News 16:00

BULLETIN 1 November 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fuel prices are expected to rise across all grades next week
# The DA accuses the ANC-ActionSA-EFF coalition of silencing the opposition in Tshwane
# And motorsport: Leading MotoGP riders want the season finale moved from flood-ravaged Valencia

# The Automobile Association warns motorists to prepare for higher fuel prices next week. Current data from the Central Energy Fund indicates increases across all fuel grades, with 93-octane petrol rising by 14-cents a litre and 95-octane petrol by 25-cents per litre. Diesel is expected to increase by about 22-cents per litre, while illuminating paraffin will rise by 21-cents a litre. AA spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela, advises consumers to budget accordingly and monitor their fuel usage:

# The DA in Tshwane claims the ANC-ActionSA-EFF coalition used force to silence opposition councillors. DA caucus leader Cilliers Brink called it an assault on democracy. Brink alleges the coalition is unable to win debates and has resorted to intimidation. Deputy mayor Eugene Modise reportedly demanded the removal of DA councillors. He says the DA will continue to fight for Tshwane residents:

# Sadtu says the early retirement initiative to reduce the size of the public service workforce and to introduce younger talent to the public service, as announced by Finance minister Enoch Godongwana, needs consultation with labour in terms of the law. Sadtu’s spokesperson, Nomusa Cembi, says government has had such initiatives before. It was introduced in 2012, but failed to attract the expected numbers. Cembi says introducing young talent to the public service is always welcomed but it should not compromise the institutional memory of government.

# A bombing near a girls’ school in western Pakistan killed seven people, including five children, in an attack targeting police guarding polio vaccinators. The police van that came under attack was transporting personnel for the protection of polio staff. Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan are the only countries where polio remains endemic and vaccination teams are frequently targeted by militants waging a campaign against security forces.

# Motorsport: Leading MotoGP riders want this month’s season finale moved from Valencia in Spain following this week’s deadly floods. The region received a year’s worth of rain within just eight hours, leaving almost a 100 people dead and causing widespread destruction. The race is scheduled for the weekend of 16 and 17 November. Local driver Jorge Martin, who is leading the drivers’ championship, and Italian Francesco Bagnaia, who is in second place, both urged the sport’s decisionmakers to urgently announce another venue.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-14-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-921-dollars-40-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-754-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-24-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….