News 09:00

BULLETIN 24 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Ramokgopa says government supports 9.2-million social grant beneficiaries
# Eskom continues to record significant gains from the Generation Recovery Plan
# And cricket: Miller is a fitness concern for the Proteas before the T20 World Cup

# Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation minister, Maropene Ramokgopa, says government continues to support vulnerable households by contributing to poverty alleviation and reducing inequality through the administration of social grants by the South African Social Security Agency. Ramokgopa briefed the nation on the government’s performance against the Medium-Term Development Plan 2024 to 2029 financial year. The minister says these efforts are demonstrated by the disbursement of 9.2 million social grants to beneficiaries, providing a critical social safety net:

# Energy regulator, Nersa, says its tribunal powers are now in action, signalling zero tolerance for non-compliance in the electricity sector. Five municipalities, including Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape, Ekurhuleni in Gauteng, and Rustenburg in North West, have received default orders and must comply within two months, or face fines of up to two-million-rand per day. Nersa spokesperson Charles Hlebela says this step ensures a safe, reliable, and lawful electricity supply:

# Eskom says power system remains stable, strengthened by increasing plant availability and sustained reduction in unplanned outages. The power utility’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says Eskom has entered 2026 with a markedly stronger and more stable power system than in the previous five years. She says this recovery reflects the sustained impact of Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan, which continues to strengthen operations and reinforce long-term energy security:

# The Public Servants Association calls on Gauteng government institutions to insource security personnel currently employed through the Mafoko security company. The union says officers have repeatedly received their salaries late, putting families under financial strain, despite providing essential services that protect staff, students, and infrastructure. The association’s Stefan Viljoen argues that insourcing will ensure fair pay, job security, and better working conditions, while saving government money.

# Sports News:

# Cricket: The Proteas are worried about the fitness of prolific batter David Miller before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, after already losing the services of Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira. The captain of Paarl Royals was injured during the SA20 this week, and Cricket South Africa decided not to consider him for the upcoming T20 series against the Windies. Injured De Zorzi and Ferreira were replaced in the World Cup squad by Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs. The tournament starts on 7 February.

# And motorsport: Formula One champion Lando Norris has still not re-watched on video his title-clinching race, but the McLaren driver will start the new season with more confidence and hungry for a second crown. Norris won seven races last season, one less than Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, whom he beat by two points after a three-way battle going into the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 26-year-old Briton will race with the No 1 on his car for the first time at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March.

Stay tuned for more news………….