News 09:00

BULLETIN 14 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD Party calls for greater priority on basic education
# Minister Tau welcomes the Fresh Produce Market Inquiry report
# And firefighters prepare for more dangerous winds in Los Angeles

# The GOOD Party says the improved 2024 matric pass rate of 87.3-percent is encouraging. This is the country’s highest-ever national pass rate since the dawn of democracy. The Free State was the country’s top-performing province after recording a 91.0-percent pass rate followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Seventy-three out of the 75 education districts had a pass of 80-percent and above. GOOD’s secretary-general, Brett Herron, says government must place greater priority on basic education:

# Trade and Industry minister Parks Tau has welcomed the Fresh Produce Market Inquiry’s final report led by the Competition Commission. The inquiry, which released provisional findings in June last year, noted how the inconsistency of several by-laws harmed competition. The domestic fresh produce market in the country is estimated to be valued at 53-billion-rand annually. The ministry’s spokesperson, Yamkela Fanisi, says the 31 remedies presented in the report offered a clear way to address challenges facing the fresh produce market:

# Eastern Cape judge president Selby Mbenenge’s defence says they want to subpoena former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, to help him clear himself of the sexual harassment charges he is facing. The allegations stem from sexual advances made by the senior judge between 2021 and 2022 towards Andiswa Mengo, a former secretary in the Division of the High Court. On Monday, a Judicial Conduct Tribunal began its investigation into Mengo’s accusations. In May 2023, Zondo classified Mengo’s complaint as one that, if proven, would constitute gross judicial misconduct.

# Los Angeles officials say the city is undertaking urgent preparations after the National Weather Service forecasted close to hurricane-force winds this week. Three wildfires are still burning in the city, the largest, the Palisades fire, is just 14-percent contained. Some 24 people have been killed by the ongoing wildfires, with at least 23 still unaccounted for. LA County Fire Chief, Anthony Marrone, says they are better prepared for the coming severe fire weather event:

# Soccer: Arne Slot says high-flying Nottingham Forest “deserve” to be treated as Premier League title contenders as he prepares Liverpool for a tricky trip to the City Ground tonight. Third-placed Forest, responsible for Liverpool’s only league defeat of the season, can move just three points behind the title favourites if they win a seventh straight league game in midweek. Forest finished just outside the relegation places last season and their surge towards the top of the table is a big surprise. But Slot says they must be considered as serious rivals.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-98-cents and the euro at 19-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-925-dollars-9-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-669-dollars-41-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….