News 14:00

BULLETIN 20 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Two KuGompo City beaches are closed after a deadly shark attack
# An Australian MP loses her leg after a car attack
# And the United Rugby Championship action resumes this weekend after the first round of the Champions and Challenge Cup

# The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape has closed Orient Beach and Eastern Beach in KuGompo City until further notice following a fatal shark attack at Orient Beach this morning. The victim is reported to be an elderly woman swimming with a group of open-water swimmers. The municipality has urged beachgoers to stay out of the water at the affected beaches and exercise caution at other coastal areas.

# South African Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago says payment systems are essential economic infrastructure. Speaking at the bank’s Payments Conference 2026, Kganyago outlined plans to modernise the system and make it safer, more efficient and inclusive. Priorities include opening access to non-bank providers, expanding PayShap, introducing standardised QR codes and developing a single digital identity for payments. He also revealed the bank is working to improve cross-border payments:

The ACDP is meanwhile cautiously optimistic the medium-term budget policy statement will bring good news, particularly regarding the country’s debt levels, with revenue collection expected to beat forecasts. Godongwana will outline government’s fiscal policy approach over the next three years tomorrow, including revenue and expenditure performance. ACDP’s Steve Swart is calling on him to use the tax windfall for fuel relief as citizens face rising costs:

Moving abroad:

# An Australian member of Parliament who was struck twice by a vehicle outside her constituency office yesterday has lost a leg. The incident in Wangaratta appeared to have been deliberate, with witnesses saying the driver first rammed independent MP Helen Haines against her parked car, then reversed and hit her again. The 65-year-old underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical but stable condition. A forty-three-year-old man has been arrested, and counter-terrorism police are involved in the investigation. The motive for the attack remains unknown.

# Rugby: United Rugby Championship action returns this coming weekend after the first round of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. The Stormers, the Sharks and the Bulls won their matches, while the Lions and the Cheetahs came off short. The Sharks face Cardiff in Wales in Friday’s URC clash and the Lions play Edinburgh in Scotland. The Bulls host Irish outfit Ulster at Loftus on Saturday, while the Stormers welcome Welsh team Scarlets to Cape Town. The Cheetahs don’t participate in the URC.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 18-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-494-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-115-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 112-dollars-82-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….