News 13:00

BULLETIN 22 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fort Hare fires its vice-chancellor two days before his planned exit
# A court grants media access to former State Security Agency officials’ 12-million-rand fraud trial secrecy bid
# And rugby: Stormers hooker Kotzé is suspended for three matches after his red card against Bristol Bears

# The University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape has dismissed vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu two days before his planned exit. He resigned last month. The institution’s council says in a communiqué Buhlungu was found guilty of two counts of misconduct for unauthorised executive appointments and statements that brought the university into disrepute, plus insubordination. It says this undermined trust and confidence in the employment relationship. His employment was terminated with immediate effect.

# Media houses and civil society have won access to the trial of former State Security Agency officials Thulani Dlomo and Patrick Mshothola, accused of misappropriating 12-million-rand in SSA funds. The High Court in Pretoria had on 14 October ordered restrictions on public access, including closed proceedings. Three trial days proceeded without media. Judge Mashudu Munzhelele today granted Media24, Daily Maverick, amaBhungane and the Campaign for Free Expression’s application challenging the previous order as violating open justice.

# Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya says they are prioritising the protection of communities affected by the gastrointestinal illness outbreak, while accelerating rehabilitation work at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works. This comes as the number of confirmed cases has risen to 433, with the outbreak affecting communities including Bronkhorstspruit, Zithobeni, Dark City, Rethabiseng and Sokhulumi. Moya says the metro is committed to ensuring accountability for the failures that contributed to this crisis:

# Standard Bank says the mini-budget sends a positive signal on fiscal stability, infrastructure investment and increasing private-sector participation. Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana reaffirmed public debt is now declining and pointed to an infrastructure pipeline of approximately 217-billion-rand through the Infrastructure Fund. The bank’s Umesh Madhav says the real measure of success will be the extent to which these developments translate into tangible growth for South Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises:

# Rugby: Hooker JJ Kotzé will only be available for the Stormers again in the middle of December after receiving a three-match suspension for his red card against Bristol Bears in Cape Town. He was initially sent off with a yellow card, but it was later upgraded to red. The Stormers appealed against the suggested suspension, but an independent disciplinary committee confirmed the decision after a review. André-Hugo Venter will wear the number two jersey in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship home clash with Welsh outfit Scarlets.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-47-cents and the euro at 18-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-8-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-772-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-87-dollars-40-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 113-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….