News 15:00

BULLETIN 6 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The “Please Call Me” inventor Kenneth Makate’s compensation will likely run into several hundred million-rand
# The court dismisses the bid by Mashatile’s ex-bodyguards to drop the assault charges against them
# And cricket: IPL champions RCB may be up for sale for up to 35-billion-rand

# Vodacom potentially paid Kenneth Nkosana Makate between 353-million-rand and 748-million-rand in a settlement for his “Please Call Me” idea. The estimated range is based on the impact that the settlement had on Vodacom’s expected earnings for its interim financial year ending 30 September. The mobile network announced yesterday the matter was brought to a close in an out-of-court settlement after 17 years of legal battles. Vodacom also stated the confidential settlement was accounted for in the group’s interim results, which are due to be released on Monday.

# The Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng has rejected an application by eight former bodyguards of deputy president Paul Mashatile to dismiss 12 charges against them, including assault with intend to do grievous bodily harm and property damage. The charges stem from a July 2023 incident when the members of the VIP Protection Unit were filmed assaulting two off-duty soldiers on the N1 near Fourways in Johannesburg. Their Section 174 discharge application was opposed by the National Prosecuting Authority. The case resumes in March.

# The DA says Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya has been silent as a typhoid outbreak spreads in Hammanskraal. The party demands that test results from the Department of Water and Sanitation be shared publicly or with independent experts. They warn that relying on water tankers is risky and urge infrastructure solutions to prevent another health crisis. The DA’s Cilliers Brink says Moya, currently in Brazil, should be in Tshwane addressing residents:

# The Garden Route District Municipality in the Western Cape says minor traces of a smearable and sticky sheen-like dark substance have been found on several beaches along the Garden Route coastline in recent weeks. The exact source remains unknown. The municipality’s spokesperson, Herman Pieters, says when these incidents occur at sea, the National Department of Transport is responsible for responding to the spill and implementing the relevant contingency plan:

# Cricket: Defending Indian Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, may soon be up for grabs – at an astonishing 35-billion-rand. Owners United Spirits Limited told the Mumbai stock exchange they had begun a strategic review of their investment in RCB. According to CEO Praveen Smoeshwar, the team had been a valuable and strategic asset, but was non-core to their beverage business. The owners reportedly consider possibilities such as the sale of part or all of the team, which includes the women’s team.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-36 and the euro at 19-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-143-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-nine-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….