News 17:00

BULLETIN 7 February 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to unveil the election date within 15-days post SONA
# The Riebeeckstad High School bus accident death toll rises 
# And Soccer: Bafana and Nigeria are ready to resume their rivalry 

# The Presidency has confirmed president Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the election date within 15-days after tomorrow’s State of the Nation Address. A proclamation would follow shortly after the announcement. Speaking at a media briefing on the president’s weekly programme, spokesperson Vincent Magwenya assured the public that there are no delays, and Ramaphosa is mindful of the 90-day period needed between the announcement and the election day. He urges all citizens to tune in to tomorrow’s address:

# The death toll of learners from Riebeeckstad High School in the Free State, involved in a bus accident yesterday, has risen to seven. The bus, carrying 58 girls returning from an all-girls sports event, overturned near Ventersburg. It is believed that the driver lost control after a wheel came loose on the R-70. Approximately 40 girls survived with minor to major injuries and are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Welkom and Senekal. Free State premier Mxolisi Dukwana, says the incident is unfortunate.

# Vodacom plans to approach the Constitutional Court after the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled yesterday it has to determine new compensation for former employee Nkosana Makate for his “Please Call Me” invention. The court ordered Vodacom to determine a new offer of five- tot 7.5-percent of the total revenue of the product over the past 18 years. CEO Shameel Joosub was ordered to finalise the new offer within a month. The court set aside Joosub’s determination of 47-million-rand, with Makate saying his invention earned Vodacom about 70-billion-rand.

# Hamas has proposed a 135-day truce in Gaza, with the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. This is the militant organisation’s reaction to a ceasefire offer by Israel, compiled by Qatari and Egyptian mediators last week and backed by America. Hamas also suggests the release of all hostages, an agreement to end the war and the start of the rebuilding of the strip. Reuters reports there was no immediate public response from Israel, who said earlier it would stay in Gaza until Hamas was wiped out.

# Soccer: South Africa will continue their continental rivalry with three-time African champions Nigeria in tonight’s semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The West Africans have won all three of their previous Afcon meetings and they are the highest-ranked side remaining in the tournament. Bafana Bafana have already knocked out Morocco, who reached the semifinal of the 2022 World Cup, and captain Ronwen Williams wants to continue that form:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 43-thousand-85-dollars-14-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-34-dollars-78-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….