News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA’s Green Umbrella Project is gaining steam ahead of the local government elections
# Parliament’s Health Committee is concerned about the ARV suppliers being placed under business rescue
# And, Donald Trump says ‘progress is being made’ after a phone call with Minneapolis mayor

# ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says the party’s trajectory is now defined by exceptional growth in rural communities and urban centres. The party has welcomed two more community-based organisations, the Azanian Independent Community Movement and the Creatives Congress Movement, to stand under its Green Umbrella Project in the upcoming local government elections. Mashaba says ActionSA continues to keep its doors open to all like-minded political parties and civic formations that share the values and commitment to building a capable and ethical state:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Health has expressed concern over reports that the two suppliers contracted to tender antiretroviral drugs for the Department of Health have been placed into business rescue. Avacare Health subsidiaries Barrs and Innovata last year won a share of the tender to supply ARVs, alongside nine other companies. However, Barrs and Innovata both applied for business rescue nine days after the tender commenced. The committee says it welcomes the department’s assurance that there is sufficient stock of ARV medications for the next three months. 

# The Motor Industry Staff Association welcomes the Chinese automaker Chery’s investment in South Africa, following its acquisition of Nissan’s historic Rosslyn plant in Pretoria. The union believes the move will secure jobs for most of Nissan’s affected employees and preserve local manufacturing capacity. The association’s Sonja Carstens says Chery sets an example, showing local production is vital for the survival of the automotive industry and the creation of new employment opportunities:

# US president Donald Trump says he had a very good phone call with Democratic Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, and progress is being made. This comes in the aftermath of Saturday’s fatal Border Patrol shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are reportedly expected to leave Minneapolis today. White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt says nobody, including president Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America’s streets:

# Cricket: Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Eathan Bosch have been added to the Proteas squad to face the West Indies in the first of three T20 internationals in Paarl this evening. The duo replaces SA20 final players Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, and Tristan Stubbs from Sunrisers Eastern Cape. David Miller is out as he recovers from a groin injury. Despite playing the SA20 final, Anrich Nortje, Dewald Brevis, Keshav Maharaj, and Lungi Ngidi are available. This series is a tune-up for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-99-cents and the euro at 19-rand. One British pound costs 21-rand-90-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-525-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-66-dollars-22-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-31-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….