News 06:00

BULLETIN 20 January 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa promises an all-hands-on-deck approach to weather-related disasters
# COSATU supports whistleblower protection in the proposed Public Procurement Bill
# And cricket: South Africa is back to its winning ways in the Under-19 World Cup

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says national government will assist flood-stricken Mpumalanga in everyway possible. He visited the Nkomazi Municipality yesterday to assess the extent of the damage caused by the floods and the response of the government. The National Disaster Management Centre officially classified the inclement weather, which has respectively ravaged Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape provinces, as a national disaster. Ramaphosa has promised an all-hands-on-deck approach to weather-related disasters:

# Business Leadership South Africa says the closure of British American Tobacco’s only South African factory shows the serious impact of illegal trade. The factory, running at low capacity, will close this year, costing 230 jobs directly and threatening tens of thousands more across the supply chain. In her weekly newsletter, CEO Busisiwe Mavuso said illicit cigarettes now make up 75-percent of the market, costing the government 30-billion-rand a year and funding organised crime. Mavuso calls on the government to tighten import controls, protecting jobs and local manufacturing.

# COSATU has welcomed ActionSA’s proposed Public Procurement Amendment Bill. The bill aims at overhauling the Protected Disclosures and Public Procurement Acts. COSATU’s Matthew Parks praises incentives for whistleblowers receiving 15- to 25-percent of recovered state assets, stronger protections against victimisation, and harsher penalties for intimidation. He urges government engagement to combine this with the executive bill, creating a comprehensive framework to combat state capture, corruption, and protect those risking their lives for justice.

# The MK Party has linked the tragic scholar transport accident in Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng, which claimed the lives of 13 learners and left several others critically injured, to school placement challenges and unsafe transport options. The party says many children are forced to travel long distances to attend schools outside their communities, relying on unlicensed and unsafe vehicles. MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela pledged support to affected families while demanding accountability for those responsible:

# Russian president Vladimir Putin has been invited to join US counterpart Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which will oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters the invitation came via diplomatic channels. The establishment of the board is a key step in the United Nations-backed American plan to demilitarise and rebuild Gaza. The committee will also include former British prime minister Tony Blair, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The presidents of Turkey, Argentina, and Egypt also received invitations.

# Cricket: South Africa got their Under-19 World Cup campaign back on track, beating Tanzania by 329 runs in Windhoek. Centuries from the in-form Jason Rowles and captain Mohammad Bulbulia helped South Africa to 397 for five, their highest total in a youth international. In reply, Rowles and Bayanda Majola took two wickets each as Tanzania was bowled out for 68 in 32.2 overs. The victory is the perfect way for South Africa to bounce back after their 28-run defeat by Group D leaders Afghanistan last week. 

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-36-cents and the euro at 19-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-460-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-670-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….