News 07:00

BULLETIN 22 February 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA welcomes Parliament confirming the impeachment of Judge Hlophe
# Deputy president Paul Mashatile’s spokesperson is suspended pending sexual misconduct investigations
# And rugby, the Blitzboks want to be more disciplined in Vancouver

# The DA has welcomed the National Assembly voting to impeach Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe, saying it has always maintained that he lacked the integrity to be a judge. Members of Parliament from ten out of 14 political parties represented in Parliament supported the removal. Hlophe improperly attempted to influence Constitutional Court Justices in matters involving corruption charges against then-president Jacob Zuma. The DA says Hlophe’s actions posed a serious risk to the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the EFF says the impeachment of Hlophe represents a systematic attack on the black intelligentsia in South Africa, orchestrated by a harmful alliance between the ANC and the DA. A total of 305 Members of Parliament voted in favour of his removal and 27 against with no abstentions. The EFF’s, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, says the proceedings against Hlophe have been procedurally unfair:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile’s office has announced the suspension of his spokesperson, Vukani Mde, with immediate effect. This follows sexual harassment allegations levelled against him. Pending investigations, Mashatile’s political adviser, Keith Khoza, becomes the spokesperson. Mde has vowed to cooperate with investigations, with the suspension aimed at protecting the alleged victim. The office assures commitment to justice and transparency in the investigation.

# New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, says she will not hesitate to seize former president Donald Trump’s buildings, including his Wall Street skyscraper in Manhattan, if he does not pay his civil fraud fine. Last week Friday, Trump, his two eldest sons, and associates were found guilty of intentionally committing financial fraud over a decade. They were ordered to pay over 6.714-billion-rand plus pre-judgment interest. James says the extent of the fraud committed by Trump was staggering, adding that financial frauds are not victimless crimes.

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens forward, Zain Davids, says discipline will be key in this weekend’s World Series sevens tournament in Vancouver, Canada. South Africa is in the same pool as New Zealand, Great Britain, and Ireland. The Blitzboks are currently fourth on the table. Davids, who is playing in his seventh Vancouver tournament, says it is about the squad playing to their full potential to achieve their goals in this year’s series:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-93-cents and the euro at 20-rand-49-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-92-cents and Bitcoin trades at 51-thousand-427-dollars-99-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-26-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-99-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the South African Weather Service expects the current heatwave to have prolonged above-normal temperatures for three or more days. This condition will persist in the North West, the Free State, and the Northern Cape. Areas not meeting the heatwave criteria will still experience extreme heat, with public advisories warning people to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities, wear suitable clothing, and monitor the vulnerable.

Stay tuned for more news………….