News 14:00

BULLETIN 20 July 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A tribunal examines Free State judge Lepona Lekale’s fitness for office
# An advocacy group calls on SARS to recover lost revenue through tax enforcement in the spaza shop sector
# And cricket: England’s captain Harry Brook hails the ODI series victory over India

# A judicial conduct tribunal is set to begin hearings this week into whether Free State Judge Lepona Lekale is fit to remain on the bench after not performing judicial duties since 2018 because of ill health. Lekale declined early retirement, citing advice from a traditional healer. The tribunal, chaired by retired deputy president of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Xola Petse, is the first to investigate judicial incapacity. If incapacity is confirmed, the Judicial Service Commission could recommend to Parliament that Lekale be removed from office.

# The Madlanga Commission resumed today with the testimony of Witness M, who will give evidence entirely in camera after concerns that his safety could be at risk. The testimony focuses on a controversial drug busts that implicates heads of state, drug syndicates, politically connected individuals and law enforcement officers. An affidavit states suspicious vehicles were seen outside his home in a security estate conducting surveillance and his spouse was moved to a safe location. The commission is expected to resume public hearings tomorrow.

# A funeral at a Vanderbijlpark cemetery in Gaueng turned violent when a clash left one man shot in the leg and a vehicle torched. The incident reportedly began after two cultural initiates allegedly attempted to rob an elderly mourner, who was legally armed and fired warning shots. The suspects allegedly returned with a group that attacked mourners and damaged vehicles. Firefighters extinguished the fire in the car while police and public order policing officials restored order. Authorities are investigating the incident.

# The Social Movement for Advocacy, Rights and Transformation calls on the South African Revenue Service to urgently act on the findings and recommendations of the Public Protector’s report into the regulation of spaza shops. Movement spokesperson, Lehlogonolo Muthevhuli says SARS much launch a comprehensive tax compliance and revenue collection programme targeting businesses operating outside the tax net:

# Cricket: England’s captain, Harry Brook, has hailed his team’s 2-1 one-day series victory over India after clinching victory in the third match at Lord’s. Opener Ben Duckett struck 141 off 135 balls, the highest individual ODI score at the field in London, as the hosts posted 383 for seven. India remained in the hunt thanks to Rohit Sharma’s 138, but fell 27 runs short. Brook is proud of their overall performance:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-46-cents and the euro at 18-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-273-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-22-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-38-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….