News 11:00
BULLETIN 7 February 11 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Nat-joints won’t tolerate disruptions or lawlessness during the State of the Nation Address
# Load-shedding is reduced to stage one, following an improvement in generation capacity
# And cricket, New Zealand beat South Africa to take a one-nil Test series lead
# The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure says it is satisfied that all deployments are in place to ensure that the State of the Nation Address takes place in a safe and secure environment tomorrow. Parliament will hold the event at the Cape Town City Hall for the third time after a fire razed the National Assembly chamber. Police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, says no disruptions will be allowed and tolerated by law enforcement:
# Eskom has reduced load-shedding to stage one until two this afternoon, which will then be followed by stage two until further notice. The power utility says this is due to sufficient emergency reserves and a slight increase in available generation capacity, resulting in the return to service of two units. It adds that the power system is being closely monitored for any significant changes which will be communicated should it be required.
# Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, is calling on president Cyril Ramaphosa to announce decisive measures to deal with the crisis of illegal firearms fuelling gang, gun and drug crime in Cape Town, and around the country. The president will deliver the State of the Nation Address tomorrow. Hill-Lewis says they want strong action to deal with the corrupt elements in the police service, who are conspiring with gangs, and for the urgent devolution of more policing powers to municipal law enforcement:
# The US House of Representatives has rejected a Republican-led bill that would provide more than 331-billion-rand in aid to Israel. The vote was 250 to 180, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for the bill to be passed. Democratic congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, says the US must adhere to its laws and policies, which prohibit American aid from assisting forces engaged in gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law:
# Cricket: New Zealand has defeated South Africa by 281 runs in the opening Test at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, to take a one-nil lead in the two-match series. The Proteas were set an unlikely target of 529 to win after the hosts declared on their overnight total of 179 for four. A 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket between David Bedingham and Keegan Petersen was not enough as South Africa was dismissed for 247 in 80 overs. The second and final Test begins next week Tuesday in Hamilton.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-84-cents and the euro at 20-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-947-dollars-71-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-35-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-53-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….