News 13:00

BULLETIN 23 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Farmers are optimistic as Botswana lifts the vegetable import ban
# Traffic disruptions and delays are continuing on the N3 Toll Route
# And Tennis: Zheng Qinwen wants more rest before the Australian Open

# South African farmers have cautiously welcomed Botswana’s gradual lifting of its vegetable import ban. This comes after the neighbouring country’s minister of International Relations, Phenyo Butale, announced the decision to ease the ban, which halved South Africa’s vegetable exports to 272-million-rand last year. Agricultural body TLU SA’s Bennie Van Zyl emphasises trust-building and infrastructure needs for successful trade. The phased approach starts with immediate imports of selected vegetables, expanding in April.

# The N3 Toll Concession says traffic disruptions, congestion and delays are continuing on the N3 Toll Route between Grootvlei in Mpumalanga and Villiers in the Free State. Spokesperson Thania Dhoogra says recovery is currently underway at both the taxi crash scene near Vaaldraai Interchange and the truck crash at the Wilge Plaza in the Free State. She says at the taxi crash scene, southbound traffic continues to be diverted via the Grootvlei Interchange, while traffic is being stacked at the truck crash scene:

Meanwhile, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Popcru has called for the nationalisation of traffic services in the country. Spokesperson Richard Mamabolo says the members should be placed in the Department of Transport or the police. Mamabolo also raises the alarm over poor working conditions and severe understaffing of traffic officials as the 15-thousand deployed to national and provincial roads for 24-hours is overstretched:

# Tennis: Chinese world number five Zheng Qinwen pulled out of the season-opening United Cup citing the need for more rest. The 22-year-old is coming off a breakthrough season that reaped three singles titles, with the highlight winning Olympic gold in Paris. She also made her first Grand Slam final, at Melbourne Park, losing in straight sets to current world number one Aryna Sabalenka on the back of playing the mixed-teams United Cup. Zheng has opted for more rest this time ahead of the Australian Open starting on 12 January.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-38-cents and the euro at 19-rand-12-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-966-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-629-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities is urging the protection of vulnerable groups during this festive period. There has been a surge in the number of gender-based violence cases reported since the start of the festive season. The department’s Cassius Selala told the SABC these incidents are usually linked to alcohol consumption:

Stay tuned for more news………….