News 12:00

BULLETIN 9 September 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Global Sumud Flotilla reports a drone strike in Tunisia
# The Ministry of Police and Justice are engaging with Western Cape stakeholders amid ongoing gang violence
# And rugby: The Bok lock Ruan Nortjé will captain the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship season

# The Global Sumud Flotilla says its vessel, the ‘Family Boat’, was struck by a suspected drone off Tunisia’s Sidi Bou Said port today. All six on board, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were unharmed. Tunisian authorities have dismissed the claims, saying a fire broke out, caused by ignited life jackets. The flotilla says the vessel was struck in Tunisian waters, causing damage to the main deck. The initiative, supported by activists from 44 countries, including South Africa, vowed to continue its mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

# Acting minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, deputy minister Polly Boshielo and the deputy minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, will engage with key stakeholders in Mitchells Plain and Mfuleni in Cape Town today amid the ongoing deadly gang violence in the Western Cape. Police Ministry spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, says stakeholders attending the engagements will include representatives from civic groups, religious leaders, and Community Policing Forums:

# Cosatu says it supports the demand by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union for an increase in the death grant for police members. Twenty-seven members died in the line of duty between the first of April last year and the 31st of March this year. Cosatu’s spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, says it is unacceptable that the death grant of 250-thousand-rand has remained unchanged since inception, which cannot sustain the families of fallen members:

# Rugby: New Bulls coach Johan Ackermann named Springbok lock Ruan Nortjé as team captain for the new United Rugby Championship season, starting later this month. He picked a group of 56 players – 32 forwards and 24 backs – in the squad that includes experienced players such as Bok flyhalf Handré Pollard and centre Jan Serfontein, and Junior Bok world champions Esethu Mnebelele, JJ Theron, Jean Erasmus, Jaco Grobbelaar en Cheswill Jooste. The Bulls play their first match home against Ospreys on the 27th.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-49-cents and the euro at 20-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-74-cents and Bitcoin trades at 113-thousand-11-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-644-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-64-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A study by Stellenbosch University shows that fathers’ drinking can also harm children’s growth and development. Researchers found heavy drinking by fathers during the mother’s pregnancy is linked to children being shorter, having smaller heads, and scoring lower on verbal intelligence quotient tests. Marking International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day, the university’s Marlene de Vries says the study shows fathers must be part of prevention strategies, as their alcohol use directly impacts child development:

Stay tuned for more news………….