News 08:00

BULLETIN 31 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF demands an immediate review of Nersa’s tariff approval process
# The Western Cape premier has handed over the George building collapse report to the SAPS
# And the UN World Food Programme warns of delivery problems in Sudan

# The EFF says the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s decision to approve Eskom’s tariff hike request is unjustifiable and will inflict severe financial distress on households and businesses. Nersa has approved a 12.74-percent increase for the 2025/2026 financial year, 5.36-percent for 2026/2027, and 6.19-percent for 2027/2028, significantly lower than Eskom’s initial requests. The EFF says it is demanding an immediate review of Nersa’s tariff approval process, and urgent intervention to halt the planned tariff increases for 2026 and 2027.

Meanwhile, AfriForum says it will investigate the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s approval of Eskom’s electricity tariff adjustments for the next three years, to determine whether it meets all the legal requirements. AfriForum’s, Morné Mostert, says it appears as if Nersa allows Eskom’s continued recovery of unlawful expenses through electricity tariffs:

# Western Cape premier Alan Winde has officially handed over the report into the George building collapse to provincial Police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, and lead investigator on the matter, captain Johan de Lange. Thirty-four people died and many were injured when the building, still under construction, collapsed and buried most of the workers under the rubble in May last year. Winde says the report contains the structural engineering findings from the independent investigation commissioned by the provincial government:

# The United Nations World Food Programme says the intensified fighting and the obstruction of humanitarian convoys in Sudan, are hindering the fast and consistent movement of aid. Approximately 24.6-million people are facing acute food insecurity and 27 locations across Sudan are either in famine or at risk of famine. The WFP says the Rapid Support Forces held back some 40 humanitarian trucks for nearly three weeks, requiring new clearances and inspections. It adds that it has made significant breakthroughs in getting aid deliveries to hard-to-reach areas in the last three months.

# Cricket: The Joburg Super Kings have maintained their challenge for a place in the SA20 playoffs with a seven-wicket victory over the table-topping Paarl Royals at the Wanderers. Donovan Ferreira and Lutho Sipamla took three wickets each as the Royals were restricted to 150 for nine. In reply, captain Faf du Plessis scored 87 off 55 balls as the Super Kings reached the target with seven wickets to spare. Du Plessis says he executed his game plan well, especially in the powerplay:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-26-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-055-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-796-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….