News 15:00

BULLETIN 22 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A pig farmer’s bail application is postponed to February after a gruesome double murder in Limpopo
# China calls on the International Criminal Court to remain objective and fair
# And rugby: France and Argentina kick off the weekend’s international action in Paris

# The bail application of a Limpopo farmer accused of murdering two women and feeding their bodies to pigs, had been postponed to the 18th of February in the Magistrate’s Court in Mankweng. Zachariah Olivier and two other men were arrested after the gruesome discovery in August. The court heard this morning Olivier’s legal representative wasn’t available. The two other accused, farm supervisor Adriaan de Wet and worker William Musora, had previously abandoned their bail applications.

# The DA says government must allow municipalities and private producers to generate and procure electricity independently. The party has expressed concern about Eskom’s proposed electricity tariff increases. The DA’s Rikus Badenhorst says they are proposing subsidies for low-income households, energy-efficiency incentives, and ensuring alternative energy sources are accessible and affordable:

# China urged the International Criminal Court to remain objective and fair after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others. Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian says China hopes the ICC will exercise its powers in accordance with the law. China, which like Israel and the United States is not a member of the ICC, says it supports any efforts by the international community on the Palestinian issue that are conducive to achieving fairness and justice and upholding the authority of international law.

# Rugby: Another weekend packed with international action awaits fans. France and Argentina will kick off the proceedings in Paris tonight, and tomorrow Ireland faces Fiji in Dublin. Then it’s the big clash between the Springboks and under-pressure Wales in Cardiff, where the hosts must try and end a losing streak of 11 games, while the Boks are aiming for their first unbeaten Northern Hemisphere tour since 2013. Italy then welcomes the All Blacks to La Nucia and on Sunday, Scotland and Australia meet in Edinburgh.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-6-cents and the euro at 18-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-497-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-706-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Statistics South Africa reports a decline in civil debt cases in its latest survey for September. Civil summonses issued for debt fell by 12-percent in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. Civil judgments for debt also dropped by 6.7-percent year-on-year. StatsSA’s Onica Mushwana says judgment values totaled 298.8-million-rand, with money lent and services as key contributors:

Stay tuned for more news………….