News 16:00

BULLETIN 6 February 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Giwusa warns of mass mobilisation if SONA fails to address workers’ demands
# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Agriculture demands action on hazardous pesticides
# And mixed martial arts: Du Plessis and Strickland are ready for Sunday’s rematch

# Union Giwusa says it will launch mass action if president Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address fails to address the urgent demands of workers. The union is calling for an increase in the national minimum wage to 15-thousand-rand and concrete steps to reduce unemployment through public works and nationalisation. Giwusa’s Mametlwe Sebei also demands a fair energy transition, more social relief, and accountability for corruption:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Agriculture has called for urgent action to ban highly hazardous pesticides. Following reports of food contamination and deaths, chairperson Dina Pule questioned why pesticides like Terbufos remain in use despite international bans. While minister John Steenhuisen warned of food security risks, the committee dismissed economic concerns, stating public safety is a priority. Pule confirmed that discussions on the issue will continue.

# Several months after a ransomware attack, the South African Bureau of Standards remains locked out of its systems, still encrypted by the Lynx Ransomware Group. Due to ongoing system issues, including financial system failures, the SABS faces potential income loss and credibility damage. Concerns over governance and management failures have also emerged. There is a growing call for suspensions and disciplinary actions to be paused during the investigation into these issues.

# Zimbabwean president and chairperson of the Southern African Development Community, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has urged a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This follows reports of Rwandan-backed rebels capturing another town near Bukavu, despite their earlier ceasefire declaration. Heavy fighting continues, with Goma still under M23 rebel control. Mnangagwa’s appeal comes ahead of the Sadec and East African Community summit in Tanzania this weekend:

# Mixed martial arts: Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland say they are ready for Sunday’s rematch for the UFC middleweight title in Sydney, Australia. Du Plessis took the title from Strickland in January last year. He says there was no controversy, and intends to prove it with a clear-cut win this weekend, while Strickland intends to take back the belt. Du Plessis says he didn’t request the rematch but the judges did:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-58-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-600-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-866-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-71-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….