News 16:00

BULLETIN 7 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Ramokgopa highlights wind and solar power for economic growth
# Pacific nations urge stronger action to keep warming below 1.5-degrees
# And rugby: The Stormers’ squad is packed with Boks for the URC match against the Sharks

# Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says South Africa must harness its wind and solar resources to strengthen energy security and drive economic transformation. He was speaking at Windaba 2026 in Cape Town, themed “Implementing Watt Matters: Policy, Power, People.” Ramokgopa says renewable energy can support economic growth, job creation and industrialisation. He stresses electricity must play a central role in positioning South Africa as an industrial powerhouse:

# Security analyst Andy Mashaile says the discovery of a suspected multimillion-rand Mandrax laboratory near Hartbeespoort Dam in North West raises concerns that international drug manufacturers may be finding South Africa a conducive base. Police arrested four suspects following yesterday’s raid. Mashaile says gaps in the criminal justice system are creating a vacuum that allows drug manufacturers to operate at ease. He calls for the arrest of the masterminds, tighter laws and tough consequences in the fight against drugs.

# Agri SA’s CEO, Johan Kotzé, says South African farmers are facing growing financial pressure due to foot-and-mouth disease, high input costs, tight profit margins and the risk of El Niño conditions. Speaking to FarmersWeekly, he called for stronger development finance for farmers who cannot access conventional funding. Kotzé also wants a coordinated response from government and the agricultural sector to help keep farms viable:

# Pacific nations are urging the world to step up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming below 1.5-degrees Celsius. Climate ministers meeting in Fiji say the region is already facing rising seas, extreme weather and threats to communities. They want stronger commitments ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Turkey next month, including better protection for oceans. The United Nations says the world is expected to exceed the 1.5-degree target in the coming years, increasing the risk of irreversible environmental damage and rising sea levels.

# Rugby: The Stormers will face the Sharks with eleven Springboks in their squad in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship match in Cape Town. Stormers director of rugby John Dobson packed his team with his returning Boks after they lost to Edinburgh in Scotland in the second round. Eight internationals are in the starting team and another three on the bench, while rising lock star Riley Norton and recent Lions recruit Haashim Pead are also in the squad. Boks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach are the half-backs.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-70-cents and the euro at 18-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-4-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-521-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-114-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….