News 15:00
NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 17 November 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The Police minister attributes the drop in murders to the police’s continued anti-crime efforts
# The ANC calls for criminal charges against Standard Chartered for economic sabotage
# And Soccer: Bafana starts their World Cup qualification campaign against Benin
# Police minister Bheki Cele attributes the decline in murders to police’s ongoing efforts through decisive action and robust community involvement. He briefed the media on the latest crime figures. Cele announced a consecutive decrease in murder figures for the second quarter, with a 3.1-percent drop observed from May to July and an additional 0.8-percent reduction between July and September. Cele says the decline does not signify a claim of victory by the SAPS:
Play sound:
# The ANC is demanding accountability from Standard Chartered, the London-based bank, following its admission to charges of cartel conduct manipulating the Rand’s value. ANC national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, says that the agreed 43-million-rand settlement falls short of addressing the significant harm to the country’s economy. Bhengu-Motsiri calls for law enforcement agencies to pursue a criminal case against implicated individuals, urging justice. She has also commended the Competition Commission for their investigation.
# Over 300 learners implicated in a matric exam cheating scandal last year, seek a High Court order compelling the Department of Basic Education to release their matric results. News24 reports the department withheld the results following investigations into cheating allegations across six provinces. The learners are accused of paying teachers for answers in mathematics and physical science, but they claim the department’s disciplinary process resembles a kangaroo court. The learners demand transparency and fair treatment in the outcome of their withheld results.
# The DA Abroad has welcomed indications from the Indepencent Electoral Commission that overseas online registration will now go live over the weekend. This follows confirmation from IEC deputy CEO of Electoral Operations, Masego Sheburi, to Parliament this week that the online registration system for voters abroad is now ready. The DA’s Ludré Stevens says with almost two-million citizens overseas in various capacities including for study, work, holiday or living permanently, this mechanism will ensure unprecedented opportunities to register and vote.
# Soccer: Bafana Bafana will start their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA with matches at home to Benin tomorrow and away to Rwanda on Tuesday. South Africa will look to qualify for the global showpiece for the first time in over 20 years. They have improved under manager Hugo Broos and boasts an eleven-game unbeaten run, that began in June last year. Goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, believes Bafana can qualify for the World Cup:
Play sound:
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 36-thousand-454-dollars-9-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-989-dollars-63-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-49-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….