News 17:00

BULLETIN 10 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Gwede Mantashe calls out Fikile Mbalula for crossing the line on the Zuma issue
# Minister Thulas Nxesi is concerned about the dangerous trend of holding mineworker’s hostage underground 
# And Cricket: Western Province commits to improve Newlands’ pitch after an ICC finding 

# ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe has criticised the party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, for publicly disclosing the party lied to shield former president Jacob Zuma during corruption allegations tied to his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal. Mbalula’s revelation has drawn widespread criticism, with some members fearing its impact on the upcoming elections. Opposition parties, including the DA and the Inkatha Freedom Party, call for accountability and question the ANC’s fitness to govern. Mantashe disapproves, stating Mbalula spoke out of turn and should exercise caution as a leader:

# Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi has expressed concern over the dangerous trend of holding worker’s hostage underground through sit-ins in mines in the country, which can lead to fatalities. Nxesi called on leadership to prevail from all parties to engage workers and provide a solution, based on facts and not allow opportunism with increased misinformation, with a potential to mislead employees and cause violence. Nxesi says all parties should follow prescribed processes provided by law, to find each other in disputes that arise.

# The South African Weather Service has issued a warning of severe thunderstorms and disruptive rain today. A yellow level four warning has been issued for the southern parts of North West and north-central Free State, with expected heavy downpours, strong winds, hail, and lightning. A yellow level two warning extends to the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal. Disruptive rainfall is predicted for the eastern half of the Eastern Cape. The South African Local Government Association urges municipalities to collaborate in repairing infrastructure damaged by recent heavy rains.

# Cricket: Western Province says it is committed to upholding the highest standard and ensuring playing conditions at Newlands in Cape Town are of the highest possible quality. This follows the International Cricket Council’s assessment of the pitch for the second Test between South Africa and India as unsatisfactory, giving it one demerit point. The match lasted just over one and a half day after a record of 23 wickets fell on the first day. The union says it will work closely with Cricket South Africa to identify all areas for improvement.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-61-cents and the euro at 20-rand-38-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 45-thousand-130-dollars-29-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-31-dollars-53-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark, Fikile Magubane, daughter of the late renowned photographer Peter Magubane, has paid tribute to her father during his funeral. Speaking to mourners, she depicted her father as a man who consistently chose the path of resistance. She highlighted his fearlessness and dedication to capturing photographs that captured South African history. Describing him as a family man, she emphasised his protective nature. Ambassador Magubane asserted that her father leaves behind a lasting legacy as a photographer:

Stay tuned for more news………….