News 16:00

BULLETIN 6 September 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Samwu secures a six-percent salary increase for municipal workers 
# China evacuates 400-thousand people ahead of super typhoon Yagi
# And, soccer: Broos says Bafana must win their Afcon qualifiers 

# Municipal union Samwu has secured a landmark five-year salary and wage agreement with the South African Local Government Association. Effective from July, the deal includes a six-percent increase for municipal workers, with further increases linked to inflation. It also introduces new housing benefits for low-income employees and a focus on improving housing access. Samwu general secretary Dumisane Magagula says this historic agreement promises stability and long-term benefits for 300-thousand municipal workers across the country:

More municipal news: The Community Action Network says it will closely monitor and apply pressure on the Coalition Bill as it advances through Parliament. The initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse argues that the bill, officially known as the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, could undermine municipal autonomy and democratic processes. The network’s project manager, Jonathan Erasmus, criticises the bill for excessive political overreach and restrictions on no-confidence motions.

# A 23-year-old woman accused of drowning a young child in the Eastern Cape is set to return to the Mqanduli Magistrate’s Court for a formal bail application on Monday. Police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawiza says Noluvuyo Sinyikatha allegedly lured the six-year-old girl to a local dam on Wednesday. She says Sinyikatha was arrested and charged with murder:

# China has evacuated some 400-thousand people as one of the year’s most powerful storms is expected to make landfall at the popular tourist island of Hainan. Trains, boats and flights have been suspended for a second day, while schools remain shut in parts of the region. Super typhoon Yagi is currently packing winds of up to 240-kilometres per hour. Meteorologists say Yagi may cause catastrophic damage in Hainan and neighbouring Guangdong. Chinese authorities believe Yagi will be the strongest typhoon to hit its southern coast in a decade.

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana will take on Uganda at Orlando Stadium tonight in the opening round of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Four days later, South Africa will play a second qualifier away against South Sudan in Juba. Since coach Hugo Broos took over almost three-and-a-half years ago, Bafana only lost six times in 34 matches. Broos has now challenged his team to consistently display that standard:

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-73-cents and the euro at 19-rand-69-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 55-thousand-851-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-512-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-21-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….