News 16:00

BULLETIN 14 Januarie 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa imports the first white maize since 2017 amid a shortage
# BOSA says the DA’s 180-degree turn on the matric pass rate exposes its principles are sacrificed for power
# And Rugby: Cobus Reinach will join the Stormers next season

# The Southern African Cereals and Oilseeds Trade Association says South Africa has imported white maize for the first time since 2017 due to poor crops. The first shipment, from the United States, is offloading in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, with more expected next month. Maize prices have risen, now at six-thousand-670-rand per ton, partly due to high demand from countries like Zimbabwe. The association’s André van der Vyver urges the government to help consumers facing rising food prices.

# Build One South Africa has accused the DA of hypocrisy over the 2024 matric results, calling the 87.3-percent pass rate deceptive. BOSA argues the DA, now in government, defends low education standards it once opposed. BOSA acting spokesperson Roger Solomons urges Basic Education minister, Siviwe Gwarube, to raise the minimum pass mark to 50-percent, as the current 30-percent threshold in some subjects undermines education quality. Solomons proposes an education ombud, higher teacher salaries and a focus on early childhood development:

# Joe Slovo Secondary School in Khayelitsha is celebrating a historic matric pass rate of 99.3-percent, up from 87.2-percent in 2023. Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier says the school doubled its bachelor’s pass rate to 56.2-percent, with outstanding performances in Mathematics and Physical Science. Maynier stated the province continued drive for educational success. He has also confirmed that counselling will be available to matriculants that need it:

# Rugby: Double World Cup winning Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will be joining the Stormers. The experienced Reinach, who has 39 Springbok caps to his name, will return to South Africa at the end of the season having played in England and France for the last seven years. Known for his explosive pace and pinpoint delivery, Reinach also brings a wealth of experience in European conditions with him. Director of Rugby John Dobson said that Reinach’s profile fits perfectly with the style of play which the Stormers are known for.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-8-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-669-dollars-75-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A five-month-old gorilla rescued from a plane’s cargo hold is recovering at the Polonezkoy Zoo in Istanbul, after he was discovered in a box on a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand last month. A veterinarian at the zoo says Zeytin, as he is called, has gained weight in the weeks since he was found. He is also showing signs of recovering from his traumatic journey and will happily play games by himself. Both western and eastern gorillas are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Stay tuned for more news………….