News 15:00

BULLETIN 8 September 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The police commissioner commends the political killings task team for a breakthrough
# The National Prosecuting Authority is to open an inquest into the1993 killing of children in Mthatha
# And canoeing: Team South Africa wins four medals at the Marathon World Championships

#  National police commissioner Fannie Masemola has commended the police’s political killings task team for the swift arrest of suspects that were wanted for the murder of a whistleblower, Xolani Ntombela. Ntombela’s murder docket was one of the 121 returned to the task team for investigation. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says a KwaZulu-Natal local chief and an alleged hitman were arrested for the November 2022 murder:

# The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed approval by Justice and Constitutional Development minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, for an inquest into the 1993 killing of five children by the apartheid-era South African Defence Force in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. Victims, aged 12 to 17, were gunned down at the home of PAC activist, Sigqibo Mpendulo. The NPA’s Luxolo Tyali says the SADF claimed responsibility, alleging links to the Azanian People’s Liberation Army:

# The Bureau for Economic Research says South Africa’s economy has suffered a sharp decline, with growth falling from over four-percent two decades ago to near zero today. Its new report blames state capture, load-shedding, poor logistics, and wasteful government spending. It warns that unemployment remains high as the labour force contributes less to growth. The bureau says urgent reforms such as unbundling Eskom, fixing Transnet, cutting red tape, and restoring investor confidence could lift growth above two-percent within five-years.

Moving abroad:

# At least five people have been killed in a shooting attack in Jerusalem this morning. Israeli police say two terrorists opened fire towards a bus stop at Ramot Junction on the city’s northern outskirts. Local Magen David Adom ambulance service identified the victims as three men in their thirties, a man in his fifties and a woman in her fifties. Nine people with gunshot wounds were taken to local hospitals along with three others injured by broken glass. There was no immediate claim from any armed groups.

# Canoeing: Team South Africa ended the Marathon World Championships in Hungary with two silver and two bronze medals. Maritzburg College’s Keegan Vogt won silver in the K1 race and then partnered with Ryley Smith to win the bronze medal in the K2 event. Andy Birkett claimed his fourth silver medal in the men’s K1 race and his ninth championship medal overall. Jade Wilson completed the tally for South Africa with bronze in the women’s Under-23 K1 race. The country finished eleventh on the medal table.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-55-cents and the euro at 20-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-826-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-615-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-60-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….