News 14:00

BULLETIN 22 January 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Annual consumer inflation rises slightly to three-percent in December
# Four people are shot and killed in Motherwell in the Eastern Cape
# And rugby: Ireland’s captain believes the Lions tour will bring another dimension to the Six Nations

# South Africa’s annual consumer inflation edged up to three-percent in December from 2.9-percent in November. Key contributors to the rise included housing and utilities, miscellaneous goods and services, food, and non-alcoholic beverages. Statistics South Africa’s Patrick Kelly says the average inflation for last year was 4.4-percent, lower than the six-percent recorded in 2023:

# Four people were shot and killed and one was injured when three unknown men entered a house and opened fire on a group of friends in Motherwell in the Eastern Cape last night. Police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa says three men aged between 20 and 25, as well as a 16-year-old girl, were fatally shot, while a 24-year-old man was injured. She says the motive is not clear and forms part of the investigation.

# Gauteng residents are urged not to worry about recent social media claims regarding algae in waterways like the Hennops River and Hartbeespoort Dam. The DA confirmed that a natural part of aquatic ecosystems, cyanobacteria, supports oxygen production and nitrogen fixation. The party’s Leanne de Jager highlights that public concerns about water quality are acknowledged, but recent alarmist claims are unfounded:

# Rugby: Ireland’s captain, Caelan Doris, says this year’s British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia brings another dimension to the Six Nations. He believes the players will go all out in the annual competition to be considered for the Lions’ tour, which only takes place every four years. Doris says although team success is very important, individual rivalries are expected. Ireland, who won the Six Nations the previous two years, plays England in Dublin in the first round next weekend.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-46-cents and the euro at 19-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-885-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-761-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

# And finally: FNB Bank is warning all South Africans about a worrying new trend of debt counsellors engaging in deceptive and misleading practices of placing desperate or unsuspecting consumers under debt review. This happens without their full knowledge of what the process entails or what the long-term implications are. FNB’s Ester Ochse is encouraging customers to call their bank and find out what options are available to help them manage their debt obligations:

Stay tuned for more news………….