News 16:00

BULLETIN 9 September 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC is accused of using apartheid-era tactics against vulnerable communities
# The DA urges minister Mmamoloko Kubayi for greater whistleblower protection
# And netball: The Baby Proteas are ready for the Under-21 Youth World Cup in Gibraltar

# The South African National Christian Forum has accused the ANC government of failing the poor and protecting the wealthy. The forum says Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s recent remarks about removing illegal settlements amount to hate speech against the poor and foreign nationals. It also condemned plans to blacklist indebted students, citing it blocks opportunities for the poor. The forum’s president, Marothi Mashashane, argues that corruption, mismanagement, and neglect of basic services have deepened poverty and inequality.

# The DA says it will urge minister of Justice Mmamoloko Kubayi for greater whistleblower protection through legislative reforms. The DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach refers to the assassination of Johannesburg insolvency attorney Bouwer van Niekerk. She says during his state of the nation address in February, president Cyril Ramaphosa stated that government would finalise the whistleblower protection framework and introduce the Whistleblower Protections Bill in Parliament during this financial year. She says no such bill has been introduced as of yet:

# Energy regulator Nersa has confirmed a four-percent increase in Sasol Gas’s maximum price for the 2025/2026 financial year. The adjustment, effective from next month to December, raises the maximum price from 87-rand-four-cents to 90-rand-57-cents per gigajoule, mainly because of higher costs of gas from Mozambique, oil prices, exchange rates, and the US price index. Nersa’s Charles Hlebela says this does not mean customers will pay the full increase, as Sasol Gas should charge below the maximum.

Moving abroad:

# French police launched an investigation after pigs’ heads were found outside several mosques in the Paris region. InteriormMinister Bruno Retailleau condemned the acts, calling them outrageous and absolutely unacceptable. He says they want their Muslim compatriots to be able to practice their faith in peace. France is home to the largest Muslim community in the European Union, as well as the largest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States.

# Netball: Baby Proteas head coach Precious Mthembu says her 15-player squad is prepared for the upcoming Under-21 Youth World Cup in Gibraltar from the 19th to the 25th of this month. South Africa will face Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Malawi, and Fiji in Pool D, kicking off against Barbados on the 20th. The team leaving today will play a few games in London beforehand. Mthembu expressed confidence of a podium finish:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-49-cents and the euro at 20-rand-53-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 112-thousand-754-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-649-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….