Breakfast Edition: 25 September 2015

HUNDREDS DIE IN STAMPEDE: A South African has told of how for every Hajj pilgrim he tried to help in Thursday's stampede at Mina, a dozen others collapsed and perished in front him. "People were stumbling, falling, trying to get up. They were dehydrated, getting disorientated, they were dying in front of our eyes," said Pietermaritzburg businessman Zaid Bayat, 43, by telephone from Mina.

"They were suffocating. We tried to help revive them, but for every person you were helping there were 13, 14 others just falling down. It was very traumatic." The death toll in yesterday's Hajj stampede has been set at 717, with more than 860 people and still no South African casualties confirmed. The South African presidency has extended its condolences with those who had lost loved ones. It is the biggest tragedy in the Islam Holy city in 25 years. Spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa.

CONDOLENCES AFTER HAJJ STAMPEDE: The president of the South African Hajj council, Shaheen Essop says they are in constant contact with the South African embassy in Rijhaad in Saudi Arabia, to assist South Africans. 

SANDF MEMBERS TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM DRC: The South African National Defence Force has confirmed that 50 of its soldiers will be withdrawn from the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo to face court martial. Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga, says they have received permission from the UN to affect the withdrawal and that these members are not to return to the base in the DR Congo. He explains their offences.

POPE IN THE US: In the US, Pope Francis will address the United Nations General Assembly in New York later today. Yesterday, the head of the Roman Catholic Church received rousing applause in the US Congress in Washington, when he stated his position on the equality of all human life.

KID GETS REALLY EXCITED AFTER SELFIE WITH POPE FRANCIS:

SA HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATIONS DRAW TO A CLOSE: The National Heritage Day celebrations took place in Mokomene, Limpopo. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa gave an address on embracing and practicing different cultures in order to form unity. The deputy president said that indigenous foods could resolve the issue of hunger. 

MASSIVE CELLPHONE BILL: There are a lot of stories out there about ridiculously expensive phone bills, but one couple in Oregon in the US have been dinged with charges that would set them back more than two million dollars. BUT the cell phone company has apologized to the couple saying the balance was the result of a 'programming error'.

SPRINGBOKS AT THE RUGBY WORLD CUP: Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will be keeping a close eye on some of the "veteran" players in the squad when they take on Somoa in their second Group match of the Rugby World Cup tomorrow. Meyer made eight changes to the team that suffered an embarrassing defeat against Japan last week. He admits that all the members of the team are feeling the heat. 

FINANCIAL INDICATORS:

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