News 15:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 14 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The unemployment rate is down to 31.9-percent
# The DA says Johannesburg speaker’s dismissal from Cope intensifies the need for the dissolution of city’s council 
# And Soccer: Bafana is confident ahead of the World Cup qualifiers

# South Africa’s official unemployment rate was 31.9-percent in the third quarter. This is 0,7 of a percentage point lower than the rate of 32.6-percent in the second quarter. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey indicates that the number of employed people increased by 399-thousand to 16.7-million in the third quarter. The number of unemployed people decreased by 72-thousand to 7.8-million. Finance, community and social services, and agriculture recorded the largest employment gains while employment losses were recorded in manufacturing, mining, transport and ttilities. KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North-West and Mpumalanga recorded the largest employment increases.

# The DA in Johannesburg says as per the rules of the City council, Colleen Makhubele’s departure from COPE means that she is no longer a proportional representative councillor, nor the speaker of council. The party says political instability in Johannesburg has become the norm, and under Makhubele’s leadership, the council chamber has turned into a circus. The DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku says her departure from COPE and Council is a symptom of a disease that only has one cure, the dissolution of Johannesburg’s council:

Play sound: ENG BelindaonSpeaker

# The Kruger National Park says the Letaba rest camp is currently immersed in the vibrant hum of cicadas. The camp’s management alerts visitors to the audible phenomenon, with the insects’ sounds amplified by their sheer numbers into a captivating chorus. These insects, known for their periodic appearances, are harmless but are attracted to light. SANParks spokesperson Isaac Phaahla advises guests to keep unit doors closed in the evenings and minimise verandah lighting. Phaahla says the cicada abundance is influenced by temperature, humidity, and rainfall.

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana will start their qualifying campaign for 2026’s World Cup against Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. Three days later, they will have a tough away assignment against Rwanda. Bafana hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 2006 and hasn’t won a major continental title since lifting the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996. There has been progress under coach Hugo Broos, with the team unbeaten in over a year. Broos is confident they can continue their good form:

Play sound: ENG Hugo Broos

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-73-cents and the euro at 20-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 36-thousand-288-dollars-6-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-945-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Independent Community Pharmacy Association of South Africa says early diagnosis and effective management in the fight against type 2 diabetes is crucial to combat the disease. Commemorating World Diabetes Day today, the organisation highlights the alarming rise in new cases, projecting 578-million people will be affected by 2030. The association’s CEO Jackie Maimin warns that living with undiagnosed diabetes can have deadly consequences and urges proactive healthcare measures.

Stay tuned for more news………….