News 11:00

BULLETIN 16 January 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Business Leadership South Africa warns of populist politicking ahead of the elections
# Sekunjalo Investment Holdings intends suing president Ramaphosa and other state organs for 75-billion-rand
# And, Donald Trump calls for unity after winning the Iowa caucuses 

# Business Leadership South Africa believes there is a heightened risk of populist policy being rushed through Parliament to add to the electioneering as the country is heading for national elections this year. The business organisation’s CEO, Busisiwe Mavuso, says political campaigns can be a distraction to the business of running the country, particularly at a crucial time for progress on the major challenges facing the economy. She says maintaining momentum in reform partnerships, and delivering on agreed priorities while election season unfolds, is imperative.

# Sekunjalo Investment Holdings has given notice that it intends to sue president Cyril Ramaphosa, the Presidency, the minister of Finance, the National Treasury, the minister of Justice and Correctional Services, and the State Attorney. It says the lawsuits follow a protracted period of targeted sabotage, whereby elements of South African state power have been corrupted and used to deliberately undermine and wish harm on Sekunjalo’s executive chairperson, Iqbal Survé, and companies allied to the group. Sekunjalo is claiming damages amounting to 75-billion-rand.

# Ten Western Cape schools are experiencing high demand, receiving a surge in applications for grade eight. This is largely attributed to strong matric results, school location, and extracurricular offerings. According to the department, Claremont High leads with over four-thousand applications for 103 spaces, closely followed by Spine Road in Mitchells Plain. The Western Cape Education Department’s Bronagh Hammond has confirmed they are actively placing two-thousand-636 grade one and grade eight students this week to address the demand:

# Former US president Donald Trump has reiterated his promises of what he would do in a second term, including closing the borders and giving police officials full immunity. He has won a landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses, cementing his status as the clear frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. Ron DeSantis finished second ahead of Nikki Haley. In his victory speech, Trump told supporters he wants to straighten up the problems of the world:

# Tennis: World number one Iga Swiatek is through to the second round of the Australian Open. The Pole defeated 2020 champion Sofia Kenin of America, 7-6, 6-2. Swiatek has now won her last 17 matches, the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour since she posted a 37-match winning streak in 2022. She will face another American, Danielle Collins, who beat 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. In the men’s draw, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov overcame an early test against Hungarian Márton Fucsovics, winning in four sets to reach the second round.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-82-cents and the euro at 20-rand-54-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-622-dollars-80-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-49-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….