South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 24 November 2017
Submarine crew's fate in the balance, Nigerian farm workers killed, and Elon Musk finishes battery.
TGIF, 24 November 2017
“I used to be a Christian, but I decided to follow the teachings of Jesus instead.”
Joni Rodgers
STORY OF THE DAY
By PAULI VAN WYK for SCORPIO
Jonas Makwakwa received a bonus of R930,000 in the 2016/2017 financial year, SARS’ annual financial statements have revealed. He worked for six months only before getting suspended on allegations of corruption and money laundering. Not only did tax boss Tom Moyane sign off on Makwakwa’s bonus, he also did so unilaterally in an act pitting SARS against the Auditor-General. The Auditor-General did not take kindly to this move, labelling it unlawful and indicative of a “serious internal control deficiency” at SARS. Stuffing ATMs with cash… Nice job if you can get it.
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
Scant hope for submarine rescue
A recording of an “abnormal, singular, short, violent, non-nuclear event” was released by the Argentine Navy, removing much hope that its ill-fated missing submarine might yet survive. A US report in the same area reiterated the explosion’s noise, leading many to believe that the ARA San Juan’s 44 crew might be lost.
Seven farmers killed in Nigeria
Suspected jihadists shot dead seven farm workers in north-east Nigeria. Based at a farm in Adamawa state, the farm workers’ deaths followed at least 50 others killed at a mosque earlier this week. The gunmen, believed to be Boko Haram, were masked and disguised as security personnel.
Musk beats deadline for massive battery
Elon Musk has completely a giant battery within a 100-day deadline, earning himself $50-million in the process. Musk had promised to build a massive lithium-ion battery in the South Australian outback for free if he could not complete the project within 100 days, Now completed, Musk’s “prize” largely covers the cost of developing the battery in the first place.
England off to a horrid start at Ashes
England lost six wickets to wind up with a total of 302 in their first innings. Starting out promisingly enough, England suffered a six-wicket collapse at 246 runs, winding up with their 302. Tough as that may be, there remains a hefty amount of cricket left to play yet.
IN NUMBERS
61%
The increase in shoppers on Black Friday since 2006.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today is Black Friday, an American-imported disgorging of rampant consumerism. In the words of Wordsworth: Getting and spending, you lay waste your powers.
Today is also Buy Nothing Day. This is a direct international protest against said consumerist tendencies.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Cape WaterGate: Western Cape drought won’t dry up tourism, says advisory firm
BY MARELISE VAN DER MERWE
Shame ANN7 into improving the standard of their coverage instead of shutting them down
A column by ANTON HARBER
Weather
BFN: min: 10° max 29°, cloudy
CPT: min: 14° max: 20°, cloudy
DBN: min: 17° max: 22°, rainy
EL: min: 13° max: 21°, rainy
JHB: min: 13° max: 26°, rainy
KIM: min: 11° max: 31°, cloudy
NLP: min: 17° max: 30°, cloudy
MHK: min: 14° max: 28°, rainy
PMB: min: 13° max: 23°, rainy
PE: min: 11° max: 21°, cloudy
PTA: min: 15° max: 28°, sunny
Financial Data
Oil=$63.55
Gold=$1,291.37
Platinum=$935.40
R/$=13.88
R/€=16.45
R/£=18.47
$/€=0.83
JSE All Share=60,298.16
DJIA=23,526.18
FTSE 100=7,417.24