Transcript

Good morning and welcome to Just a Moment News. I’m Erika, and today is August 31, 2023. Let’s jump right into the headlines.

In Johannesburg, a tragic fire broke out at a five-storey building in the early hours of Thursday morning. The fire claimed the lives of at least 20 people, with 43 others sustaining injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families during this difficult time. [Source]

Parts of Johannesburg experienced an earth tremor on Wednesday night. The tremor, measuring 3.2 in magnitude, was felt in the western areas of the city. Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries. South Africa has seen a series of tremors in recent months, with the most severe one occurring in June. [Source]

Ten petrol attendants at a BP Wavecrest garage in Strandfontein have been fired for allegedly exploiting customers’ loyalty points. The attendants were accused of misusing Pick n Pay Smart Shopper cards to accumulate personal points, with one attendant reportedly gaining R50,000 in points. Pick n Pay has yet to comment on the situation. [Source]

Visa and Mastercard are preparing to raise credit-card fees for many merchants, particularly for online purchases, starting in October and April. This increase could cost merchants an additional $502 million annually. With merchants already grappling with inflation and high interest rates, these fee hikes will be an added burden. Congress is currently considering legislation that could potentially offer merchants alternative processing networks to help lower these fees. [Source]

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have failed to reach a broadcasting agreement for the upcoming Australian limited overs tour. As a result, millions of South Africans without pay TV will be unable to watch the series. Both organizations have expressed their commitment to making cricket accessible to all South Africans and are in ongoing talks. The first match of the T20 series is scheduled to take place on Wednesday. [Source]

In sports news, Westville swimmer Marc Allan has broken a world record at the recent World Aquatics Master Championships in Japan. Allan, who participated among 9,000 swimmers from 100 countries, secured two gold and two silver medals, including breaking the 50m Butterfly record in the 45-49 age group. Congratulations to Marc Allan on this incredible achievement, and we wish him continued success in his swimming career. [Source]

That’s all for today’s headlines. Thank you for joining us on Just a Moment News. I’m Erika, and I’ll see you next time.

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