News 17:00

BULLETIN 4 October 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The JSC opposes the MK Party’s request to postpone the new judges’ interviews
# The Ekurhuleni serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi is sentenced to multiple life terms
# And cricket: The Protea women crush the Windies in their T20 World Cup match

# The Judicial Service Commission has rejected the MK Party’s request to postpone next week’s interviews for new judges. The MK Party is asking the High Court in Johannesburg to postpone the interviews, following a recent interim ruling from the Western Cape High Court preventing former judge John Hlophe of MK from serving on the JSC. The commission’s legal counsel, Hamilton Maenetje, told the court delaying the interviews would harm the already struggling court system: 

# Ekurhuleni serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi has been sentenced to multiple life terms in the High Court in Johannesburg. Convicted on 90 counts of rape, 43 kidnappings, and other serious crimes, Phakathi terrorised Ekurhuleni residents from 2012 to 2021. His victims, including children as young as nine, endured the abuse. Phakathi pleaded guilty to 148 charges, securing his place among the nation’s most notorious criminals.

# Deputy police minister Polly Boshielo has welcomed one-thousand-812 new constables to the South African Police Service. These recruits completed a six-months training programme and hold at least an NQF level 6 qualification in various fields, including Law and Forensic Science. The initiative aims to enhance police visibility and crime-fighting efforts across South Africa. Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says the second group of trainees will complete their training in December:

# More than 100 elephants in northern Thailand have been moved to higher ground to escape rapidly rising flood waters. The Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai province posted a video of the panic-stricken elephants splashing through muddy waters, and asked the government to send urgent help. Videos showed brown water rushing through the park as staff and volunteers carried dogs in blankets and placed cages on rubber tyres to transport animals to safety.

# Cricket: Captain Laura Wolvaardt and opening partner Tazmin Brits led the Proteas women to an emphatic ten-wicket victory over the West Indies at the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Both scored undefeated half-centuries while chasing the mediocre target of 119, and surpassed that with 13 balls to spare. Earlier, Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the South African bowlers, taking four wickets. The Proteas’ next encounter is against England in Sharjah on Monday, followed by group matches against Scotland and Bangladesh.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-22-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-679-dollars-45-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-649-dollars-52-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….