News 11:00

BULLETIN 1 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cosatu says participation in the elections is crucial for democracy
# The Stellenbosch University is urged to get rid of a toxic and exclusionary culture
# And Olympics, only 300-thousand spectators may attend the opening ceremony along the Seine

# Union federation Cosatu says citizens must participate in the upcoming elections to uphold democracy, urging all eligible citizens to register this weekend. The federation calls on the youth, new voters and those who changed addresses to register and build on the gains achieved since 1994. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the democratic gains should be the foundation for economic growth, unemployment reduction, public service improvement and the ongoing fight against crime and corruption:

# ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal says the eThekwini Municipality is headed for disaster as a result of mayor Mxolisi Kaunda retaining his position. The mayor survived a motion of no confidence against him, which was brought by the IFP. The EFF, which governs eThekwini in a coalition with the ANC, voted in support of the motion while some smaller parties abstained. ActionSA’s Sanelisiwe Zuma says Kaunda has on numerous occasions displayed that he is unfit to perform the duties of his office:

# Constitutional law scholar, Pierre de Vos, says it is clear that Stellenbosch University has not managed to root out the toxic and exclusionary culture in some residences, with some white residents and alumni actively resisting efforts to do so. Drawings depicting what appeared to be sexual assault, black hoods and a toxic mixture of linseed oil and aloe crystals were discovered in two rooms at the university’s oldest men’s residence, Wilgenhof.  De Vos says decisive and radical steps are needed to root out this toxic culture that lingers on.

# United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, says only a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side, can ensure just and lasting peace and stability in the region. Nearly 30-thousand people have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war started in October last year. Guterres says there is no justification for the intentional killing, torture or kidnapping of civilians, or launching rockets towards civilian targets. He has also reiterated his call for donor countries to not cut funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza:

# Olympics: The French government has announced a limitation on spectators at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games, citing security and other organisational challenges. No more than 300-thousand people will be allowed on the banks of the Seine when the ceremony takes place on boats on the famous river on the 26th of July. Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin says 100-thousand tickets have already been sold for the best vantage points, while another 200-thousand spectators will be given free access to the upper banks.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-73-cents and the euro at 20-rand-22-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-118-dollars-78-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-43-dollars-and-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-59-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….