News 15:00

BULLETIN 12 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC’s national executive committee looks into available risks amid coalition talks
# South Africa’s citrus exports are hit by the war and extreme weather
# And rugby: A Springbok prop says a disrupted French team will still be a huge challenge

# ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu says the party’s national executive committee is examining the reasons for its poor local government election performance. Speaking in Boksburg, she says almost all political parties have approached the ANC for informal coalition talks. Bhengu says the party is reflecting on its electoral failures with humility. She says candidates must return to communities and implement the ANC’s 100-day service delivery plan::

# Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka says justice must go beyond constitutional rights to address the daily challenges facing South Africans. She was speaking amid the International Access to Justice Conference in Sun City, North West. Gcaleka says her office wants to make services more accessible, particularly to vulnerable communities. She emphasises the expansion of satellite offices, introducing SMS and voice-based complaint systems, and ensuring the elderly and disabled people are not excluded by digital technology:

# South Africa’s citrus export forecast has been cut as the Iranian war disrupts shipments to the Middle East, while severe weather damages crops. The Citrus Growers’ Association now expects 197.9-million 15-kilogram cartons to be exported this season, down from 209.4-million. South Africa normally sends about 20 percent of its citrus to the Middle East, but the conflict has disrupted shipping routes and raised transport costs. Flooding in the Western and the Eastern Cape has added to difficulties, with some orchards suffering damage that could affect production beyond this season.

Moving abroad:

# US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, seeking to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting follows after two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi ended yesterday with an agreement to pursue a prisoner exchange, but no breakthrough on ending the war. The main obstacle remains territory, with Ukraine rejecting Putin’s demand to surrender the eastern Donbas region. The envoys are expected to meet Ukrainian resident Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin, Ireland, after their talks in Moscow.

# Rugby: Springbok prop Ox Nché believes France’s wider squad will rise to the occasion despite the disruption caused by injuries to four flyhalves. Captain Antoine Dupont will swap his regular number nine jersey for the ten in tomorrow night’s Nations Championship clash with South Africa in Paris. Maxime Lucu will be his half-back partner. Nché says despite the mounting injury toll, France boasts a wealth of quality young players who have been brought through the ranks over the last few years:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-63-cents and the euro at 18-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-246-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-947-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-42-sents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….