News 15:00

BULLETIN 18 September 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Siya Kolisi appeals to men to confront the gender-based violence and femicide crisis
# A Pakistan mosque bombing kills at least 16 people
# And soccer: Beckham says Messi deserves a ninth Ballon d’Or

# Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi has called on South African men to take responsibility and urgent action to help end gender-based violence and femicide. His plea follows the discovery of nine women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Speaking from Australia ahead of next weekend’s Test against the Wallabies, Kolisi urged citizens to unite against GBVF, and encouraged male sporting teams and other public figures to use their platforms to address the crisis:

Meanwhile, union UNTU calls on government to urgently step up efforts to curb this rising crisis. A multidisciplinary police team is investigating the murders of the women over the past two months. UNTU spokesperson Atenkosi Plaatjie says the burden can never be placed on women to be more vigilant or extra cautious when they spend their lives looking over their shoulders:

# The lawyer for accused number two, Victor Majola, charged with orchestrating the murder of Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock, has withdrawn from the case over unpaid fees. Advocate Piet du Plessis told the High Court in Johannesburg his firm lacked financial backing to continue representing Majola during the pre-trial conference. Majola and co-accused Hlengiwe Buthelezi face murder and conspiracy charges following the assasination of Stock outside Zambesi House in the Johannesburg CBD. The matter was postponed to October eighth. Both accused must secure new legal representation.

Moving abroad:

# At least 16 people have been killed and more than 50 injured in a blast at a mosque in northwestern Pakistan. The explosion happened during Friday prayers near a police compound in Kohat. Reuters reports five police members were among the victims. An explosives-laden vehicle is suspected of being involved, although authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause. Rescue teams are searching the damaged mosque and nearby buildings, while no group has claimed responsibility. The area has suffered repeated militant attacks in recent years.

# Soccer: Former England captain David Beckham believes Argentinian great Lionel Messi deserves this year’s Ballon d’Or in his final year of the international game. The 39-year-old was nominated among 29 other players for the coveted award, which he had won eight times in the past. Beckham says Messi had another brilliant World Cup, scoring eight goals and registering four assists, and is also Argentina’s all-time recordholder with 125 goals in 207 matches. The Ballon d’Or will be awarded next month.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-26-cents and the euro at 18-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-995-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-377-dollars-92-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….