News 17:00

BULLETIN 19 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF blames reckless driving and poor road conditions for fatal accident [
# The Human Rights Commission flags systemic failures in North West learner transport
# And netball, the SA men’s national team has a new head coach, Shiko Mokaila

# The EFF in Gauteng has expressed deep sorrow following a tragic scholar transport accident in Vanderbijlpark, which claimed the lives of at least 13 learners and left several others seriously injured. The party says the crash, involving a head-on collision with a heavy truck, highlights ongoing issues with reckless driving, poor road conditions, and a lack of traffic policing, particularly in Emfuleni. The EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga called on the provincial government to improve scholar transport safety.

# AfriForum is awaiting the sentencing of EFF leader Julius Malema set to begin on Friday in the East London Magistrate’s Court. Malema was found guilty in October 2025 for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a public area, stemming from a 2018 incident at an EFF rally in the Eastern Cape.  AfriForum’s spokesperson Jacques Broodryk says the sentence must reflect accountability:

# The South African Human Rights Commission has found persistent, systemic failures in the management of the learner transport programme in North West. Presenting its findings today, commissioner Nomahlubi Khwinana cited deep-rooted governance, procurement and oversight weaknesses, including unsafe and unroadworthy vehicles placing learners at risk. She emphasises thousands of qualifying learners are excluded, forcing many to walk long, unsafe distances, disrupting learning and increasing dropout rates:

# Netball: Shiko Mokaila has been appointed as new head coach of the South African men’s national team on a four-year contract. The former captain of the national team retired from playing in 2023 following the Africa Cup in Botswana, ending a distinguished 15-year career. Mokaila succeeds Jabulani Vilane and will be assisted by Siyabonga Khuzwayo. Netball South Africa’s president, Mami Diale, says Mokaila has what it takes to move the team forward and build towards the World Cup in 2028.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-41-cents and the euro at 19-rand-9-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-979-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-668-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

# And finally: China’s birth rate in 2025 fell to its lowest since 1949, marking the fourth consecutive year of population decline. According to data released by the National Statistics Bureau, 7.92-million babies were born last year, down from 9.54-million in 2024. This was outpaced by 11.31-million deaths, with the overall population dropping by 3.39-million. In 2016, Beijing loosened the one-child restriction per household before later scrapping the policy altogether. Over the past decade, authorities across China have introduced a swath of measures to bolster the fertility rate.

Stay tuned for more news………….