News 15:00

BULLETIN 31 October 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# BOSA calls for tougher regulations and a six-percent sin tax on online gambling
# The death toll from Hurricane Melissa climbs to 49, with many still missing
# And rugby: Seabelo Senatla ploughs back into the youth game

# Build One South Africa says a six-percent sin tax should be introduced on online gambling companies to ensure they contribute fairly to the economy. Debating virtually in Parliament, BOSA deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster said online betting has become a national crisis, exploiting vulnerable citizens while paying little tax. She added the proposed tax would align gambling with other taxed industries like alcohol and tobacco, with revenue used to fund rehabilitation and youth upliftment programmes:

# Union federation Saftu is calling on president Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently permit investigation into allegations of looting and mismanagement at the Public Investment Corporation. Saftu’s Asive Dyani says these allegations, if substantiated, point to a continuing pattern of financial irregularities, political interference, and reckless investment practices at an institution responsible for managing over 3.5-trillion-rand in public servants’ pension and social funds:

# The DA calls for the Special Investigating Unit to move swiftly in its probe into alleged corruption involving the chairperson of Jozi FM’s board, Rapiste Montsho. The party says over 35-million-rand in grants were allocated to the Soweto-based radio station between 2013 and 2016, with 24-million-rand allegedly stolen under Montsho. The DA’s Toby Chance says if wrongdoing is proven, criminal charges must follow. Chance adds Soweto’s residents deserve a community station free from corruption:

Moving abroad:

# Hurricane Melissa has now killed at least 49 people, although that figure is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue in the northern Caribbean. Authorities in Haiti reported at least 30 deaths and 20 missing. Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane. It did not hit the capital of Kingston, but slammed into Jamaica’s western side, with Reuters reporting 19 deaths. The storm’s force has been felt across the Caribbean, bringing destructive winds, rain, and flooding even as its strength has steadily declined.

# Rugby: The inaugural Senatla Sevens tournament for young players kicks off in Cape Town on Wednesday. The event, a partnership between former Blitzbok star Seabelo Senatla and the Connect Academy in Parow, will see under-11, under-13, and under-15 boys teams, as well as under-18 girls teams from the region compete over two days. Senatla says his recovery from a serious car accident two years ago, with intensive rehabilitation from Connect’s founder, Murray Ingram, inspired him to dedicate himself to mentoring the next rugby generation.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-33-cents and the euro at 20-rand-6-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 109-thousand-475-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-seven-dollars-35-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-2-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….