News 15:00

BULLETIN 16 September 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA welcomes the Electoral Court ruling on the ANC’s late candidate lists
# A forum wants the former IDAC head Johnson criminally charged over an alleged plot against Masemola
# And fuel price hikes trigger protests around the world

# The DA says the Electoral Court ruling dismissing the ANC’s appeal over the late submission of candidate lists upholds election deadlines and ensures the same rules apply to all political parties. The party’s Ashor Sarupen says the ANC is facing mounting internal and external pressure about this major operational failure. He says the court case it brought lacked merit and substance, and appears to be more of a public relations exercise than a legal one. Sarupen says the IEC is now expected to publish the final lists.

# Activists and Citizens Forum has welcomed National Director of Public Prosecution Andy Mothibi’s decision to withdraw charges against suspended police commissioner Fannie Masemola. He was charged with violation of the Public Finance Management Act in connection with the Medicare 24 tender. The forum’s Dennis Bloem says former Independent Directorate against Corruption head Andrea Johnson and her destructive faction which took part in an evil plot against Masemola, must be criminally charged:

# KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating a case of murder after the body of an unidentified woman was discovered at a waste site in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg. The woman was found with her hands tied behind her back, while police say she had apparent burn injuries. The body was discovered by people collecting waste. Police are calling for community assistance in finding the persons responsible.

Moving abroad:

# Protesters in several countries are taking to the streets as soaring fuel prices drive up the cost of living. Demonstrations have been reported in Syria, Guatemala, Portugal, France and the Philippines as the war between the United States and Iran disrupts global energy supplies. Oil prices have risen way above 100-dollars a barrel, pushing up transport and household costs. In Syria, protesters blocked roads and burned tyres, while truckers and other groups in Guatemala have disrupted highways. Governments are facing growing pressure to subsidise fuel or reduce taxes.

# Rugby: Springbok Women prop Babalwa Latsha says they are embracing the massive challenge of facing Wales on their home turf in the W-15 Global Series opener in Cardiff on Friday. The last time the two nations played each other was in 2021, when Wales defeated South Africa 29-19. The series includes the world’s 12 top-ranked sides. Latsha believes they now have a strong team to beat Wales at home:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-27-cents and the euro at 18-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-90-cents and Bitcoin trades at 75-thousand-865-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-347-dollars-57-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-47-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….