News 07:00

BULLETIN 4 January 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Students are urged to apply for NSFAS funding before the matric results are released
# Novak Djokovic fights to be fit for the Australian Open after a wrist injury
# And, South Africa’s 2024 calendar boasts two extra public holidays

# The South African Union of Students is urging students to apply for National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding without waiting for their matric results. The closing date for 2024 applications is January 31, and the system may face challenges if flooded with last-minute applications. SAUS spokesperson Aviwe Dlanjwa explains that applicants can apply using their ID numbers and their parents’ ID numbers without needing results. SAUS encourages early applications to ensure timely processing.

# The CEO of the Road Freight Association, Gavin Kelly, says the Association is still concerned about the global factors that puts pressure on petroleum-based fuels, and at the moment seems to push fuel prices down. Kelly says the biggest challenge for South Africa is the need to change the value of the rand in relation to the dollar, the currency the country is currently using to purchase petroleum-based fuel products:

# The DA in KwaZulu-Natal demands the immediate resignation of eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, city manager Musa Mbhele, deputy city manager Sbu Makhanya, and EFF councillor Themba Mvubu due to the ongoing water crisis in Phoenix, Verulam, and Tongaat. The party criticises Kaunda’s detachment from residents’ struggles, while Mvubu, the mayoral committee member for Human Settlements and Infrastructure, is deemed ineffective. The DA’s Yogis Govender calls for a dissolution of the council, citing that the crisis escalated due to the municipality’s refusal of aid from Cape Town:

# Belgium insists on a tracing system for Russian diamonds as the European Union imposes sanctions on the world’s largest diamond mining company, Alrosa, and its CEO, Pavel Marinychev. Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the EU’s ban on Russian diamond imports, effective from Monday, targets an economic sector contributing substantial revenue to the Russian government. Alrosa, accounting for 90-percent of Russia’s diamond production, now faces visa bans and asset freezes. The sanctions are part of the EU’s efforts to tighten measures against the Kremlin.

# Tennis: Ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is fighting a battle against time to be ready for the defense of his title. He injured his wrist during the United Cup team championship in Perth, Australia, where he was beaten by local player Alex de Minaur yesterday. This was the world number one’s first defeat in the country since 2018, where he won his previous 43 games. The year’s first Grand Slam tournament starts in Melbourne next Sunday, and will be played over 15-days for the first time.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-71-cents and the euro at 20-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 43-thousand-117-dollars-64-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-44-dollars-62-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-45-cents a barrel.

# And finally, South Africans are set to enjoy 14 public holidays this year as mandated by the Public Holidays Act. However, the country will lose a public holiday as Freedom Day falls on a Saturday. Citizens will have an extra day off on June 17 to observe Youth Day, falling on a Sunday. The second bonus holiday awaits on the day of the national elections, when president Cyril Ramaphosa is anticipated to declare it a public holiday. The leap year this year also brings a boon for employers, adding an extra workday to the calendar.

Stay tuned for more news………….