News 17:00

BULLETIN 12 December 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The SACP reiterates its plans to contest the 2026 local government elections independently
# Biden issues 39 pardons and commutes over one-thousand-500 sentences in his final days in the Oval Office
# And rugby: Duhan van der Merwe decides to stay with Edinburgh

# The SACP’s Solly Mapaila has termed the recent electoral losses a wake-up call for the party advocating for the working class. Speaking at the SACP’s fifth special national conference in Boksburg, Mapaila criticised the ANC’s collaboration with the DA, questioning its alignment with alliance principles. He reiterates that the SACP will contest the 2026 local government elections independently, emphasising the party’s autonomy within the alliance:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for stronger trade and investment ties between South Africa and Angola. Speaking during the state visit of Angolan president João Lourenço, Ramaphosa said both countries must explore new economic opportunities beyond the oil sector, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, and renewable energy:

# Outgoing US president Joe Biden has issued scores of presidential pardons and commuted almost one-thousand-500 sentences while his time in the Oval Office is drawing to an end. He pardoned 39 Americans convicted of non-violent crimes in a decision described as the most acts of presidential clemency issued on a single day. This follows Biden’s controversial decision earlier this month to pardon his son, Hunter, who had been found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun, and tax violations. 

# Rugby: South African winger Duhan van der Merwe, who plays for Scotland and the British and Irish Lions, has extended his contract with Edinburgh until at least 2027’s World Cup. This follows speculation he may return to South Africa, or move to France. Van der Merwe says the Scottish capital is home to him and his connection to the club and its supporters were a massive driver in his decision. He is already Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer with 30 five-pointers.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-68-cents and the euro at 18-rand-53-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-50-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-273-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-705-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-19-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A study by the Commission for Gender Equality has revealed severe sexual harassment issues at Nelson Mandela, North-West, and Sol Plaatje universities. At Nelson Mandela, student leaders allegedly demanded sexual favours for accommodation, with LGBTQIA+ students facing discrimination from security personnel. North-West participants reported cases of rape, sex work, and harassment fueled by power dynamics and substance abuse. Sol Plaatje lacked clear policies and coordination for handling such cases. Universities are pledging to address these concerns and improve safety measures.

Stay tuned for more news………….