News 12:00

BULLETIN 22 January 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum rejects government’s proposed 100-billion-rand Transformation Fund
# The PSA calls on the Higher Education minister to abolish the unjustifiable university application fees
# And tennis: Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys are through to the Australian Open semifinals

# AfriForum has described minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Parks Tau’s proposed 100-billion-rand Transformation Fund as racially discriminatory. The fund is earmarked to support black businesses with equity funding, debt relief, and grants. The fund would be financed through the private sector. AfriForum’s Ernst van Zyl says they have launched a petition where the public can demand an end to the government’s racially discriminatory laws:

# The Public Servants Association has expressed concern about the payment of university application fees, resulting in institutions making vast profits even when rejecting these applications. One university reportedly received over 600-thousand applications with applicants each paying a 200-rand fee, meaning the university made a profit of 150-million-rand. The association’s spokesperson, John Teffo, says minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane, needs to abolish these non-refundable application fees and allow learners to freely apply at these universities:

# The rooibos industry is driving South Africa’s growth in the global herbal market, with exports of rooibos tea steadily increasing. According to South African Rooibos Council spokesperson, Adéle du Toit, the tea’s growing popularity in markets like Europe, the United States, and Asia is a testament to its health benefits. Du Toit believes rooibos has the potential for continued growth, benefiting the economy and creating jobs in the Western Cape, where it is primarily cultivated:

# Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has encouraged Poles living in the United States to return to Poland, pledging to facilitate the move a day after US president Donald Trump took office. Trump has promised to deport millions of undocumented migrants as he was sworn in. The government in Warsaw estimates nearly 10-million Americans declared having Polish roots in 2012, making up Poland’s biggest diaspora abroad. Tusk instructed Polish consulates to prepare for the possible consequences of the new US administration’s decisions affecting Poles.

# Tennis: Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek dropped only 14 games on her way to her second Australian Open semifinal. The world number two from Poland defeated American Emma Navarro, 6-1, 6-2 and will face another American, Madison Keys, tomorrow for a place in the final. Keys clinched a spot in her third semifinal in Melbourne with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. The other semifinal will see world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus take on Spain’s Paula Badosa.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-993-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-750-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-35-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….