News 15:00

BULLETIN 15 January 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Former minister Dion George resigns from the DA
# The Transport Ministry begins with Traffic Act amendments to toughen drunk driving laws
# And tennis: Djokovic is in the same half as defending champion Sinner for the Australian Open

# Former minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Dion George, has resigned from the DA after 28-years. This follows after DA leader John Steenhuisen requested his removal as minister in November. George also resigned as chairperson of the DA’s Federal Finance Committee and as Member of Parliament. He accuses Steenhuizen of compromising the party, muzzling its parliamentary voice, and aligning with ANC interests:

# The Transport Ministry will begin amending Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act to impose harsher penalties for drunk driving. Presenting the 2025/26 Road Safety Report, minister Barbara Creecy said despite a five-percent drop in fatalities, road deaths remain a national shame. She stresses that speeding and drunk driving are major causes of crashes and says laws allowing drinking and driving must be scrapped:

# The South African government has called for dialogue and restraint in Iran as it is closely monitoring developments with concern. Widespread anti-government protests broke out due to economic pressures, escalating regional tensions and geopolitical instability. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the unrest have prompted calls for the rights to Iranian people to be protected:

# Tennis: Defending champion Italian Jannik Sinner and ten-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia are in the same half of the Australian Open draw, setting up the possibility of a blockbuster semifinal clash. Sinner will open his campaign against France’s Hugo Gaston, while Djokovic will face Spain’s Pedro Martinez. Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, who is looking to complete his career Grand Slam, plays Australia’s Adam Walton in the opening round. Home favourite Alex de Minaur has a tough first-round draw against Italian Matteo Berrettini.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-34-cents and the euro at 19-rand-2-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-94-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-791-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-618-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The family of 18-year-old Rikus Kylander, who went missing while snorkelling off the coast of Mozambique last month, has expressed mixed emotions after revealing he achieved five distinctions in his matric results. The learner from Hoërskool Noordheuwel in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, disappeared at Ponta do Ouro in the south of Mozambique during a post-matric holiday with friends. Despite extensive land, sea and air search efforts, he has not been found.

Stay tuned for more news………….