News 16:00

BULLETIN 8 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Umalusi is ready for the National Senior Certificate
# The accommodation platform LekkeSlaap is sold to a new investor group
# And cricket: Harmer says there is unity and a fighting spirit within the Proteas Test team

# The council for quality assurance, Umalusi, says South Africa is broadly ready for next week’s start of the matric examinations. CEO Mafu Rakometsi says 964-thousand-201 candidates are registered, with the National Senior Certificate accounting for 92-percent. The exams will be written at seven-thousand-and-57 centres. Rakometsi says secure systems are in place for duplicating, storing and distributing question papers, with 283 subject papers approved across three qualifications and four assessment bodies:

# AfriForum has vowed to continue monitoring the case of the murder of South African Air Force sergeant Michael Swanton. The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court postponed the case against Thabang Eugene Sohole and Michael Makampe to 2 November for allocation to the Regional Court. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk says Swanton was shot dead in Pretoria North in January after he and his wife were allegedly stopped by the occupants of a vehicle fitted with blue lights:

# Online accommodation platform LekkeSlaap has been sold to a consortium that includes Investec and the family offices of FirstRand co-founders GT Ferreira and Laurie Dippenaar. News24 reports the deal is for an undisclosed amount, with co-founders Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste exiting, while CEO Frans Joubert and the existing management team will remain. The new owners say they plan to expand LekkeSlaap across southern Africa and invest further in technology. LekkeSlaap has 40-thousand properties and has served more than nine-million guests.

Moving abroad:

# British authorities have released a 22-year-old man on bail after arresting him on suspicion of terrorist acts linked to a plot targeting RAF Fairford. He was arrested in London on Tuesday. Six other men arrested in connection with the case previously have also been released on bail. US officials say the investigation involves a possible Iranian drone attack on the airbase, which has been used by American bombers. Iran has denied any involvement. Police say the investigation remains active and several lines of inquiry are pursued.

# Cricket: Proteas spinner Simon Harmer says the strong unity within the team will bode well for them in the three-match Test series against Australia. The 37-year-old, who has not featured for South Africa since last November, could join Keshav Mahara as the other spinner when the first Test starts in Durban tomorrow. Traditionally, coastal pitches offer more assistance for spinners. Harmer describes the team as a close-knit group of players willing to fight together:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-66-cents and the euro at 18-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-388-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-122-dollars-23-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….