News 17:00
BULLETIN 13 October 5 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Ex-Home Affairs officials are arrested in a passport scam of 100-thousand-rand
# Sun International tightens safeguards against underage and problem gambling
# And motorsport: Rwanda is set to host the Formula One African Grand Prix starting in the early 2030’s
# Two former Home Affairs officials have been arrested for allegedly selling South African passports to foreign nationals for up to 100-thousand-rand each. The arrests follow a joint Hawks and Counter Corruption Unit investigation into a syndicate uncovered in 2022. The officials allegedly exploited a “photo swapping” loophole in South Africa, using citizens’ identity details with foreign nationals’ photographs. Department spokesperson Carli van Wyk says the case was a “powerful example” of why Home Affairs is pursuing an extensive digital transformation programme.
# Sun International has launched a responsible gambling charter, calling for stronger regulation to protect players. The charter limits gambling adverts, provides player protection tools and introduces artificial intelligence next year to identify at-risk gamblers. The company’s Ulrik Bengtsson says online gambling accounts for customers who declare that they receive South African Social Security Agency grants or National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding will not be activated:
# The DA says the Gauteng Department of Education spent 96-million-rand on travel, accommodation and conference facilities over three financial years, while schools face financial pressure. The party says nearly 48-million-rand went towards conference facilities and 22-million-rand towards transport. The DA’s Michael Waters says there are inconsistencies in the department’s replies. Waters demanded a full breakdown of the spending, including how it benefits teaching and learning:
# Authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport until Saturday. Airlines scrapped flights after continuing attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-aligned Houthis emptied the skies over Saudi Arabia’s capital. The Saudi civil aviation authority says operations were suspended to allow for procedures to ensure the safety and operational readiness of the airport’s facilities. The airport has been shut since an attack on Saturday that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. On Sunday, another attack killed one person and injured nearly a dozen others.
# Motorsport: South Africa was pipped to the post by Rwanda as Formula One announced the country will in the early 2030s host the first Grand Prix in Africa since the 1993 South African race at Kyalami in Johannesburg. F1 announced a brand-new FIA Grade 1 circuit will be constructed in Bugesera, near the new international airport. Designed by Tilke and WurzDesign, the track leverages Rwanda’s hilly landscape, fulfilling a long-held ambition for F1 leadership and drivers to establish a true global footprint across every inhabited continent.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-51-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-224-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-178-dollars-84-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-86-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….