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Daily News update: Matric results quality, fuel price increase prediction, Trevor Noah, Ramulifho dumps DA and more

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By Chulumanco Mahamba

News today includes many have questioned the low pass threshold wondering whether the country’s Matric results are all about quantity over quality and the Automobile Association (AA) has predicted a minor fuel price increase for February for all but one grade.

Meanwhile, South African-born comedian and host of The Daily Show in the US Trevor Noah has won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Talk Series” at the Emmy Award ceremony and Khume Ramulifho has announced his resignation as a member of the party and Democratic Alliance (DA) member of the Gauteng legislature.

News Today: 17 January 2024

In today’s weather update, the weather service has warned about disruptive rainfall, which may lead to widespread flooding in six provinces. – full weather forecast here.

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Matric results: quantity over quality?

The year may have officially started two weeks ago, but for the Matric Class of 2022 – it’s yet to begin.

As the release of Matric results draws closer, the whole country is eagerly waiting to see how well last year’s class performed.

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Many have questioned if SA’s matric pass rate reflects the quality of results. Image: iStock

In the last five years, the pass rate has been above 76%, even hitting 80.1% in 2022 – falling slightly below 2019’s record-high 81.3%.

Despite the impressive digits, many have questioned the low pass threshold wondering whether the country’s Matric results are all about quantity over quality.

CONTINUE: Matric results: quantity over quality?

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Cheer over as AA forecasts fuel price increase for February

Having dropped by close to a Rand a litre in January, the Automobile Association (AA) has predicted a minor fuel price increase for February for all but one grade.

A day after the commencing of the new year, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy confirmed a decrease of between 62 cents and 76 cents a litre in the price of petrol, between R1.18 and R1.26 for diesel and 93 cents for illuminating paraffin.

After a decrease in January, the latest AA prediction points to a small fuel price increase in February. Picture: Neil McCartney

Commenting on the first unaudited data report by the Central Energy Fund on Tuesday (16 January), the AA said a combination of stable international oil prices and a weak Rand are driving prices up ahead of its implementation on 7 February.

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Based on the provided data, motorist will have to fork out 14 cents a litre more for 93 unleaded, 11 cents for 95 unleaded and nine cents for diesel. The only exception is paraffin that will drop by three cents.

CONTINUE: Cheer over as AA forecasts fuel price increase for February


The Daily Show with Trevor Noah nabs Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series

South African-born comedian and host of The Daily Show in the US Trevor Noah has won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Talk Series” at the Emmy Award ceremony on Monday night.

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The award marks the show’s first victory in the category since the departure of Jon Stewart in 2015, LA Times reported.

Noah graciously accepted the prestigious accolade. Photo: X/Television Academy Emmy Awards

Noah graciously accepted the prestigious accolade at the Emmy Awards, expressing his gratitude to the dedicated team behind the scenes and paying homage to the visionary Stewart.

CONTINUE: WATCH: The Daily Show with Trevor Noah nabs Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series


‘This is too much!’ – DA Gauteng MPL Khume Ramulifho dumps party for RISE Mzansi

Khume Ramulifho has announced his resignation as a member of the party and Democratic Alliance (DA) member of the Gauteng legislature.

Having joined the then Democratic Party in 1998 and the Democratic Alliance in 2000, Ramulifho served as the DA Youth Regional Chairperson, Gauteng Provincial Youth Leader and Federal Youth Leader.

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, Khume Ramulifho. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

He was elected to serve in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature after the May 2009 provincial and national elections.

CONTINUE: ‘This is too much!’ – DA Gauteng MPL Khume Ramulifho dumps party for RISE Mzansi


Soweto tenant on the run after attempting to kidnap a child in a suitcase

A 32-year-old Soweto women is on the run after she was caught trying to kidnap a child using a travelling bag on Saturday.

According to police spokesperson Mavela Masondo, the woman who stayed in a communal house was moving out of the property at the weekend. When the mother of the child, who is also a tenant, realised that her child was missing she decided to search the fellow tenant’s bags and that is when she found her child in the women’s suitcase.

The child was found with her hands and feet tied up and a cloth tucked inside her mouth. Picture: iStock

“Police have opened a case of kidnapping after a four-year-old child was found inside a travelling bag in Protea Glen, Soweto, on Saturday, 13 January 2024,” Masondo said.

Masondo said the child was playing with her friends when the mother realised that she was missing.

CONTINUE: Soweto tenant on the run after attempting to kidnap a child in a suitcase


In other news today:


Yesterday’s News recap

READ HERE: Matric results ‘not compromised’, 14 undocumented children found, Cholera cases surface, and 4 lions euthanised

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By Chulumanco Mahamba
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