News 08:00

BULLETIN 6 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s UN representative says Nicolás Maduro’s abduction undermines diplomacy
# Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty in their first court appearance
# And, 25 people are killed in the Western Cape as holiday return traffic peaks

# South Africa says the unilateral military strikes carried out by the US against Venezuela and the abduction of president Nicolás Maduro and his wife violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Venezuela. Acting Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations, Jonathan Passmoor, delivered the country’s statement during a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday. Passmoor stated that international disputes must be settled in such a manner that peace, security, and justice are not endangered:

Meanwhile, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to drugs, weapons, and narco-terrorism charges when they appeared in a federal court in New York on Monday. The 63-year-old and his wife were captured by US special forces in an operation ordered by president Donald Trump on Saturday. During the 40-minute arraignment, Maduro said he was still the president of Venezuela, he had been illegally captured, and he was a prisoner of war. The next court hearing in the case has been scheduled for March 17.

# The South African National Taxi Council calls for continued road safety and cooperation as thousands of commuters return to work after the festive season. The taxi council urges taxi drivers to obey traffic laws, avoid fatigue and utilise relief drivers, especially on long-distance routes. Santaco’s spokesperson, Rebecca Phala, encouraged commuters to plan their trips, use accredited taxis and remain patient during peak travel times:

# The Western Cape Mobility Department says between 29 December 2025 and 4 January this year, 25 fatalities were recorded on provincial roads. During this period, 88 arrests were made, of which 65 were for driving under the influence of alcohol. These figures come as traffic volumes remain high, with residents and visitors returning from holiday destinations both within and outside the province. MEC Isaac Sileku says while enforcement remains critical, behaviour change is key to preventing further loss of life:

# Cricket: Sunrisers Eastern Cape moved to the top of the SA20 standings with an emphatic ten-wicket bonus-point victory over Pretoria Capitals in Centurion. Anrich Nortjé took three wickets as the Capitals were restricted to a below-par total of 170 for seven in their 20 overs. In reply, openers Quinton de Kock scored an unbeaten 79, and Jonny Bairstow was not out on 85, as the pair guided the Sunrisers to victory with all ten wickets to spare.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-33-cents and the euro at 19-rand-16-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-785-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-464-dollars-25-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….