News 16:00

BULLETIN 2 February 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the National Council of Provinces must use its legislative authority to reject the flawed BELA Bill
# Organisations say the Nuclear Regulator’s process for Koeberg’s lifetime extension is flawed
# And the University of Pretoria is ranked in the global top eight-percent of universities in education

# The DA is urging the National Council of Provinces to use its legislative authority to reject the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill and have it reconsidered by the National Assembly. Public submissions for the BELA Bill closed yesterday, and it is now before the council for concurrence. The DA’s Baxolile Nodada says while the ANC is hellbent on ramming the bill through, the party will be ready for court action:

# The Koeberg Alert Alliance and Green Connection will present their cases from tomorrow on why the National Nuclear Regulator’s public participation process on the lifetime operation extension of the Koeberg nuclear power station in Cape Town is flawed. The regulator approved the request to separate the operating timelines of Koeberg’s unit one and unit two. The alliance’s spokesperson, Lydia Petersen, says they will do their presentation on the 14 safety issues which the International Atomic Energy Agency found at Koeberg and which had not been addressed.

# The South African Council of Churches is calling on all South Africans to register to vote during the Independent Electoral Commission’s second and final registration weekend. The registration weekend will take place at various voting stations across the country this weekend. The council’s Malusi Mpumlwana emphasises it is the democratic right of every South African to participate in the voting process. Mpumlwana says by registering to vote, citizens can exercise their voice and contribute to shaping the country’s future:

# Motorsport: Formula 1 has announced a five-year extension with the Japanese Grand Prix that will see the iconic Suzuka Circuit remain on the calendar until at least 2029. The first F1 race at Suzuka was in 1987. This year’s Japanese Grand Prix is moving to a new slot in April, between races in Australia and China, to reduce the distance that freight travels around the globe. The move is part of F1’s drive to be more sustainable, with the aim of becoming net zero carbon by 2030.

# And finally: The University of Pretoria has achieved a ranking in the top eight-percent of universities worldwide for providing international students with high-quality and affordable education. The ranking was determined by Study Abroad Aide, which assessed over eight-thousand private and public higher education institutions across 69 countries. Vice-Principal for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education, Sunil Mahaaraj, says the university is committed to creating a globally inclusive academic environment, where students can access top-notch education without compromising on quality.

Stay tuned for more news………….