News 08:00

BULLETIN 29 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF is heading to court to challenge sanctions against six of its members of Parliament
# Eskom’s new curtailment addendum unlocks much-needed grid capacity for wind projects
# And, two environmental protesters are arrested for throwing soup at the Mona Lisa 

# The Western Cape High Court will hear the EFF’s case today, challenging the sanctions against six of its members of Parliament including leader Julius Malema. The members were found guilty of being in contempt of Parliament after they stormed the stage during president Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address last year. Effective from Thursday the members will be suspended for one month without pay. Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says they will oppose the EFF’s court bid, adding that they have a very solid case.

# Eskom has published the highly-anticipated curtailment addendum to its latest Generation Connection Capacity Assessment. This is a major step in unlocking much-needed grid capacity for wind projects in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. The addendum has been approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. Eskom’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says before the addendum, there was no remaining grid capacity in the two provinces:

# Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane is today set to introduce an independent law firm to the school management team and the school governing body of Laerskool Queenswood in Pretoria. This follows the death of Latoya Temilton, a Grade seven learner from the school, who drowned during an excursion on the 20th of this month. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says the law firm will also be introduced to the family in due course:

# Two environmental protesters have been arrested after throwing soup at the glass-protected Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre in Paris, calling for the right to healthy and sustainable food. The environmental group Riposte Alimentaire has claimed responsibility for the stunt. It says this marks the start of a campaign of civil resistance with a clear demand for the social security of sustainable food. The Mona Lisa has been behind safety glass since the early 1950s when it was damaged by a visitor who poured acid on it.

# Cricket: Top of the table Durban’s Super Giants overpowered second-placed Paarl Royals by 125 runs to claim a bonus win at Kingsmead, becoming the first team to qualify for the SA20 playoffs. Matthew Breetzke’s 78 and the competition’s fastest half-century off just 17 balls by Heinrich Klaasen led the Super Giants to 208 for seven. In reply, spinner Noor Ahmad grabbed a career-best five wickets for eleven runs as the Royals were dismissed for 83 runs. Breetzke says they need to continue to play well:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-77-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-353-dollars-97-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-25-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-32-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….