News 07:00

BULLETIN 17 January 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The US State Department has designated a South African as a terrorist
# The EFF says the Stilfontein tragedy was avoidable
# And rugby: Zain Davids celebrates his 50th Blitzbok cap

# The US State Department has sanctioned South African, Hendrik-Wahl Muller, over alleged links to transnational terrorist group The Terrorgram Collective. Muller, who lives in the Western Cape, is one of three individuals identified as the leaders of the group, which primarily operates on Telegram. The department says the group promotes violent white supremacism, solicits attacks on perceived adversaries, and provides guidance and instructional materials on tactics. It has accused the group of facilitating attacks and attempted violence, including a 2022 shooting outside an LGBTQ bar in Slovakia.

# The Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, is set to meet ArcelorMittal South Africa management at their Vanderbijlpark plant today to address the potential shutdown of operations in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Ministry spokesperson Thobeka Magcai, says the meeting seeks urgent solutions to mitigate the economic fallout:

# The EFF says the devastating tragedy that unfolded in Stilfontein, North West, is a grim reflection of the incompetence of law enforcement and the failure of intelligence services. The rescue mission at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine was called off on Thursday, after the retrieval of 246 illegal miners alive and 87 bodies between Monday and Wednesday. The EFF says by cutting food and water supplies to the miners underground, the state effectively created conditions for a humanitarian catastrophe. The party adds that mining companies must also be held accountable.

# The Western Cape Education Department has denied claims made by a teacher that she was unfairly let go from her position, following a sexual harassment case that she filed against a fellow teacher. In a TikTok video, Kelly Manus alleged that she laid the complaint against Symphony High School principal’s husband after he touched her inappropriately. She also claims that the principal jeopardised her opportunity to become a permanent teacher at the school. The department’s spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, says the allegations are factually incorrect:

# Human Rights Watch says Donald Trump’s return to power could see him repeat rights violations committed during his first presidency and heap pressure on already faltering international institutions. The group says the Republican’s return to the White House not only threatens rights within the US but will also affect, by commission and omission, respect for human rights abroad. It says worldwide elections and deadly conflicts over the past year challenged the integrity of democratic institutions and the principles of human rights, but many governments have failed the test.

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens loose-forward, Zain Davids, will earn his 50th tournament cap in Australia next weekend, the third leg of the 2024-2025 season. Blitzbok coach Philip Snyman made three changes to the squad that won the Cape Town Sevens last month, welcoming back Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown, and Ryan Oosthuizen. Injuries have sidelined Mfundo Ndhlovu and Tristan Leyds. The Blitzboks will face the USA, Australia, and Argentina in pool play. Snyman has praised Davids’ consistency and leadership as co-captain:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-78-cents and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-399-dollar-30-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-710-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-70-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….