News 07:00

BULLETIN 25 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Judgement is reserved in Carrim’s postponement bid at the Madlanga Commission
# A popular KwaMashu sangoma is arrested over a triple murder case in 2020
# And: Eskom records its strongest power performance in nine years

# The Madlanga Commission has reserved judgment on North West businessman Suliman Carrim’s fifth application to postpone his testimony. Carrim says ill health following a heart attack has prevented him from appearing. Evidence leader Adila Hassim opposed the request, presenting CCTV footage and cellphone geolocation data stating that it contradicts claims that Carrim’s movements were strictly restricted. Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga says the ruling will be delivered soon:

# The KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team has arrested a KwaMashu traditional healer accused of masterminding the 2020 murders of ANC Youth League member Thamsanqa Gcabashe and eThekwini Metro Police officers Lindokuhle Madonsela and Ndumiso Thusi. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says the suspect is expected to appear in the Hammarsdale Magistrate’s Court on Monday, while five other accused are already facing murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges:

# Solidarity says senior police leaders should be judged on how well they fight crime, not on diversity targets. The trade union was reacting to a South African Police Service decision to include transformation and diversity management in senior managers’ performance assessments. Solidarity’s Theunis van Staden argues, with violent crime at high levels, police leaders should instead be assessed on their success in reducing crime, improving investigations, tackling corruption and restoring public confidence in the SAPS.

# Eskom Generation Recovery Plan continues to improve power system reliability, with the Energy Availability Factor reaching 80.24-percent on 20 July, the highest daily level since September 2017. Unplanned outages fell to their lowest level since July 2018. No diesel was used between 17 and 23 July, cutting diesel spending by more than 85-percent year-on-year. The utility spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says South Africa has recorded 434 consecutive days without load-shedding:

# The International Monetary Fund says Sub-Saharan Africa could boost its economy by 4-percent over the next decade through artificial intelligence. But the organisation warns in a report this could only happen if governments urgently resolve massive bottlenecks in electricity supply, internet access, and digital skills. Without infrastructure reforms, the IMF estimates that AI adoption will yield a negligible growth dividend of just 0.2-percent. Africa hosts roughly 160 data centres, just 5.5-percent of the global total, and nearly half are concentrated in just three countries: South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya.

# And rugby: The Free State Cheetahs dominated the Sharks XV 43–21 in a round 2 Currie Cup encounter in Bloemfontein last night. The hosts ran in seven tries to three to secure a comprehensive bonus-point victory. Wing Prince Nkabinde scored a hat-trick, with veteran Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk adding a brace for the Free Staters, after they were locked 14–14 at halftime. This afternoon the Lions take on the Pumas at Ellis Park at 3 pm and defending champions Griquas face a Bulls XV at 5:05 pm in Kimberley.

Stay tuned for more news………….