News 18:00

BULLETIN 10 January 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa calls on the media to give South Africa an equally balanced view
# Gwede Mantashe calls out Fikile Mbalula for crossing the line on the Zuma issue
# And Cricket: Steve Smith replaces David Warner as Australia’s opening batter 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on journalists to maintain a commitment to producing balanced and unbiased representations of the country. He was speaking at the funeral service of renowned photographer Peter Magubane in Johannesburg. Ramaphosa emphasised that the South Africa captured by Magubane’s lens is different from the South Africa of today. He highlights the crucial role played by journalists, stating that through their work, including that of Magubane, the media continues to access and enjoy the rights to a free media:

# 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:

# Morocco beat South Africa in a vote to decide which African country becomes the leader of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Moroccan ambassador Omar Zniber stood against South African ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi. South Africa argued Morocco’s human rights record made the country unfit to preside over the body, while Rabat accused South Africa of undermining its efforts to hold the prestigious, but mostly symbolic post. Reuters reports the argument marks a rare public dispute in the African group, which normally takes decisions as a bloc.

# Cubans are bracing for intensified economic hardship as the government announced a staggering 500-percent surge in fuel prices, effective from the first of February. Already grappling with inflation and product shortages, Cubans express concerns over the impact of the price hike. The communist government cites the need to cut its budget deficit amid a severe economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, United States sanctions, and structural weaknesses. Official estimates indicate 30-percent inflation rate last year and a two-percent economic contraction.

# Cricket: Steve Smith will fulfil the opening role for Australia for the first time in his career in the first Test against the West Indies, starting in Adelaide next Wednesday. He replaces David Warner, who retired recently. The 34-year-old Smith never opened an innings in his career of 167 first-class matches that include 105 Tests. Selector George Bailey says no-one else wanted the responsibility, so it was refreshing that Smith volunteered for the job. The player has scored over nine-thousand-500 runs in Tests as a middle-order batter.

Stay tuned for more news………….