News 13:00

BULLETIN 6 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Professor Dire Tladi is sworn in as South Africa’s first judge on the I-C-J 
# The Tshwane deputy mayor returns the travel allowance paid to her by the City
# And Cricket: A second century for Kane Williamson as the Black Caps dominate the Proteas 

# Professor Dire Tladi is set to be sworn in as South Africa’s first permanent judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague today. The former professor of international law at the University of Pretoria was elected by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council. Tladi will serve a term of nine years as a member of the ICJ. His first sitting as a judge will be on the 19th of this month, in the request for an advisory opinion on the situation in Palestine.

# ActionSA in Gauteng says the City of Tshwane’s deputy mayor, Nasiphi Moya on Friday voluntarily returned the ten-thousand-rand travel allowance, along with accrued interest, that had been paid by the city to her account for a trip subsequently cancelled. Moya had offered to pay interest on this amount, but the city could not accept it, after which she accordingly donated the interest to charity. ActionSA provincial chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni says a donation of six-thousand-rand has been made to King’s Hope, a women’s shelter in Olievenhoutbosch:

# The Department of Correctional Services has relocated several inmates from Brandvlei Prison outside Worcester in the Western Cape to nearby prisons when a veld fire moved into the direction of the centre yesterday. Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed the fire has been contained, no injuries were reported among the inmates and all inmates have been accounted for. Firefighting teams are actively managing the fire line in Matroosberg and another blaze in Baviaanshoek. 

# Cricket: New Zealand are in complete control of the opening Test against South Africa in Mount Maunganui after day three. The Black Caps posted a first innings total of 511 before dismissing the Proteas today for 162, with Keegan Petersen scoring 45. At stumps on day three the home-side had 179 for four in their second innings, after a second century in the match for Kane Williamson, for a mighty lead of 528 runs. Petersen says they will continue to fight:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-94-cents and the euro at 20-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-977-dollars-28-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-24-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Fresh food and coffee chain, Pret A Manger, is coming to South Africa after signing a landmark agreement with private equity firm Millat Group. Founded in London in 1986, Pret A Manger now operates nearly 700 outlets in the world. Millat Group CEO, Hamza Farooqui, says the first Pret A Manger outlet will open in Johannesburg this quarter before expanding to Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria over the coming months. He adds that this partnership is in line with its strategy of bringing global brands into South Africa. 

Stay tuned for more news………….