News 09:00

BULLETIN 11 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s genocide case against Israel could have serious implications
# The NSFAS board chairperson takes leave of absence amid corruption allegations
# And tennis, Djokovic and Sabalenka will begin their Australian Open title defence against qualifiers

# University of Pretoria Law Faculty senior lecturer, Faranaaz Veriava, says South Africa’s case against Israel is a strategy to impose binding obligations on the country, where the United Nations Security Council has not been able to do so. Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice in The Hague to face accusations from South Africa, that it is committing genocide in Gaza. Veriava says a ruling against Israel would establish the moral and legal authority that its heavy-handed action in Gaza is wrong, and would oblige countries to take steps to stop the ongoing genocidal acts against Palestinians.

# National Student Financial Aid Scheme board chairperson, Ernest Khosa, has taken a leave of absence following allegations of corruption levelled against him by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse. A report by Outa alleges service providers contracted by the scheme paid millions of rand in kickbacks to the minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, Khosa and the SACP. The scheme’s spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, says Khosa has reiterated to the board that he had never received any financial gratification for his personal use:

# The United Independent Movement says if the ANC remains in power, the South African Social Security Agency and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme grants are at risk of disappearing. The movement claims theft and corruption will escalate, jeopardising the nearly 1.3-million students funded by NSFAS and the 47-percent of beneficiaries relying on monthly social grants. They denounce the recent ten-rand increase in the pensioner’s grant. The party vows to eradicate unemployment and provide better support for students and pensioners under its leadership.

# The GOOD Party says it is concerned about reports that the Tshwane Economic Development Agency has not attracted a single cent in foreign direct investment, despite the 500-million-rand in funding over ten years by the City of Tshwane. The agency was established in 2006 as a means of facilitating economic development in the capital city, especially through foreign direct investment. The GOOD party’s, Sarah Mabotsa, says this shows that the agency is unfit for its purpose and must not receive funding:

# Tennis: World number one Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a record eleventh Australian Open title against a qualifier or a lucky loser. The Serb could face Britain’s Andy Murray in the third round and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinal. Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz headlines the bottom half of the draw and will begin his tournament against France’s Richard Gasquet. In the women’s draw, top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland will face 2020 champion American Sofia Kenin in the first round, while Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will begin her title defence against a qualifier.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-64-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-81-cents and Bitcoin trades at 46-thousand-435-dollars-16-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-32-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….