News 17:00

BULLETIN 30 October 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana announces progress on Eskom’s debt relief for municipalities
# The EFF claims austerity measures are being used to curb government debt
# And Tiger Foods offers to cover urgent medical bills for qualifying victims of the listeriosis outbreak

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has announced progress on the Eskom debt relief plan, with 70 municipalities now approved for relief. Compliance with programme conditions has improved from 55- to 76-percent since March, with support from the National Treasury and provincial finance teams. Delivering his medium-term budget policy statement, Godongwana called on government departments to pay their dues to help municipalities continue services and meet payments to Eskom and Water Boards: 

EFF leader Julius Malema meanwhile says government is using austerity measures to curb its debt, warning that they worsen poverty and unemployment. Speaking outside Parliament, Malema slammed Godongwana mini budget, saying it lacks a clear plan to improve South Africans’ lives. Malema also accuses government of prioritising privatisation, with no solid strategies for tackling unemployment, or crime, which deters investment:

# Tiger Brands has offered to cover urgent medical bills for qualifying victims of South Africa’s 2017 listeriosis outbreak. This comes amid ongoing litigation over damages, estimated at 1.5- to 2.5 -billion-rand. Despite pending liability outcomes, Tiger Brands is engaging with over one-thousand victims’ attorneys and seeking an expedited class action resolution. Further trial preparations are underway.

# Donald Trump and Kamala Harris launched a frantic tour of swing states today in the final week of the campaign for the US presidency. Harris will travel to North Carolina and then to Pennsylvania, focusing again on two of seven battleground states that could determine who wins. North Carolina has not voted for a Democratic president since Barack Obama in 2008. Trump will be in that same state today. His second rally is planned in yet another swing state, Wisconsin in the Midwest.

# Cricket: Black Caps batter Kane Williamson will miss the dead-rubber third Test against India in Mumbai as the team looks ahead to the upcoming three-Test series against England in New Zealand. Williams’ groin injury saw him miss the first two Tests that New Zealand won against India. The team’s first Test against England starts in Christchurch on 28 November and coach Gary Stead wants to ensure the top order batsman will be fully fit for the home series. The third Test against India starts on Friday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-69-cents and the euro at 19-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-94-cents and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-816-dollars-44-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-781-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-55-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….