News 12:00

BULLETIN 6 January 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nomvula Mokonyane criticises the FF Plus over its stance on Venezuela
# The SACP announces its attendance of the ANC’s January 8 rally
# And cricket: Head and Smith place Australia in a commanding position against England

# The ANC’s first deputy secretary general, Nomvula Mokonyane, has accused the Freedom Front Plus of being ill-informed and acting out of self-interest. FF Plus leader Corné Mulder criticised the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s statement, condemning the US invasion of Venezuela. Mulder said the statement does not represent all parties in the government of national unity. Mokonyane says it’s surprising that some parties in the GNU advocate for the undermining of democracy:

Venezuela’s opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado, has meanwhile said president Nicolás Maduro’s capture will go down in history as the day justice defeated tyranny. Maduro has been accused of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. In an interview on Fox News, Machado praised US president Donald Trump for Maduro’s capture:

# The SACP will participate in the ANC’s January 8 celebrations at the Moruleng Stadium in Saulspoort, North West, on Saturday, despite increased strain between the alliance partners. The event marks the ANC’s founding day in 1912, outlining political programmes and tasks for the upcoming year, including the local government elections. The move comes amid a rift over the SACP’s independent participation in the elections. Spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana says the party remains committed to engagement, even as analysts warn tensions could overshadow the rally.

# The death toll of initiates during the summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape has risen to 23, while seven traditional nurses died in separate incidents. Most initiates died from dehydration, septicemia, suicide, drowning and assault-related injuries. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Zolile Williams, says government, together with communities, needs to do more to clamp down on all illegal practices in initiation schools:

# Cricket: Travis Head and Steve Smith starred with the bat as Australia reached 518 for seven at stumps on the third day of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, leading England by 134 runs. Head scored 163 while Smith contributed an unbeaten 129, becoming the second-highest run scorer in Ashes history behind English batter Jack Hobbs. England were bowled out for 384 in their first innings with Joe Root scoring 160. Australia is now on course to complete an Ashes triumph with a 4-1 scoreline.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-30-cents and the euro at 19-rand-14-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-12-cents and Bitcoin trades at 93-thousand-358-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-464-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-26-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….