News 09:00

BULLETIN 18 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom’s structural performance changes continues to deliver the ongoing suspension of load-shedding
# The Israeli cabinet ratifies a Gaza ceasefire accord due to take effect tomorrow
# And, cricket: A convincing win for Sunrisers Eastern Cape over Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20

# Eskom says structural performance changes at the utility has helped the ongoing suspension of load-shedding for over nine months, in support of the country’s socio-economic growth. Spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says Eskom has reached 296 consecutive days without implementing loadshedding. She says on Monday at midnight, the power utility will have reached 300 days of load-shedding suspension for the South African economy, a milestone not seen since June 2018:

# The Public Servants Association has promised to fight the closure of Ithala Bank after the South African Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority moved to liquidate it. The PSA argues the bank plays a crucial role in supporting KwaZulu-Natal’s historically marginalised communities and small businesses. The association’s Mlungisi Ndlovu blames the unfair enforcement of banking rules and urged the government to step in and help save the bank through restructuring or partnerships:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Health has urged the introduction of pre-initiation health screenings to address rising initiation-related deaths in the Eastern Cape. The committee expressed concern over the lack of medical checks for initiates, which has contributed to fatalities. The committee’s chairperson Sibongiseni Dhlomo says the screenings will help parents make informed decisions and ensure the safety of their children while respecting cultural practices:

# Israel’s cabinet has approved a deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier today – one day ahead of the agreement’s scheduled start. In the early hours of the morning, after meeting for more than six hours, the government ratified the agreement that could pave the way for an end to the 15-month-old war in the Palestinian enclave, which Hamas controls.

# And cricket: The Sunrisers Eastern Cape, currently bottom of the log, managed their first 2025 SA20 season victory with a bonus point 58-run win over the Durban Super Giants at Kingsmead in Durban last night. The Sunrisers elected to bat first and posted 165/5 in their allotted overs while the hosts were all out for 107.  Top scorers for the visitors were Tom Abell with 57 runs off 39 balls, while Marco Jansen added 36 off 26 and Zak Crawley contributed 38 off 29.

Stay tuned for more news………….