News 16:00
BULLETIN 13 Desember 4 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Municipalities impacted by VBS are to receive a second liquidation dividend
# Nelson Mandela Bay’s deputy mayor Gary van Niekerk is suspended after his court appearance
# And cricket: A series victory beckons for the Proteas in Centurion tonight
# Liquidator Anoosh Rooplal has confirmed that municipalities affected by the VBS Mutual Bank collapse will receive a dividend payout. They are due to get 291-million-rand from a second liquidation dividend of 458-million-rand. The dividends will be paid to a total of 15 municipalities from North West, Gauteng and Limpopo, which lost nearly 1.5-billion-rand from the collapse. MoneyWeb reports that the payout represents 20-percent of concurrent creditors’ claims. Rooplal further noted that efforts to recover assets continue with potential for further dividends.
# Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe has confirmed the suspension of deputy mayor Gary van Niekerk following his appearance in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on cybercrime and financial misconduct charges. Lobishe announced the council’s decision after extensive deliberations. She says Van Niekerk will remain an ordinary councillor as the matter has been referred to Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zolile Williams, for further action:
# Gauteng’s Traffic Department has called on road users to prioritise safety as increased traffic is expected over the long weekend and festive season. Key routes like the N1, N4, and N3 anticipate heavy congestion. Spokesperson Sello Maremane advises caution and adherence to road safety rules. Maremane says law enforcement will conduct roadside checks and anti-drunk driving operations:
# Cricket: A series victory beckons for the Proteas in tonight’s second T20 against Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion. South Africa won Tuesday’s thrilling first encounter in Durban by a mere 11 runs. The third and final match will take the teams to the Bullring at the Wanderers in Johannesburg tomorrow, where huge scores are the order of the day. Thereafter, the two countries will face off in one-day matches in Paarl, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and Tests in Centurion and at Newlands.
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-92-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 100-thousand-354-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-669-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-77-cents a barrel.
# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially recognised Princess Masalanabo Modjadji as the Queen of the Balobedu Queenship in Limpopo. Following her ascension to the throne at 18-years-old, Queen Modjadji The Seventh now leads the only legally recognised queenship in South Africa. The Presidency says her recognition, under the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, marks a significant moment for the Balobedu nation:
Stay tuned for more news………….