News 09:00

BULLETIN 5 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nicolás Maduro and his wife are set to make their first court appearance in New York today
# Cosatu says the attack on Venezuela is a direct assault on the rights and sovereignty of all people
# And, the Gauteng Traffic Police intensifies its operations

# Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are due to appear in a federal Manhattan court in New York today. This comes after they were captured by the US on Saturday. The couple is among six defendants named in an indictment that accuses them of conspiring with violent, dangerous drug traffickers for the last 25 years. US president Donald Trump says the case is infallible and called US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case, highly respected.

Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions says the US attack on the territorial integrity of Venezuela is a direct assault on the rights and sovereignty of all people, particularly in the Global South. Cosatu’s International Secretary, Bongani Masuku, says America’s blatant violation of international law, multilateralism and the principle of equality of states calls for decisive responses from the international community:

# EFF Greater Taung Sub-Regional chairperson Tebogo Babuile has urged supporters to stand firmly behind party leader Julius Malema ahead of his pre-sentencing hearing at the East London Magistrate’s Court on 23 January 2026. Malema was found guilty on several firearm-related charges stemming from a 2018 EFF rally in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. Babuile says Malema cannot face what he calls imperialist forces alone:

# Gauteng Traffic Police, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, have intensified road safety operations. This comes as the festive season draws to an end, and most people are expected to make their return to the province in the coming days. Traffic spokesperson, Sello Maremane, says law enforcement agencies have increased patrols, roadblocks and high-visibility operations to curb reckless behaviour, prevent road crashes and reduce fatalities:

# Tennis: Twenty-four-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has cut ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association, the players’ union he co-founded with Canadian player Vasek Pospisil in 2021. The 38-year-old Serb says he made this decision after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way his voice and image have been represented. In March last year, the association launched legal action against the sport’s governing bodies, accusing the organisations of systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-879-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-403-dollars-31-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….