News 13:00

BULLETIN 3 January 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Donald Trump captured president Nichola Maduro and his wife
# Stats SA flags the surge in teen births nationwide
# And Eskom records 231 days without load-shedding

# The Venezuelan government has rejected, repudiated, and denounced what it calls America’s “military aggression”. It accused the US of trying to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, while attempting to forcibly break the nation’s political independence. A statement says the aggression threatens international peace and stability and seriously endangers the lives of millions of people. It adds president Nicolas Maduro has declared a state of external disturbance throughout the national territory and called for an immediate transition to armed struggle. President Donald Trump has since announced president Maduro and his wife have been captured and flown out of Venezuela, adding that there will be “further details to follow.”

# Statistics South Africa has raised concerns over the rise in teen births nationally. Stats SA recorded more than 100-thousand births by teenage mothers since January 2024. The figures come as Social Development and Health departments confirmed that 21 babies were born to teenagers aged 15 to 19 in the Eastern Cape on New Year’s Day. Advocacy group Embrace Movement for Mothers has raised concern, saying teenage pregnancy should be addressed as a broader social and structural issue, rather than blamed solely on young mothers.

Meanwhile, the Forum for South Africa says teenage pregnancy has reached alarming levels and must be treated as a national crisis. In Mpumalanga alone, nine-thousand-712 teenagers reportedly gave birth in 2025, including a 14-year-old on New Year’s Day. FOSA spokesperson Tebogo Mashilompane says the trend must not be normalised or celebrated, warning of devastating social, health and education consequences. He calls for urgent action and accountability, especially where adults are involved:

# South Africa has recorded 231 consecutive days without load-shedding, with only 26-hours of interruptions earlier this financial year. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokoena says the power system remains stable, supported by improved generation performance and disciplined maintenance. In addition, she says the Energy Availability Factor rose to over 69-percent in December, while unplanned outages and diesel use dropped sharply, reinforcing confidence in the stability of the national electricity supply:

# Free State police have launched an investigation following a fatal light aircraft crash in the Ferreira area. Police spokesperson Mahlomola Kareli says officers were dispatched to the scene, where emergency services found a male pilot trapped in the wreckage. The 45-year-old was declared dead at the scene. Kareli says the pilot’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. He confirmed an inquest docket has been opened:

# And rugby: The Stormers have been boosted by the return from injury of Springbok stars Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu for the United Rugby Championship encounter with the Bulls at the Cape Town Stadium. Willemse will make his 100th start in a Stormers jersey in the first match of 2026, which kicks off this afternoon at 6. Director of Rugby John Dobson said his team is looking forward to what should be a special occasion. Dobson said the team knows they will need to be at their absolute best throughout the game to come away with the result.

Stay tuned for more news………….