News 13:00

BULLETIN 31 January 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Zizi Kodwa welcomes the decision to suspend the auction of Mandela items
# The Tshwane Metro Police are summoned to put a stop to AfriForum’s repair work in Centurion
# And rugby: The Springboks helped the World Cup in France to a record viewership

# Sport, Arts and Culture minister Zizi Kodwa has welcomed the decision by Guernsey’s Auction House to suspend the auction of items associated with former president Nelson Mandela. The South African Heritage Resources Agency confirmed the auction was suspended following the agency’s engagement with the auctioneers and Mandela’s daughter Makaziwe. The ministry’s spokesperson, Litha Mpondwana, says they welcome the cooperation between the agency and Guernsey’s:

# AfriForum says it had to stop repair work on a giant pothole in Centurion after the Tshwane Metro Police was called in to put a stop to this voluntary repair work. The civil organisation’s local neighbourhood team was approached by residents to help fix the pothole on the corner of Kort and Theodore Streets in Kloofsig. AfriForum’s coordinator for Pretoria South, Dewet Ungerer, says the pothole has been reported to the metro for repair on several occasions over the past six months, but without success:

# A judge in the US state of Delaware has annulled a pay deal of over a trillion-rand awarded to Elon Musk in 2018 by the electric car company Tesla. The lawsuit was filed by a shareholder who argued it was an overpayment. The judge ruled the Tesla board’s approval of the pay package was deeply flawed. The pay deal was the biggest ever in corporate history, helping to make the South African-born entrepreneur one of the richest people in the world. The ruling can be appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court.

# Rugby: The 2023 World Cup in France has emerged as the most-watched rugby event in history, and South Africa played a pivotal role in its success. World Rugby says the tournament boasted a 19-percent surge in viewership compared to the 2019 tournament in Japan. The showcase garnered an extraordinary 1.33-billion viewing hours. The Springboks contributed to the highest worldwide viewership of 481-million viewing hours. The final between the Boks and the All Blacks set a new record with 94-million viewing hours.

# And finally: Parliament’s portfolio committee on Health has clarified that the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill is not meant to impose a total cigarette ban, but to safeguard the vulnerable from second-hand smoke.  Additionally, the bill suggests plain packaging with graphic health warnings. Acting chairperson Annah Gela emphasises the need to combat the illicit cigarette trade while regulating, not prohibiting, smoking. The committee is now gathering public input across provinces on the proposed legislation.

Stay tuned for more news………….