News 08:00

BULLETIN 22 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the allegations against minister Macpherson are baseless
# The police and Department of Health provide care for illegal miners
# And President Trump defends his pardoning of the Capitol rioters

# The DA has strongly rejected allegations against minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, saying he will not be deterred in his fight against corruption. The minister has been accused of interfering with the affairs of the Independent Development Trust. The DA’s, Willie Aucamp, says the allegations come just as Macpherson is exposing, investigating, and stopping serious corruption, including an 800-million-rand scandal involving an oxygen tender awarded irregularly by the entity:

# The General Council of the Bar of South Africa has referred the historical sexual abuse allegations against advocate Jeremy Gauntlett to the Cape Bar and the Johannesburg Society of Advocates for investigation. He has been accused of sexually abusing a young Hylton White, who is now a senior lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand. Gauntlett is one of South Africa’s top advocates and was former president Jacob Zuma’s senior counsel in the Nkandla matter at the Constitutional Court. The GCB has described the allegations as serious in the extreme.

# The South African Police Service and North West Health Department are ensuring medical care for illegal miners in police custody. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says daily inspections identify those needing treatment, leading to hospital admissions rising from nine to 32 by 21 January. Mathe says all hospitalised miners remain under police guard. Mathe says authorities refute claims of inadequate care, emphasising their commitment to providing necessary medical attention. She says the collaboration underscores efforts to balance public safety with detainee welfare.

# US president Donald Trump has defended his pardons for around one-thousand-500 involved in the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021, saying their lives have been ruined. Some of those released include former Proud Boys leader Henry Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes. Tarrio was found guilty of seditious conspiracy to overthrow the government and was sentenced to 22-years. During a media briefing, Trump described those he pardoned as the January 6 hostages:

# Cricket: The SA20 encounter between Durban’s Super Giants and MI Cape Town at Kingsmead was abandoned on Tuesday due to rain. MI Cape Town had reached 69 for three in eleven overs before heavy rain halted play and eventually saw the game abandoned with the points shared. MI Cape Town has now moved level on points with Paarl Royals at the top of the table, taking another step closer to their first-ever playoff spot. The Super Giants, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the table.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-50-cents and the euro at 19-rand-26-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-81-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-797-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-749-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-52-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….