News 14:00

BULLETIN 29 January 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa sets up a new unit to probe claims from the Madlanga commission
# China executes 11 members of the notorious Ming family
# And road running: The two Oceans Marathon boosts its prize purse to 2.6-million-rand

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia and national police commissioner Fannie Masemola to constitute a new special investigations task team to investigate claims from the Madlanga commission. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says Ramaphosa has studied the interim report and welcomes the commission’s referrals of matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution:

# The death toll in a collision between a truck and a minibus taxi on the R103 Road in Isiphingo, KwaZulu-Natal, has risen to eleven. The provincial Department of Transport’s spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, says six other people were seriously injured and have been taken to hospital. He says this accident comes after the province recorded a historic 18-percent decrease in fatalities during the festive season:

# Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen says government aims to vaccinate the country’s entire cattle herd of about 14-million animals against foot and mouth disease. He says since the start of the outbreak, almost two-million animals have been vaccinated. He adds government, in partnership with the private sector, plans to reach 80-percent vaccinations by the end of December:

Moving abroad:

# China has executed eleven members of the notorious Ming family criminal gang, after being found guilty of crimes including homicide, illegal detention, and fraud. The Mings were one of the so-called four families of northern Myanmar crime syndicates accused of running hundreds of compounds dealing in internet fraud, prostitution and drug production. Another five received death sentences suspended for two years, while eleven were jailed for life. Family head Ming Xuechang, who was a member of a Myanmar state Parliament, killed himself while in custody.

# Road running: Cape Town’s iconic Two Oceans Marathon is raising the stakes this year, announcing a combined prize purse of 2.6-million-rand. The ultra marathon will offer 2.1-million-rand in prize money and the half marathon over 420-thousand-rand. The marathon’s chairperson, Chris Goldschmidt, says by increasing the prize purse for 2026, they are recognising the dedication and talent of elite athletes, and also raising the profile of the event on the global stage. The race will take place during the weekend of 10 to 12 April.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-73-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-73-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-811-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-512-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-55-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….