News 07:00

BULLETIN 13 February 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The bodies of the 14 soldiers killed in the DRC will arrive in South Africa today
# The ACDP warns that losing AGOA will have serious consequences
# And cricket: There are no plans to extend the SA20 beyond six teams

# The South African National Defence Force says the bodies of the 14 soldiers who died in combat in the Democratic Republic of Congo will arrive in the country today. The soldiers, who are part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, were killed in an attack by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. The handing over of the mortal remains to families and a memorial service will be held at the Airforce Base Swartkop in Centurion this evening.

# ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe says unemployment remains too high, with many qualified doctors struggling to find work. He warns losing the African Growth and Opportunity Act could have serious economic consequences for South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address was under scrutiny for a second day yesterday. Debating the address, Meshoe said the ACDP supports sending a delegation to the United States to engage with the new administration on trade relations:

# The National Lotteries Commission has extended the 2024/25 funding application deadline from 28 February to 31 March 2025. This extension allows non-profit organisations more time to finalise applications on the new online platform. Commissioner Jodi Scholtz announced helpdesks supported by the Department of Social Development for face-to-face assistance across provinces. Organisations can also access remote support via commission offices.

# Parliamentary Legal Services says AmaZulu King, Misuzulu kaZwelithini, acted unlawfully and overreached when he suspended the Ingonyama Trust board members; before appointing himself chairperson. Parliament’s portfolio committee on Land Reform and Rural Development received a legal opinion on Wednesday, on the foundations of the Trust and its board, ownership, and the powers of the minister. Parliament’s legal advisor, Bulelani Simani, says King Misuzulu acted contrary to the law:

# Two Australian nurses have been suspended after a video appeared to show them threatening to kill Israeli patients and boasting about refusing to treat them. According to the BBC, the footage appears to have been recorded in a hospital. The man and woman, both employees at a Sydney hospital, are being investigated by police. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese condemned the video as “sickening and shameful”. It comes less than a week after Australia passed tougher laws against hate crimes following a wave of high-profile anti-Semitic attacks.

# Cricket: The super popular SA20 won’t add more teams for at least the next two seasons. Calls for another team, centrally situated in Bloemfontein or Kimberley, or up north in Limpopo, increased after the success of the first three seasons. SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith says they are contractually locked on six teams for the first five seasons. He says they want the current teams to find their roots, establish themselves and grow. The fourth season starts on the 26th of December this year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-5-cents and Bitcoin trades at 97-thousand-806-dollar-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-902-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-71-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….