News 18:00

BULLETIN 8 November 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The City of Johannesburg is working with minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to resolve the power challenges
# An Eastern Cape woman is charged with the murder of her son for insurance money
# And rugby: Eben Etzebeth will captain the Boks against Scotland on Sunday

# The City of Johannesburg is collaborating with Electricity and Energy minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, to address the city’s ongoing power challenges. Mayor Dada Morero and Ramokgopa held discussions during the mayoral lekgotla, focusing on resolving Eskom and City Power issues for uninterrupted service. The meeting follows after Eskom served a notice of intention to interrupt power supply to the municipality over 4.9-billion-rand debt. A formal meeting is scheduled for Monday to develop solutions for uninterrupted power supply and address community anxiety over power issues. 

Meanwhile, increasing Eskom debt topped discussions at the South African Local Government Association Western Cape Provincial Assembly in Mossel Bay. Four municipalities in the province owe the power utility a combined debt of almost 300-million-rand. Salga’s provincial national executive committee representative, Thami Ngubane, told the SABC that some of the customers don’t pay municipalities, which then constrains the municipalities from paying Eskom:

# A 49-year-old woman has appeared in the New Brighton Magistrate Court in Gqeberha facing charges of murder and conspiracy in the death of her 22-year-old son. Shayhieda Dollie allegedly orchestrated a plot against her son, Moegamat Thaafir Dollie, involving hired hitmen to claim a two-million-rand insurance payout. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Luxolo Tyali says the court denied bail and the case was postponed to next Friday.

# The Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation calls on president Cyril Ramaphosa to end unsafe transport practices for farmworkers. This follows after two workers died and several others were injured when a bakkie transporting 22 workers overturned near Wellington in the Western Cape on Wednesday. The organisation’s Billy Claasen claims authorities have ignored repeated calls for safer transport regulations: 

# Rugby: Loose forward Kwagga Smith will earn his 50th Test cap when the Springboks line up against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday. Locks Franco Mostert and RG Snyman return after long spells on the sidelines due to injury. Coach Rassie Erasmus named Eben Etzebeth as captain with Siya Kolisi starting on the bench. The bench has seven forwards and one back. The team shows 11 changes to the starting team that defeated Argentina in their closing Rugby Championship clash in September. Jaden Hendrikse starts at scrumhalf with Handré Pollard at flyhalf.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-50-cents and the euro at 18-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-64-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-225-dollars-40-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-698-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….