News 17:00

BULLETIN 2 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# RISE Mzansi is concerned as load-shedding brings a dark start to 2024
# ActionSA condemns the appeal against the load-shedding judgment
# And, tennis: Nadal beats Thiem in first singles match in almost a year

# RISE Mzansi has condemned the return of rolling blackouts, expressing concern over the frustrations faced by businesses and citizens. Eskom has implemented stage 2 and 3 load-shedding until further notice. RISE Mzansi chief organiser, Makashule Gana, highlights the severe impact on small businesses that cannot afford alternative energy sources. Gana attributes the situation to what it terms the ANC’s political negligence, risking the lives and livelihoods of all South Africans. He says it’s time to have a government that works:

Meanwhile ActionSA leader, Herman Mashaba says the party trusts the new year will be a transformative year for South Africa, ushering in a new era of hope as the country commemorates three decades of democratic government. Mashaba says ActionSA has consistently shown that it is able to win as much support in suburban areas as it do in townships and rural communities. He says in every single by-election in which the party competed, they managed to grow at the expense of the ruling party.

# TAX Justice SA founder, Yusuf Abramjee has welcomed a vital legal breakthrough against the illicit tobacco barons who are stealing billions of rand from South Africa. Several cigarette manufacturers have failed in their urgent bid to interdict the SA Revenue Service against installing CCTV cameras at their warehouses. Abramjee says now these companies, including Carnilinx, which is owned by self-confessed tobacco smuggler Adriano Mazzotti, should have to heed laws enabling SARS to monitor the true volume of cigarettes being produced:

# A Japan Airlines plane burst into flames on the runway of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport after apparently colliding with a coast guard aircraft. Images on local media show the plane moving along the runway before a large explosion of orange flames appeared from beneath and behind it. All 367 passengers and 12 crew onboard the Airbus plane were evacuated. One of the six crew members on the coast guard plane was safe, but the other five are unaccounted for.

# Tennis: 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has beaten Austria’s Dominic Thiem in straight sets in his first singles match in almost a year. The 37-year-old Spaniard won 7-6, 6-1 in the round of 32 at the Brisbane International – his first professional tournament since injuring his hip in last year’s Australian Open. Nadal said earlier 2024 would be his final year on tour, but told ESPN he’s keeping his options open:

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-56-cents and the euro at 20-rand-33-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-46-cents and Bitcoin trades at 45-thousand-310-dollars-79-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-67-dollars-99-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….