News 15:00

BULLETIN 13 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom implements stage 2 load-shedding during the evenings until Thursday
# The formal sector dumps 245-thousand jobs in the first quarter of 2025
# And cricket: Shukri Conrad announces the 15-player squad for the World Test Championship final

# Eskom has announced it is implementing stage two load-shedding during evening peak periods from 4 pm today until ten pm on Thursday. This is due to delays in returning several generation units from maintenance and an additional loss of one-thousand-385 megawatts from unplanned breakdowns. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the setback follows recent maintenance work, but teams are working to stabilise and improve the power system:

# Statistics SA says the Quarterly Labour Force survey for the first quarter shows the number of people employed in the formal sector decreased by 245-thousand while informal sector employment increased by 17-thousand. The largest industry increases in employment were recorded in Transport, Finance and Utilities. Decreases in employment were recorded in Trade, Construction, Private households, Community and Social services, and Mining. The results also indicate that employment increased in only three provinces – the Western Cape with 49-thousand, Gauteng with nine-thousand and the Free State with four-thousand.

# The Episcopal Migration Ministries has announced it will terminate its decades-long refugee resettlement partnership with the US government following a directive to assist in relocating 49 Afrikaners granted refugee status. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe cited the church’s commitment to racial justice, concerns over preferential treatment, and sidelining of at-risk groups like Afghan and Iraqi allies. Rowe cited the church’s inability to host refugees due to continued funding cuts from government. He confirmed the church plans to end all federal refugee services by September.

Meanwhile, the leader of South Africa’s Referendum Party, Phil Craig, says they are currently in Washington in the US, raising awareness of the issues faced by South Africans, and promoting Cape independence as part of the solution. Craig says it has established that the ANC is an organisation which is now deeply reviled by many, that there are no illusions whatsoever about its complete lack of moral fibre, and that its blatant hypocrisy now defines it domestically and internationally:

# Cricket: South African coach Shukri Conrad has named a 15-player squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in London from 11 to 15 June. The squad will assemble in England on 31 May ahead of a four-day warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe. The squad consists of captain Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-33-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-658-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-258-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….