News 15:00

BULLETIN 31 January 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The minister of Transport supports expert recommendations to fix air traffic delays
# Solidarity presents a new healthcare bill as an alternative to the NHI
# And rugby: France and a struggling Wales kick off the Six Nations in Paris tonight

# Transport minister Barbara Creecy has approved urgent reforms for Air Traffic and Navigation Services after an expert report flagged staff shortages and outdated systems. A committee of experts was appointed to investigate last year’s flight delays and discovered that the service faces unreliable communication and navigation systems. The department’s Collen Msibi says the committee recommended hiring more air traffic controllers, upgrading key systems, and improving management:

# The Solidarity Research Institute has tabled a new healthcare bill in Parliament as an alternative to the National Health Insurance Act, which they argue is unaffordable. Supported by parties like the Freedom Front Plus and the DA, the bill aims to make medical schemes affordable, with entry-level plans costing about 300-rand a month. Solidarity’s Theuns du Buisson says, unlike the NHI, this bill won’t rely on increased taxes but on employer and employee contributions:

# The pre-trial hearing in the disappearance of Joslin Smith was postponed to the end of next month in the High Court in Cape Town while investigations are ongoing. Only Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, was present as her co-accused boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn did not appear due to an administration error. The trio are charged after seven-year-old Joslin’s disappearance outside her home in Saldanha Bay on the West Coast in February last year. Judge Gayaat da Silva Salie ordered the trio to appear on 28 February.

# Rugby: France and struggling Wales kick off this year’s Six Nations in Paris tonight. France has vastly improved since Fabian Galthie became head coach in 2020, but could only clinch the trophy three years ago. Wales finished last year winless, and the country lost their last 12 Tests. Galthie says the opening game of the competition remains special, whoever the opponent, and one to be approached with caution and motivation. Scotland plays Italy in Edinburgh tomorrow and Ireland and England will face off in Dublin.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-63-cents and the euro at 19-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-745-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-796-dollars-85-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-48-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A new foal, born three weeks ago, has blended with the Cape mountain zebra herd at De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape’s Overberg. This exciting arrival coincides with International Zebra Day celebrated today. The day highlights the need to protect zebra species. CapeNature’s conservation efforts have seen the population of this once-endangered species steadily growing. A recent aerial survey showed over 100 Cape mountain zebras across De Hoop and the Overberg Test Range. Meanwhile, visitors are urged to observe the wildlife respectfully.

Stay tuned for more news………….