News 09:00

BULLETIN 31 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Madlanga commission tests new information and communications technology
# The MK Party applauds Masemola for returning 121 dockets to the Political Killings Task Team
# And five are killed in a crash on the N1 near Ysterberg in Limpopo

# The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is finalising tests on ICT systems before the hearings into KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations of political interference in crime prevention. Spokesperson Jeremy Michaels told SABC News that consultations with witnesses are underway while the Justice Department and service providers ensure all systems are functional. He confirmed a new date will be announced soon:

# The MK Party has praised National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola for returning 121 dockets to the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team. The MK Party says the move is crucial amid South Africa’s rising crime and corruption, calling it a step toward long-overdue arrests and prosecutions. While welcoming the reinstatement, the party criticises president Cyril Ramaphosa for failing to act decisively against criminal networks, gender-based violence, and lawlessness, urging urgent leadership to restore justice and public safety.

# Western Cape MEC for Mobility Isaac Sileku has called on stakeholders to work together to restore stability in the taxi sector. This follows deadly attacks in Philippi East, Khayelitsha, and Macassar, leaving five dead and nine injured. Rival associations CATA and CODETA have been summoned by the Provincial Taxi Registrar to explain code of conduct breaches. Sileku emphasised to Newzroom Afrika the need to comply with the High Court interdict:

# Five people died and two others were injured in a head-on collision at Ysterberg Mountain in Polokwane Municipality, Limpopo yesterday. The Transport Department confirmed the victims were burned beyond recognition when two sedans caught fire after impact. Spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said preliminary reports suggest one vehicle attempted to overtake. MEC Susani Violet Mathye expressed condolences to families and urged road users to exercise patience, raising concern over recurring accidents along the hazardous route.

# The former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Andriy Parubiy has been shot dead in the western city of Lviv. Ukraine’s prosecutors said “an unidentified gunman fired several shots at the politician and that Parubiy died on the spot. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Saturday’s attack as a “terrible murder” and offered condolences to Parubiy’s family. The 54-year-old Parubiy, rose to prominence during Ukraine’s Euromaidan mass protests, which brought down pro-Russian former President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Meanwhile, Lviv’s chief prosecutor Mykola Meret said all possible motives for the shooting were being investigated, including potential Russian involvement.

# And golf: Thriston Lawrence produced a brilliant burst of scoring on the front nine on Saturday to open up to take the lead at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. The third round started late on day three, and Lawrence only managed to complete 12 holes. The South African, who won the event in 2022, started round three with a lengthy birdie at the difficult first hole before bouncing back from a dropped shot on the second with five successive gains from the fifth to surge into the lead. The remaining six holes of the third round will be completed this morning.

Stay tuned for more news………….