News 07:00

BULLETIN 12 January 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA submits a PAIA application for the National Director of Public Prosecutions report
# Discovery Health will cover the costs of overpayments following an error
# And tennis: Poland wins the first United Cup title after beating Switzerland

# The DA has submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act application after President Cyril Ramaphosa refused to release the report used to inform his decision on the appointment of the National Director of Public Prosecutions. Ramaphosa appointed Andy Mothibi as a newly NDPP head after the advisory panel advised that none of the six candidates met the required standard for the role. The DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach says serious concerns remain about the deeply flawed appointment process and how the President handled it.

# Discovery Health says it will cover the costs of claims overpayments to protect members of the Discovery Health Medical Scheme. This comes after a processing error resulted in claims being incorrectly paid out at a higher rate than the plan’s benefits allow. The error affected 16-thousand-507 members across certain Executive, Comprehensive, and Priority plans where the Above Threshold Benefit applies. Discovery Health CEO, Ron Whelan, says covering this cost is the right decision, one that reflects their commitment to fairness, integrity, and putting members first, especially when they fall short.

# Police and its crime-fighting partners collectively seized counterfeit and illicit goods worth more than 350-million-rand during nationwide takedown operations. Police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk says multi-disciplinary operations were carried out in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape, respectively, during the month of December 2025. She says counterfeit and illicit goods worth nearly 600-thousand-rand were seized, which included high-end designer-branded clothing, sports apparel, footwear, jewellery, cosmetics, and cell phone accessories:

# With schools reopening on Wednesday, the Gauteng Department of Education says it is working hard to reduce the number of unplaced Grades 1 and 8 learners. As of 6 January, the department reported that four-thousand-858 pupils in the province remain unplaced in schools, amid ongoing challenges with classroom overcrowding, insufficient infrastructure, and staffing shortages. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says they will ensure that all remaining learners are placed as efficiently and fairly as possible:

# The Forum for South Africa says it stands in uncompromising solidarity with Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, and his political movement amid deeply contested and critical general elections. President Yoweri Museveni, in office since 1986, is aiming for a seventh successive election victory at the polls on Wednesday. FOSA leader Tebogo Mashilompane has condemned arbitrary arrests and abuse by state security forces aimed at silencing the opposition:

# Tennis: Poland defeated Switzerland 2-1 to win the United Cup title for the first time in Sydney. Iga Swiatek lost, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, to Belinda Bencic in the opening match. Hubert Hurkacz, who was playing his first tournament in seven months following knee surgery, levelled the tie for Poland with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Stan Wawrinka. In the deciding mixed doubles, Polish pairing Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski maintained their 100-percent record in the tournament, beating Bencic and Jakub Paul 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the title.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-45-cents and the euro at 19-rand-18-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-9-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-14-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-576-dollars-43-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-1-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….