News 12:00

BULLETIN 23 January 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Everest Wealth’s CEO says Trump’s second term must be a wake-up call for South Africa’s economic strategy
# OUTA accuses NSFAS of monopolising student accommodation
# And soccer: The PSL suspends all Royal AM matches until further notice

# Everest Wealth CEO, Thys van Zyl, says US president Donald Trump’s second term should push South Africa to reassess its foreign policy and focus on economic growth. America is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner after China. Van Zyl says although South Africa will still enjoy the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act in 2025, this does not mean that it will be extended again. He adds that the country must balance its foreign policy while also seeking opportunities to strengthen trade ties with the US:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse warns of a looming student accommodation crisis as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme owes 44-million-rand to providers. The Private Student Housing Association, housing 80-thousand students, has threatened to block returning students if payments are not made within two weeks. OUTA’s Rudie Heyneke blames the scheme’s mismanagement, including a flawed portal and delayed payments, for putting students and landlords at risk:

# Repairs are in progress at Limpopo’s Groblers bridge port of entry with Botswana after flooding caused damage. The Border Management Authority says the work, including water tests and infrastructure fixes, will take about six days. Deputy assistant commissioner Peter Mphilo says the port will reopen once repairs are complete to restore trade and travel:

# A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a fatal stabbing in Birmingham, England. Police were called to the incident after reports of a 12-year-old boy who had been stabbed in the stomach. The boy was found by a member of the public and treated at the scene by paramedics. He was taken to hospital but died a few hours later. The suspect remains in custody.

# Soccer: The Premier Soccer League has suspended all fixtures involving Royal AM indefinitely. The KwaZulu-Natal-based club owned by controversial businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize is under the SA Revenue Services’ curatorship due to a tax debt of over 40-million-rand. Royal AM, which has not played a match in the league since their three-one loss to TS Galaxy on December 29, has failed to pay players and staff salaries. The PSL says it will meet with Royal AM on Friday, to allow the club to make representations on the current situation.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-26-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-79-cents and Bitcoin trades at 102-thousand-449-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-753-dollars-22-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-21-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….