News 11:00

BULLETIN 22 January 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Institute of Race Relations says the proposed Transformation Fund is unconstitutional
# The UN says Africa remains the epicentre of global terrorism
# And tennis: Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys are through to the Australian Open semifinals

# The Institute of Race Relations says the proposed 100-billion-rand transformation fund is unconstitutional. The fund, announced by Trade, Industry, and Competition minister Parks Tau, aimed at financing black-owned businesses, would require companies to contribute through Black Economic Empowerment codes or face exclusion from state tenders. The institute’s Michael Morris says the fund prioritises race-based preferences over fair economic policies, benefiting only a politically connected elite while worsening inequality:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police says the delay in implementing consequence management within the South African Police Service erodes trust and cannot continue unabated. Minister Senzo Mchunu has revealed that 40 SAPS members are currently on suspension including for allegations of serious misconduct, corruption, theft, and murder. Committee chairperson, Ian Cameron, says strengthening governance and operational effectiveness within the Police Service is of utmost importance.

# Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, has welcomed the findings of an investigation by Stellenbosch University, which evaluated the impact of the department’s #BackOnTrack learning recovery programme. The programme consists of interventions for learners, including extra weekend and holiday classes, as well as additional training for teachers. The report states that the intervention works and is reversing learning losses in the province. Maynier says the report also highlights some challenges, including improving participation rates and attendance:

# The United Nations says Africa remains the epicentre of global terrorism, and more action is required to implement international commitments to combat this scourge. Terrorism-related deaths in the region have soared past six-thousand for three consecutive years, making up more than half of all global fatalities. UN deputy secretary-general, Amina Mohammed, says the African Union’s Counter-Terrorism Centre recorded over three-thousand-400 terrorist attacks on the continent last year:

# Tennis: Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek dropped only 14 games on her way to her second Australian Open semifinal. The world number two from Poland defeated American Emma Navarro, 6-1, 6-2 and will face another American, Madison Keys, tomorrow for a place in the final. Keys clinched a spot in her third semifinal in Melbourne with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. The other semifinal will see world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus take on Spain’s Paula Badosa.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-498-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-750-dollars-22-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-29-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….