News 08:00

BULLETIN 16 January 8 am

Good morning I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The African Transformation Movement condemns SARS’ selective justice in Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farmgate scandal
# ActionSA’s youth wing calls for the seizure of Blade Nzimande’s assets
# And, Donald Trump wins the Iowa Republican caucuses

# The African Transformation Movement says it condemns the South African Revenue Services’ flip-flopping, selective justice, and cover-up in president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farmgate scandal. This comes as the Revenue Service has opened a criminal case against Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa. He paid 10.82-million-rand in cash for 20 buffalo from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in December 2019. The money was stolen from the farm in 2020. ATM’s spokesperson, Zama Ntshona, says SARS has neglected to press charges against the president:

# ActionSA’s Youth Wing demands the seizure of Higher Education Science and Innovation minister Blade Nzimande’s assets following corruption allegations. He is accused of receiving kickbacks from National Student Financial Aid Scheme service providers. The organisation’s campaign manager, Boitumelo Talafala, emphasised the need for young people to reclaim their future. Talafala warned that if necessary, the youth is prepared to take to the streets, drawing parallels with the youth activism of 1976, to ensure Nzimande’s removal.

# Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for suspects involved in the killing of four people in different incidents in Diepsloot. In one of the incidents, the victim was hijacked, shot and killed. The hijacked car was later found abandoned in Tembisa. Police spokesperson, Brenda Muridili, says in the other incidents, the victims were robbed of their belongings, shot, and killed:

# Former US president Donald Trump has won the Iowa caucuses, solidifying his place as the front-runner for the Republican nomination. With more than 80-percent of the vote in, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley are in a tight race for second in the caucuses. Iowa is the first of the state-by-state contests where Republican voters pick their White House candidate. Trump campaign senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CBS, that Trump is the best shot the Republican party has in beating president Joe Biden:

# Soccer: Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi won men’s player of the year at the Fifa Best Awards held in London. The awards recognise the most exceptional performer between December 19th, 2022, and August 20th, 2023. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who guided the team to the treble last season, won best men’s coach, while City’s Ederson collected the goalkeeper award. England women’s manager Sarina Wiegman was named coach of the year, with Manchester United’s Mary Earps winning the best goalkeeper award for the second successive year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-74-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-690-dollars-42-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-51-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-91-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….