Good News 14:00

BULLETIN 11 January 2 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# China has slashed import tariffs on South Africa’s rooibos tea by a significant 80-percent. The duties, now at six-percent, were previously between 15- and 30-percent. China is the seventh-largest market for South African rooibos tea. According to the Rooibos Council of South Africa, the country produces almost 20-million kilograms annually and provides employment for five-thousand people. The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition views the tariff reduction as a breakthrough in the Chinese market, signalling potential growth and opportunities for South Africa’s rooibos exporters.

# The Re.Bag.Re.Use initiative team says it has been inspired to continue making a difference. The initiative recently received its second international accolade, winning the Silver Stevie Award in the Women in Business category: Startup of the Year – Consumer Products Industries. Fifteen ladies are involved in Re.Bag.Re.Use; five ladies to cut empty plastic bread bags into strips and ten ladies crochet these strips into beautiful multi-functional items. Founder, Regine le Roux, says the international recognition is a nod that they are heading in the right direction.

# Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams is set to hand over machinery and equipment to 90 informal traders to the value of 1.3-million-rand in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, today. This is part of the department’s Informal and Micro Enterprises Development programme. The department’s spokesperson, Cornelius Monama, says these enterprises are operating mostly in the clothing, construction, baking, hairdressing, catering, retail and services sectors:

# Singer, songwriter, and social activist Simphiwe Dana has announced the return of MOYA at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. The production will transport patrons on a mystical journey with different segments of acapella music arranged by Titi Luzipo and dancers from the Vuyani Dance Theatre. Dana says MOYA, was born out of a need for her to find peace and solace after losing her mother in 2021. The production directed by Gregory Maqoma will be staged at the Artscape Theatre on the 26 and 27 of this month.

# And finally: Films Oppenheimer and Barbie lead the nominations for the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards. They both received four nominations, including for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Succession scored the most television nominations with five, followed closely behind by Ted Lasso, The Bear and The Last of Us. Actors including Margot Robbie for Barbie, Bradley Cooper for Maestro and Emma Stone for Poor Things have also been nominated. The awards will stream live globally on Netflix, a first for the show, on the 24th of February.

Stay tuned for more news………….