News 06:00

BULLETIN 6 February 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says there is a need to tighten the security for witnesses
# The DA welcomes the Public Protector’s investigation of the electricity price blunder
# And rugby: The Stormers Rugby Institute is back up and running

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says witnesses in high-profile cases must be better secured and their identities shielded from public knowledge. His comments follow the attempted hit on Wiandre Pretorius outside his Boksburg residence yesterday, where police recovered at least 16 bullets from the scene. Pretorius was implicated in the testimony of slain Marius van der Merwe at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Ramaphosa says he is appalled by this attempted hit:

# AgriSA has renewed its call for a longer-term extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act to ensure certainty and stable trade relations with America. The organisation has welcomed the US Senate’s approval of a one-year extension, but says this is not enough for long-term planning. AgriSA added that AGOA should not be used for political gain, warning that predictable access to the US market is vital for sectors such as citrus, grapes, wine, and nuts, which support thousands of jobs, especially in rural areas.

# The DA calls for urgent remedial action after the energy regulator, Nersa, admitted clerical errors in its electricity pricing calculations. The party welcomes confirmation from the Public Protector that the matter is investigated. The errors, initially valued at 54-billion-rand and now rising to 76-billion-rand, could push electricity tariffs higher for consumers. The DA’s Kevin Mileham says the mistakes reveal systemic failures at the energy regulator and demands accountability:

# ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has vowed to continue to fight for justice for the families of the 2016 Lily Mine tragedy in Barberton, Mpumalanga. Mineworkers Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi, and Solomon Nyirenda died when a crown pillar underground collapsed in February, bringing parts of the mine down. Their remains have not been recovered, with yesterday marking the tenth anniversary of the incident. Mashaba says the government has shown a profound disregard for the pain endured by these families, whose sole demand has been justice:

# # Ukraine and Russia concluded a second day of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday to end Europe’s most destructive conflict since World War Two. Officials say an agreement was reached to exchange 314 prisoners of war. US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff described the peace talks as “detailed and productive”, with both Russia and Ukraine saying the talks had been positive. On Thursday, Russia’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said there was progress and a positive movement forward. Thousands of soldiers on both sides have been killed, wounded, or gone missing during nearly four years of war.

# Rugby: The Stormers Rugby Institute is back up and running for the first time in seven years, with a fresh group of 12 starting at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport this week. The institute, last operational in 2018, has been revived as part of the framework of Project 2029, to make the most of the talent that comes through the Stormers Rugby pathway. Its coach, Jacques Hanekom, will give the players specialised coaching and holistic support in their first year out of school as they begin the transition to senior rugby.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 19-rand-12-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-841-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-761-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….