News 06:00

BULLETIN 7 January 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa puts South Africans at rest over an  American invasion
# The ANC Youth League wants a state of disaster over youth unemployment
# And, the Gauteng Education Department urges patience with final learner placements

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is not worried about an invasion of South Africa. This follows the US military operation in Venezuela, which led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. This action has been criticised as undermining a fundamental principle of international law. Ramaphosa has warned that such unilateral actions set a dangerous precedent:

# The National Student Financial Aid Scheme will advance upfront tuition payments to TVET colleges on 31 January. Acting Board Chairperson Mugwena Maluleke says the payment, calculated at 20-percent of each college’s tuition allocation, will support early operations. Subsequent payments will depend on verified registration data. He has urged colleges to submit accurate monthly updates and reminded students that allowances will be paid directly into personal bank accounts only:

# ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji has called on president Cyril Ramaphosa to consider declaring a state of disaster over youth unemployment, and take action against incompetent ministers and CEOs of state entities. The percentage of young people aged 15–34 years who were not in employment, education, or training was at 42.7-percent in the third quarter of 2025. This compares with an overall national unemployment rate of 31.9-percent for the period. Malatji says there are resources, but there is no political will. 

# Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says only four-thousand-858 grade one and grade eight learners remain unplaced for the 2026 school year. Most are in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg. Late applications are open until 30 January alongside daily placements. Ekurhuleni North has the highest number of unplaced learners at one-thousand-741. The department’s Steve Mabona says steady progress is being made, and appeals outcomes are being finalised:

# Cricket: Travis Head believes he will remain as Australia’s opening batter following his sensational Ashes Series against England. He scored his third century in the fifth and final Test in Sydney yesterday after moving into the role in the first match in Perth when now-retired Usman Khawaja was injured. Head helped clinch that Test with 123 in the second innings and followed it up with 170 in Adelaide before scoring 163 at the SCG for his 12th Test century.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-35-cents and the euro at 19-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-390-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-498-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….