News 15:00

BULLETIN 28 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The alleged diamond scheme fraudster Louis Liebenberg abandons his bail application again
# Scores of people die in landslides in Uganda
# And rugby: Jaco Peyper will oversee SA Rugby’s new elite referees panel to prepare officials for the international stage

# Alleged diamond scheme fraudster Louis Liebenberg has abandoned his bail bid for a second time in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng. He was arrested last month with nine others, including his wife, Dezzi. Liebenberg faces charges of racketeering, fraud, and money laundering linked to a four-billion-rand investment scam. Most of his co-accused secured bail, but Dezzi was denied. Liebenberg, citing illness, withdrew his application during cross-examination. The case was postponed to the fourth of February for further investigation.

# The Reserve Bank is planning to acquire a 50-percent stake in the country’s largest payment clearing house, BankservAfrica, to advance digital payment systems. Discussions with BankservAfrica’s owners are ongoing. The central bank aims to enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, which it believes will support social development. The Reserve Bank’s Pradeep Maharaj told SABC News that the investment seeks to modernise South Africa’s payment infrastructure:

# The Gauteng legislature’s Community Safety Committee commends the delivery of 209 new police vehicles to stations and specialised units. The initiative aims to address long-standing shortages, enhance police visibility, and improve response times. Chairperson Bandile Masuku emphasises this investment demonstrates government’s commitment to combating crime and ensuring public safety while urging communities to strengthen partnerships with law enforcement:

# At least 30 people are feared dead after landslides in a village in eastern Uganda, but the toll could rise. The East African country has been deluged by heavy rains in the past few days, with the government issuing a national disaster alert after reports of flooding and landslides. Masugu village in eastern Bulambuli district, some five hours from the capital, Kampala, was hit by landslides late yesterday. Images on local media show huge swathes of fallen earth covering the land.

 # Rugby: Former Test referee Jaco Peyper will oversee a new elite referees panel created by SA Rugby with the aim to better prepare match officials for the international stage. The former national panel had been split into an elite and a national panel. General manager of referees, Banks Yantolo, says this is done to allow more specific work to be done with match officials on the different panels. They also did away with the women’s panel, as they are now part of the two new panels.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-17-cents and the euro at 19-rand-17-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-2-cents and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-972-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-645-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-85-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….