News 17:00

BULLETIN 19 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Government rules out floating gas power plants in a new bid window
# Rea Vaya buses are to go cashless
# And tennis: Novak Djokovic is through to the round of 16 in Melbourne

# Government has excluded floating gas power plants in its first-ever round for two-thousand-Megawatt gas power procurement, citing limited port space. Independent Power Producers’ legal head, Lena Mangondo, clarifies the exclusive consideration for land-based projects, emphasising the necessity of permanent structures. She notes that gas projects may enter the market after concluding the 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom. Despite constraints, Mangondo emphasises government remains committed to incorporating gas into the national energy mix.

# Johannesburg’s mayoral committee member for Transport, Kenny Kunene, announces the implementation of a cashless system on Rea Vaya buses to prevent drivers from handling commuter payments. He addressing past disruptions due to labour and payment disputes. Kunene pledges consequences for those accountable for financial challenges at Pio-Trans. He says the move aims to streamline services and enhance the efficiency of Rea Vaya in response to ongoing challenges.

# ActionSA in Gauteng says premier Panyaza Lesufi’s call for the scrapping of Independent Examinations Board exams, is a way to divert attention from the continued failure of the country’s public schooling system. The IEB 2023 matric class achieved an overall pass rate of 98.46-percent, slightly higher than the 2022 pass rate of 98.42-percent. ActionSA’s Angela Sobey says the IEB examinations have become a benchmark of what can be achieved through high-quality teaching and learner support:

# TLU SA says it is acknowledging the position taken around the world in support of food-producing farmers. In the past week, columns of tractors have blocked roads in Germany, causing chaos in cities and headaches for commuters. The agricultural body says each country faces its own challenges that hinder many farmers from continuing to farm sustainably. TLU SA’s Bennie van Zyl says in South Africa, farmers are experiencing a shortage of electricity, under-utilised ports, and neglected roads that prevent them from delivering products to consumers:

# Tennis: Ten-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia barely broke a sweat in his third-round match against Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry at the Australian Open. The top seed won 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 to advance to the round of 16. In the women’s game, Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva’s dream tournament is continuing. The 16-year-old, who eliminated sixth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the second round, defeated Diane Parry of France to reach the fourth round in Melbourne.

Stay tuned for more news………….