News 9:00

BULLETIN 30 November 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The COGTA chair says real-life struggles are driving voter decline
# The Justice minister receives the report clearing the KZN Director of Public Prosecution of wrongdoing
# And rugby, the Blitzboks crash out of the Dubai Sevens

# Parliament Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs chairperson, Zweli Mkhize, says South Africa’s declining voter turnout is rooted in the lived experiences of citizens. Addressing a joint sitting of COGTA and Home Affairs committees, Mkize said frustrations over poor service delivery, unemployment, corruption and the rising cost of living influence whether people vote. This follows an IEC warning of dropping participation ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

# The Justice Ministry says KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions, Elaine Harrison, has been cleared of allegations that she was captured by a private businessman. Spokesperson Terrence Manase, says Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi received the Office for Ethics and Accountability report, which found no evidence of misconduct. Security records, cellphone data and staff statements confirmed no improper contact occurred:

# The MK Party is calling for urgent security measures for Parliament Ad Hoc Committee members after Vusi Shongwe was hijacked and kidnapped in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg this week. Attackers allegedly stole phones, issued threats, and forced him to withdraw money before releasing him unharmed. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela emphasised immediate protection and swift investigations:

# Ukrainian naval drones hit two oil tankers from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet as they travelled through the Black Sea. The fleet is made up of hundreds of of aged tankers, many with obscure ownership or insurance.  They are used by Russia to bypass Western sanctions imposed after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The targeted tankers are both flagged to Gambia and were hit off the Turkish coast over the weekend. The attacks appear to be an escalation by Kyiv as it tries to hit Russia’s critical oil revenues used for funding its war in Ukraine.

# Rugby: The Springbok Sevens suffered a heartbreaking loss to Argentina, ending their hopes of having a shot at the Dubai Sevens title. In their first game of the day the Blitzboks beat Olympic Champions France 15-12, only to lose to Fiji and then Argentina in their next games. Although they finished on the same points as Argentina, France’s massive 59-17 win over Argentina and their 24-19 win over Fiji meant they and the South Sea Island team qualified. South Africa will play Great Britain in their fifth-place semifinal just before 10 this morning.

# And in motorsport: Oscar Piastri boosted his bid for a maiden drivers’ world championship on Saturday when he reduced McLaren teammate Lando Norris’s lead to 22 points by winning the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Australian had a fine start from pole position, and delivered a drive reminiscent of his early-season domination. He finished almost 5 seconds clear of Mercedes’ George Russell with Norris 1.3 seconds adrift in third. Four-time champion Max Verstappen came home fourth for Red Bull ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda and teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.

Stay tuned for more news………….