News 13:00

BULLETIN 2 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Almost 245-thousand suspects were arrested for various offences during the police’s safer festive season operations
# Tshwane reminds residents about the looming deadline for spaza shop registrations
# And soccer: The sexual assault trial of an accused former chief of the Spanish Federation starts tomorrow

# National police commissioner Fannie Masemola says a total of 244-thousand-952 suspects were arrested for various offences during police safer festive season operations between October last year and January this year across the county. Masemola was providing an update on SAPS nationwide safer festive season operations in Pretoria today. He says police intensified prevention and combatting strategies, concentrating on nine focus areas, with serious and violent crimes at the centre:

Meanwhile, police have also seized more than 70-thousand counterfeit items valued at over 90-million-rand million and arrested 37 suspects of various nationalities during multiple takedown operations conducted in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal throughout January. Police spokesperson, Amanda van Wyk says the seized counterfeit and illicit goods included cellphones and accessories, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, toys, clothing, and consumables:

# The City of Tshwane is reminding business owners that all spaza shops and food-handling businesses must register by 28 February to ensure that they are compliant and to avoid being closed down. The city’s spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo says Tshwane received four-thousand-109 applications so far. He says 148 applications have been approved and 564 are pending the submission of further relevant documentation and with 343 foreign nationals’ applications have been processed:

# Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire when he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Washington tomorrow. During his meeting with Witkoff, Netanyahu will discuss Israel’s positions in respect to the ceasefire. Witkoff will then speak with officials from Egypt and Qatar, who have mediated between Israel and Hamas over the past 15 months with backing from Washington.

# And, soccer: The former chief of the Spanish Federation, Luis Rubiales, goes on trial on tomorrow over his controversial kiss of star player Jenni Hermoso. He kissed her on the lips without her consent when congratulating the women’s team for winning the World Cup in 2023. Forty-seven-year-old Rubiales provoked worldwide outrage and was later forced to resign. He faces charges of sexual assault and coercion, with prosecutors seeking a jail term of two and a half years.

Stay tuned for more news………….