBride and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan. Nkabinde claims his report to former Police minister Bheki Cele was leaked to McBride, who later suspended him. He says charges were later withdrawn after a confidential settlement agreement led to his resignation:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile says government is strengthening partnerships to boost economic growth through programmes like the Strategic Partnership Programme, and the Government Business Partnership. He spoke virtually at the Garden Route Economic Coordination Roundtable Dialogue in Knysna in the Western Cape. Mashatile says these initiatives harness private investment to drive infrastructure, youth employment, and efficiency. He praises the 200-billion-rand iThuba Development Project as a catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable community transformation:

# The DA is demanding accountability on how 17 South African men were lured to join mercenary forces involved in the Ukraine-Russia war under the pretext of employment. It is alleged that the men thought they were departing for legitimate security or training work but were forced to fight for Russian-aligned forces in Ukraine’s Donbas region. The DA’s Chris Hattingh says the State Security Agency and Defence Intelligence must explain how these recruitment operations were able to happen inside South Africa without being detected:

# Soccer: Zambia’s coach, Moses Sichone, accuses Bafana Bafana of underrating them before Saturday’s international friendly in Gqeberha. South Africa uses the encounter to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations, starting in Morocco on the 21st of next month. Sichone reacted to some South African soccer circles suggesting Bafana would gain more from playing strong opposition like Brazil, vowing to prove the hosts wrong. He says Zambia is taking the match very seriously and hopes to get a positive result.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-95-cents and the euro at 19-rand-69-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 102-thousand-921-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-228-dollars-129-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-82-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….