News 15:00

BULLETIN 29 October 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ACDP expects Enoch Godongwana will announce a market-friendly medium term budget policy statement
# Rugby: Jordan Hendrikse replaces an injured Frans Malherbe in the Bok squad
# And scammers steal more than 24 tons of artisanal cheese from one of Britain’s most famous dairy companies

# The ACDP expects that Finance minister Enoch Godongwana will deliver a market-friendly medium term budget policy statement tomorrow, given the positive sentiment that the government of national unity has generated. The ACDP’s Steve Swart says while low economic growth was largely caused by ongoing load-shedding and severe challenges with logistics – both rail and ports – active steps are being taken to solve these issues:

 # The Azanian People’s Organisation is calling for a unicameral Parliament and a ban on private donations to political parties. AZAPO’s spokesperson, Jabu Rakwena, says the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel was established to review the electoral laws in line with the Constitutional Court ruling that called for the introduction of independent candidates. He says the public has to submit comment before the cut-off date on Thursday:

# Leaders of the world’s biggest economies will gather in the City of Gold next year for the annual G20 leaders’ summit. The deputy director-general for Public Diplomacy in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Clayson Monyela, says Johannesburg pipped the cities of Cape Town and eThekwini to become the host. The presidency and hosting rights of the G20 change hands each year.

# Rugby: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has called up Sharks flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse to the training camp in Jersey after tighthead prop Frans Malherbe was forced to stay behind due to an ankle injury. Erasmus says there’s enough depth among the props to replace Malherbe with a backline player. Hendrikse, brother of Bok scrumhalf Jaden, played his only Test for South Africa against Wales in June. The Boks play Scotland in Edinburgh on 10 November, followed by Tests against England at Twickenham and Wales in Cardiff.  

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-72-cents and the euro at 19-rand-14-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-216-dollars-14-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-750-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-91-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Scammers have stolen more than 24 tons of artisanal cheese from one of Britain’s most famous dairy companies. London-based Neal’s Yard Dairy was approached by a fraudulent buyer posing as a legitimate wholesale distributor. The firm sells top-quality British and Irish cheeses to stores and restaurants around the world. It only found out it had been scammed after the cheeses had been handed over to the fraudsters. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver meanwhile appealed to his millions of social media followers to look out for posh cheese going for cheap.

Stay tuned for more news………….