News 07:00

BULLETIN 8 January 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Basic Education confirms that the matric results will be published in newspapers
# The NFP withdraws from the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity
# And motorsport: Henk Lategan dominates the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally

# The Department of Basic Education says the National Senior Certificate results will be published in accredited newspapers next Tuesday. This is despite the Information Regulator approaching the Supreme Court of Appeal last week to appeal a ruling that matric results may be published on public platforms, as they had been since 2022, using candidates’ examination numbers. The department’s Terence Khala says no names, surnames, or ID numbers will be published:

# The GOOD Party says the new National Director of Public Prosecutions, Andy Mothibi, brings a strong track record and the experience needed to restore integrity at the National Prosecuting Authority. Mothibi, currently head of the Special Investigations Unit, will take over from Shamila Batohi next month. GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron praised him for recovering billions lost to corruption and leading a committed crime-fighting team:

# The National Freedom Party has officially withdrawn from the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity with immediate effect. The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee. The NFP, which holds a single seat in the 80-member provincial legislature, is the kingmaker in the coalition, which is led by the IFP alongside the ANC and the DA. The party has instructed its provincial chairperson and Social Development MEC, Mbali Shinga, who is the only NFP member in the legislature, to resign by today.

# The Russian Transport Ministry says no state has the right to use force against vessels that are properly registered in the jurisdictions of other nations. This comes after the US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, as well as another vessel in the Caribbean. The ministry says Moscow gave the Marinera permission, via a temporary permit issued on Christmas Eve, to “fly the Russian Federation flag”. It adds that the action by the US has violated maritime law.

# Motorsport: South Africa’s Henk Lategan emerged victorious in stage 4 of the Dakar Rally and moved to the top of the general ranking. Lategan, last year’s overall runner-up, secured his fifth career stage win in his Toyota Hilux. Qatari five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was second fastest, with Pole Marek Goczał finishing third. Lategan says he just had to drive instinctively, after suffering nine punctures on Tuesday:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 19-rand-20-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-411-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-455-dollars-54-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-18-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….