News 09:00

BULLETIN 9 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s growth expectations dependent on energy security
# The country’s proposed Integrated Energy Plan is criticised by experts
# And, Cape Town’s status as a tourism destination is embraced and celebrated

# Growth expectations in South Africa remain heavily dependent on load-shedding being steadily phased out, and a higher level of energy security being achieved as promised. This is according to the North-West University Business School Policy Uncertainty Index for the fourth quarter of last year. The university’s professor Raymond Parsons says the appointment of a new Eskom CEO is a positive step in the right direction. He adds that the expected publication of the revised draft Integrated Resource Plan in the Government Gazette needs to be critically interrogated.

# South Africa’s proposed Integrated Energy Plan, released for public comment, has received criticism from experts. The draft aims to outline how electricity supply and demand will be balanced until 2050. However, energy experts, including Chris Yelland, have expressed dissatisfaction, citing a lack of clarity and comprehensive details on addressing rolling blackouts:

# The UK-based charity Action on Armed Violence last year recorded a 122-percent increase in civilian fatalities caused by explosives. At least seven-thousand-307 explosive incidents were identified around the world, up from four-thousand-322 recorded the previous year. The attacks caused the deaths of at least 15-thousand-305 civilians. AOAV’s research shows the use of air-launched weapons across the globe increased by 226-percent last year, rising from 519 incidents in 2022 to one-thousand-694 last year. Conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia were highlighted.

# Soccer: Holders Manchester City will face Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Manchester United, who defeated Wigan Athletic two-nil yesterday, will be away either to League Two Newport County or National League side Eastleigh. Chelsea will host Aston Villa, and Newcastle United will take on Fulham. Liverpool, who beat Arsenal, will be at home against either Norwich or Bristol Rovers. Maidstone United, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, will face Championship side Ipswich. The fixtures will be played on the weekend of the 27th of this month.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-59-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 46-thousand-855-dollars-39-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-33-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-26-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the City of Cape Town says over the past few months, the tourism sector has experienced remarkable growth, making it a hub for business revenue and creating diverse job opportunities. In the 2022/2023 season, aviation brought in 24-billion-rand and ten-thousand- 600-plus jobs into the Cape. Cruise travel welcomed almost 190-thousand passengers and crew between October 2022 and May last year. Mayoral committee member for Economic Growth, James Vos, says they are committed to creating a tourism-related job in every household in Cape Town:

Stay tuned for more news………….