News 09:00

BULLETIN 27 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA demands accountability over rape allegations against police officers
# The EFF welcomes Icasa’s amendment of the rules on mobile data bundle expiry
# And the UN Human Rights chief is concerned about the violent repression of the Iranian people

# The DA has written to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, demanding the latest statistics and detailed information on rape allegations against South African Police Service officers. In 2022/2023, 122 rape cases were reported against SAPS officers. This was followed by 110 cases in 2023/2024 and a further 97 cases in 2024/2025. The DA’s Lisa Schickerling says that, of particular concern, is that in 2023/2024, at least 58 alleged rapes were committed while officers were on duty and 52 while they were off duty:

# The EFF has welcomed the recent regulatory changes by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa on the rollover of unused prepaid data and airtime. From next year, South Africa’s telecommunications companies will be required to allow consumers to roll over unused mobile data bundles. The EFF says for years, South Africans, particularly the poor and unemployed, have been subjected to exploitative practices in which prepaid data and airtime expire arbitrarily, despite having been fully paid for. The party says data and airtime are not perishable goods and therefore should not expire.

# The ANC in Ekurhuleni has welcomed the election of Dora Mlambo as the Speaker of the City of Ekurhuleni Council. She replaces the EFF’s Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, who resigned as a councillor in the metro last month. Mlambo won with 91 votes, with the DA and EFF candidates receiving 69 and 31 votes, respectively. ANC Ekurhuleni Deputy Regional Secretary, Moipone Mhlongo, has described the outcome as a true reflection of democratic processes and expressed confidence in Mlambo’s leadership:

# United Nations Human Rights chief, Volker Türk, has warned that the violent repression of the Iranian people creates conditions for further instability and bloodshed. Violent crackdown on peaceful protests by Iranian security forces earlier this month left at least five-thousand-137 people dead. Türk says worryingly, Iran remains among the top executioner states in the world. He says in 2025, at least one-thousand-500 people were reportedly executed, a 50-percent increase on the previous year:

# Tennis: The Australian Open quarterfinals get underway today, with world number one Carlos Alcaraz taking on home favourite Alex de Minaur. Alcaraz has cruised without dropping a set in his quest to complete the career Grand Slam, but faces his toughest test yet against De Minaur. The mercury is set to hit 45 degrees Celsius and the roof at Rod Laver Arena is expected to be closed. Alcaraz has a perfect 5-0 record against De Minaur, though they have never met at a Grand Slam tournament.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-2-cents and the euro at 19-rand-2-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-91-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-738-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-73-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-35-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….