News 15:00

BULLETIN 22 September 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Suspended national police commissioner Masemola describes the past months as difficult and painful
# The Moriel Infrastructure Group fires its chairperson after a viral threat video
# And rugby: The Lions coach says consistency will be the key to their success this season

# Suspended national police commissioner Fannie Masemola says he is eager to return to work after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court withdrew charges against him. These were linked to a 360-million-rand police tender awarded to alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Masemola describes the past few months as challenging, saying the experience was a lesson. He called for persons responsible to be held accountable, as well as separation of powers:

# Moriel Infrastructure Group has cut ties with executive chairperson Lawrence Mudzinganyama after a video allegedly showing him threatening women at a Sandton, Johannesburg, restaurant went viral. Luxury estate Steyn City has also terminated his lease. Mudzinganyama threatened to murder the women who had rejected him. Moriel says the behaviour is inconsistent with its values, and it condemns threats, violence and intimidation against women. The South African National Roads Agency is meanwhile investigating Mudzinganyama’s company’s involvement in two infrastructure contracts on the N1 and N2.

# Department of Basic Education director-general Mathanzima Mweli says his concerns about the process of lifestyle audits should not be portrayed as a refusal to account or to submit to legitimate scrutiny. His concerns were about how his audit would be conducted, including the handling of confidential and personal information. Mweli says lifestyle audits involve sensitive personal and financial information and should comply with the applicable public-service framework governing confidentiality, fairness, independence and professionalism. He adds he supports lifestyle audits and is willing to undergo one.

Moving abroad:

# A learner opened fire outside a high school in western Turkey, wounding at least eight other learners. Broadcaster NTV reports the shooting happened near a vocational and technical school in Turgutlu, in Manisa province. The governor’s office says the suspected attacker was arrested by security forces. Two of those wounded were reported to be in critical condition. The motive was not immediately known. The incident comes after two deadly school shootings in Turkey earlier this year, which prompted tighter security measures at schools.

# Rugby: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen says they are looking to build on last season when they reached the United Rugby Championship’s quarterfinals. He has named a 60-man squad for the new URC and Champions Cup campaigns, including Springboks Ruan Venter, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Morné van den Berg. Van Rooyen says they had a good pre-season and are ready to kick off their URC campaign against defending champions Leinster on Saturday:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 18-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-67-cents and Bitcoin trades at 85-thousand-981-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-317-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 99-dollars-19-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….