News 17:00

BULLETIN 9 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Umalusi confirms the integrity of the Department of Basic Education’s 2025 National Senior Certificate exams
# ActionSA criticises the GNU for failing to answer parliamentary questions
# And soccer: The Afcon quarterfinals take place in Morocco this weekend

# The Council for quality assurance, Umalusi, says no systemic irregularities were found that could compromise the credibility of the November 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations run by the Department of Basic Education. Chairperson Yunus Ballim said over 903-thousand candidates wrote at nearly seven-thousand centres nationwide. Of 68 subjects presented for standardisation, 56 were accepted representing 82-percent and reflecting system stability. He endorsed the withholding of results linked to irregularities:

# ActionSA says the government of national unity has failed a basic test of democratic governance: accountability to Parliament. This comes as 64 parliamentary questions submitted during the year have been allowed to lapse and remain unanswered. Top offenders include ministers Dean Macpherson, Solly Malatsi, and Maropene Ramokgopa. ActionSA’s Lerato Ngobeni says in the final weeks of last year, ministries rushed to submit hundreds of last-minute replies in a superficial show of compliance:

# As schools reopen, the Western Cape Mobility Department is offering free vehicle checks for learner transport operators to ensure learner safety. MEC Isaac Sileku says compliance and roadworthiness are essential, with inspections focusing on brakes, tyres, suspension, and wipers. He urges parents to verify licences and driver permits, while operators must maintain safe, roadworthy vehicles. Sileku says the department’s help desk and enforcement teams support safe transport across the province:

# Iran is largely cut off from the outside world after authorities blacked out the internet to curb expanding protests. Phone calls are not reaching the country, flights have been cancelled and online Iranian news sites are only updating intermittently. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused protesters of acting on behalf of US president Donald Trump, and warns Tehran would not tolerate people acting as mercenaries for foreigners. The protests that began late last month over soaring inflation, have spiralled into the biggest in three years.

# Soccer: The quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations will be played today and tomorrow. First up, Mali and Senegal will do battle in Tanger tonight, followed by the encounter between the host and Cameroon in Rabat. Tomorrow evening, Algeria and Nigeria will face off in Marrakech, whereafter Egypt and Ivory Coast will play in Agadir. The semifinals will be played in Tanger and Rabat, respectively, on Wednesday, the bronze medal match in Casablanca next Saturday, and the final in Rabat next Sunday.

And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-55-cents and the euro at 19-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-583-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-470-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….