News 18:00

BULLETIN 27 January 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Tourism minister says Cabinet has endorsed the tourism growth partnership plan to drive jobs and investment
# The PSA continues to advocate for improved working conditions for police personnel
# And, school material enter Gaza after being blocked for two years

# Tourism minister Patricia de Lille says the cabinet has endorsed the tourism growth partnership plan aimed at accelerating job creation and investment in the sector. The plan was developed in collaboration with industry and is led by the South African Tourism Business Council. Briefing the media, De Lille said the plan focuses on access, marketing, safety, product development and stronger government coordination, supported by a real-time dashboard to track delivery and accountability:

# The head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, Lesetja Senona, told the Madlanga Commission he considered Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala as a friend or younger brother, stressing their meetings were social or business-related. Senona said Matlala has never been investigated since 2020 and was never discussed in provincial or national forums. He admitted occasionally advising Matlala on CAT VIP security matters and introducing him to third parties for risk management, but denied involvement in any criminal activities:

# The Public Servants Association says it continues to advocate for improved working conditions, safe operational environments, and credible psychosocial support for police personnel. Today is National Police Day under the theme, Beyond the Uniform: The Human Side of Policing. PSA’s Claude Naiker says police officials routinely navigate high-risk environments, trauma, public pressure, and resource constraints:

# The United Nations’ children’s agency had for the first time in two-and-a-half years been able to deliver school kits with learning materials into Gaza. Thousands of kits, including pencils, exercise books and wooden cubes, have now entered the enclave after previously been blocked by Israeli authorities. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told Reuters children in Gaza have faced an unprecedented assault on the education system. During the conflict some children missed out on education altogether, facing basic challenges like finding water, as well as widespread malnutrition.

# Golf: Selwyn Nathan has officially announced his retirement as executive director of the Sunshine Tour. Tributes poured in from all over for the tour’s longest-serving executive member and a passionate and devoted servant of South African golf. Nathan will officially retire from his executive position in June, with the commissioner of the tour, Thomas Abt, assuming all executive responsibilities. Nathan will remain on the tour board as a non-executive member.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-3-cents and the euro at 19-rand-12-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-179-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-60-dollars-78-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….