News 17:00

BULLETIN 28 November 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Basic Education minister and Solidarity reach a settlement on the BELA Act
# The Border Management Authority monitors the protests in Mozambique
# And cricket: Marco Jansen takes seven wickets to dismantle Sri Lanka for just 42

# Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube and Solidarity have signed a bilateral settlement agreement addressing concerns over Sections 4 and 5 of the BELA Act. Gwarube emphasised dialogue’s role in conflict resolution. Recommendations to president Cyril Ramaphosa include implementing key sections only after national policies and norms are established, ensuring clarity and consultation on school admissions and language policies. She says the agreement aligns with constitutional imperatives to protect learners’ rights and balance educational governance powers.

# The DA has criticised the proposed 100-billion-rand Transformation Fund, announced by Trade, Industry and Competition minister, Parks Tau. Administered by the National Empowerment Fund and aligned with Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment regulations, the DA argues the fund risks missing its goal of closing the inequality gap and stimulating high-growth enterprises. The party’s Toby Chance says they want resource allocation based on merit and viability rather than race-based criteria:

# The Border Management Authority is closely monitoring renewed demonstrations in Mozambique. This comes after opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane urged supporters to protest for three days over last month’s disputed presidential election. Protests disrupted roads and public transport in the capital of Maputo. Deputy commissioner Mmemme Magotsi confirmed heightened vigilance near the border as tensions rise in the region:

# Nigerian president Bola Tinubu began a two-day visit to France today, with both sides seeking increased economic cooperation. Paris is looking to boost ties in English-speaking Africa following a series of setbacks with former allies. French president Emmanuel Macron greeted his counterpart at the historic Invalides memorial complex for the first official state visit by a Nigerian leader in over two decades. The two national anthems rang out, kicking off a visit focused on encouraging economic partnerships between France and Africa’s most populous country.

# Cricket: South Africa’s quick bowlers dismantled Sri Lanka for just 42 runs on the second afternoon at Kingsmead in Durban. Marco Jansen was the big destroyer, taking seven wickets for just 13 runs in seven overs. He was ably assisted by Gerald Coetzee, who took two wickets, while Kagiso Rabada claimed the other one. This gives South Africa a healthy first-innings lead of 149 runs after captain Temba Bavuma salvaged the hosts with a defiant stand of 70 runs to take them to 191. Late afternoon the Proteas were on 55 for one in their second innings.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-15-cents and the euro at 19-rand-14-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-193-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-644-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-65-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….