News 06:00

BULLETIN 19 January 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Angie Motshekga is impressed by the 2023 matric pass rate of 82.9%
# In reaction to the results the minister says the basic education system is starting to reach the desired stability
# And, Oppenheimer leads this year’s Bafta Film Awards with 13 nominations

# Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga says the performance of the Class of 2023 is the highest ever since the inception of the National Senior Certificate examinations in 2008. The matric class achieved an 82.9-percent pass rate, which is an improvement of 2.8-percent. The Free State was once again the top-performing province with a pass rate of 89-percent, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 86.4-percent, and Gauteng at 85.4-percent. Announcing the results yesterday evening, Motshekga says the matrics performed exceptionally well despite the challenges:

The minister adds there is no doubt that the Basic Education system has begun to reach the desired stability. Motshekga says they must prioritise interventions on teaching and learning losses, adding that support and intervention programmes must be implemented across the education system:

# December’s 1.9-percent uptick in BankservAfrica’s Economic Transactions Index suggests a slight economic boost, but experts remain cautious about 2024. Despite inflation moderation, concerns linger, with a potential technical recession in quarter four of 2023. Economists warn while improvements are expected, substantial 2024 growth appears unlikely without significant structural reforms. They say indicators like the Purchasing Managers’ Index and declining vehicle sales, point to muted economic activity, reinforcing the need for transformative changes.

# Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink says newly elected deputy mayor Nasiphi Moya will help stabilise the coalition government. Moya previously served as chief of staff under former DA mayor Stevens Mokgalapa. She faces controversy over alleged financial misconduct related to a trip to Saudi Arabia, which is under investigation. Despite opposition claims, she was elected unopposed with support from the DA-led coalition. Brink believes Moya is taking a significant leadership role within the city’s governance structure:

# Rugby: The Stormers and the Bulls are playing their final pool matches of the Champions Cup this weekend. The Stormers take on Stade Francais in Paris, while the Bulls will host another French side, Bordeaux Begles, in Pretoria. Both South African teams need only two points to go through to the next round. In the Challenge Cup, the Sharks and the Cheetahs can both still go through to the next round, while the Lions have already sealed their spot. The Cheetahs take on Oyonnax in France tomorrow while the Sharks play Dragons in Newport, Wales, on Sunday.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-91-cents and the euro at 20-rand-58-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 41-thousand-125-dollars-80-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-23-dollars-3-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

# And finally, Oppenheimer has been nominated for 13 BAFTA Film Awards including Best Film, Leading Actor for Cillian Murphy, and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. The film has already won eight Critics Choice Awards and five Golden Globes. Poor Things has secured eleven nominations, including Best Actress for Emma Stone. Killers of the Flower Moon and The Zone of Interest both have nine nominations. Despite being the top-grossing film of last year, Barbie secured just five nominations, tied with Saltburn. The BAFTAs will be held on the 18th of next month in London.

Stay tuned for more news………….