News 16:00

BULLETIN 22 January 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC vows to protect local jobs amid the threat of ArcelorMittal’s Newcastle furnace shutdown
# Cricket: South Africa’s under-19 women’s team remains unbeaten at the T20 World Cup
# And a new memorial in Cape Town honours black South African Labour Corps heroes from World War One

# The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has vowed to protect local jobs from the closure of ArcelorMittal’s Newcastle furnace. The party’s alliance, including the SANCO, SACP and Cosatu, urges the government, industry, and financial institutions to collaborate in keeping the furnace open and protect the local economy. The ANC’s provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo, says cooperation is essential to keep the furnace operational and protect the steel sector:

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has endorsed the appointment of PwC to investigate alleged irregularities in the 800-million-rand Independent Development Trust Oxygen Plant tender. Concerns include awarding contracts to two companies without South African Health Products Regulatory Authority registration. The eight-week probe will assess procedural compliance, financial losses, and officials’ accountability. He says the aim is to bolster governance and public trust:

# The one-billion-rand Medigrow cannabis project in Gqeberha’s Coega special economic zone is set to begin with a 100-million-rand investment. News24 reports the initiative seeks to distribute hemp seeds to 28 licensed Eastern Cape farmers and promoting legal cannabis cultivation. Set on ten-thousand hectares, the project includes cannabis processing into medicinal products for export and is expected to create 30-thousand jobs. Supported by the Eastern Cape government, the facility meets international standards and aligns with South Africa’s Cannabis Masterplan to boost rural economies and job creation.

# Cricket: South Africa’s under-19 women’s team top their group at the T20 World Cup in Malaysia after beating Nigeria by 41 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern-method. South Africa scored 49 for 2 in 8 overs with Simoné Lourens scoring 25 runs before the weather intervened. Nigeria was set a target of 66 in their eight overs but could only manage 24 for 8. Player of the match Seshnie Naidu took two wickets for just one run and captain Kayla Reyneke took two wickets for 13 runs.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-528-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-755-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A new memorial has been launched in Cape Town’s Companies Garden as a tribute to one-thousand-172 black South African men of the Labour Corps who perished during World War One. Funded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the memorial will be inaugurated by Britain’s Princess Anne. This historic moment acknowledges their sacrifices, long overlooked in history. The commission says the initiative marks a significant step in honouring the contributions of black South Africans to global conflicts and preserving their legacy for future generations.

Stay tuned for more news………….