News 08:00

BULLETIN 23 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister De Lille says business events and tourism add about 8.8-percent to the GDP
# Julius Malema returns to court today for a pre-sentencing hearing
# And, the Danish prime minister says their sovereignty is not up for negotiation

# Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille says South Africa is ready, willing, and able to host the World Economic Forum on Africa Davos Spring meeting in 2027. The meeting will bring together global and African business leaders and public figures to engage on critical thematic priorities, advance public-private partnerships, and accelerate Africa’s strategic developmental agenda. De Lille says South Africa is the leading business event destination in Africa and in the Middle East:

# EFF leader Julius Malema’s pre-sentencing proceedings will get underway at the East London Magistrate’s Court today, after he was convicted in 2025 on several firearms-related charges. The charges date back to 2018 when he discharged a firearm during the party’s fifth birthday celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane. He was found guilty of several crimes, including unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. EFF secretary general, Marshall Dlamini, has described this case as nonsense:

# The Special Investigating Unit has been granted a preservation order by the Special Tribunal to interdict the 500-thousand-rand pension payout to former National Lotteries Commission’s KwaZulu-Natal client liaison officer Sibonelo Vilakazi. The preservation order stems from an SIU investigation, in which Vilakazi exploited his position to enable his spouse, Nosipho Zanele Zuma, to receive 48 payments totalling 31.2-million-rand from entities benefiting from lottery grants. The funds were funnelled through Zuma’s company, ZZET Enterprises. Vilakazi was dismissed in 2024 after an NLC disciplinary inquiry found him guilty on several charges.

# Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has welcomed talks between US president Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte that led to a framework for a future deal on Greenland. However, she has stressed that the island’s sovereignty was not negotiable. Trump has said he will impose new taxes on eight European countries on 1 February if they continue to oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland. Frederiksen says the US and Denmark have to work together respectfully without threatening each other:

# Cricket: The Paarl Royals will have an opportunity to fight to make the SA20 final, after beating the Joburg Super Kings by 36 runs in their Eliminator match in Centurion. Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored 51 as the Royals posted 210 for five in their 20 overs. In reply, 36-year-old Hardus Viljoen claimed three wickets as JSK were restricted to 174 for eight. The Paarl Royals will now face Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the Wanderers this evening, with the winner taking on Pretoria Capitals in Sunday’s final in Cape Town.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-11-cents and the euro at 18-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-84-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 89-thousand-786-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-947-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….