News 17:00

BULLETIN 25 November 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom earns a major credit upgrade as its turnaround plan sparks real recovery
# The South African Weather Service confirms a tornado in Heilbron, Free State
# And Rugby: The Irish duo Baird and Osborne face lengthy injury spells on the sidelines

# Eskom says its turnaround plan is paying off after S&P Global Ratings upgraded the power utility’s credit rating from B to B-plus, with a stable outlook. The power utility delivered electricity nearly 98-percent of the time this year and recorded its first profit in eight years. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the utility has moved from crisis to stability and will keep improving operations, fighting corruption, and securing long-term energy supply:

# SAPS chief financial officer Puleng Dimpane told Parliament’s ad hoc committee she only discussed the Political Killings Task Team budget with national Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, not minister Senzo Mchunu. Testifying from Kgoši Mampuru Prison, Dimpane said travel and subsistence are the biggest PKTT costs. She confirmed all budget allocations and presentations were handled through Masemola, with no direct ministerial involvement in funding decisions for the task team:

The South African Weather Service says a small tornado touched down on a farm near Heilbron in the Free State on 24 November. It formed after strong thunderstorms in the area grew into a supercell. The tornado was rated an EF0, which is the weakest level, with winds of up to about 137 kilometres an hour. No major damage or injuries were reported. Forcaster Lehlohonolo Thobela is urging people to stay safe and be careful during severe storms:

# The 747-billion-rand plan for a third runway at Heathrow in London has been chosen to expand the airport, meaning the rejection of a competing plan for a shorter runway, proposed by hotel tycoon Surinder Arora. Heathrow says the project will be 100-percent privately financed through higher airline costs and without any taxpayer money. The plan will require re-routing Britain’s busiest motorway, the M25, and the demolition of two villages. Government hopes a planning decision will be made by 2029, with the third runway being built by 2035.

# Rugby: Ireland duo Ryan Baird and Jamie Osborne have been ruled out for up to three and four months respectively, and will miss the start of the 2026 Six Nations. Forward Baird has been ruled out for up to three months with a leg injury he sustained during Saturday’s 24-13 loss to South Africa in Dublin. Centre Osborne will be sidelined for up to four months with a shoulder injury. Ireland begins the Six Nations against holders France on February 5.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-64-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-583-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-141-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….