News 17:00

BULLETIN 15 September 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# There are only 300 seats for the public as a high-profile judicial inquiry begins in Pretoria
# The Bureau for Economic Research warns South Africa is surviving and not thriving
# And soccer: The pressure piles on for Manchester United’s manager, Ruben Amorim

# The Madlanga judicial commission of inquiry says only 300 seats will be available for the first public hearing at Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria. The hearing into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system is set for Wednesday at 10 am, with the following sessions starting at 9:30 am. The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, urged attendees to arrive early:

# The chairperson of the ANC’s Integrity committee, Frank Chikane, has called for renewed diligence, professionalism, and revolutionary morality within the party. He addressed delegates at the party’s councillors’ roll call in Johannesburg. Chikane warned that corruption and compromised officials had weakened state entities. He urged members to prioritise the interests of the people over factions or families, remain vigilant against unethical practices, and maintain the organisation’s integrity:

# The Bureau for Economic Research says South Africa is surviving and not thriving. Gross domestic product growth is expected at just 1.3-percent next year, and private sector investment remains far below pre-Covid-19 levels. They warn growth is held back by low private investment, red tape, and corruption, despite rising consumer spending. Businesses report struggles with delayed government payments, crime-related costs, and excessive bureaucracy. Many business owners worry 2025 could be the year they can no longer keep going.

Moving abroad:

# US secretary of State Marco Rubio says Hamas was emboldened by moves by Britain, France and other US allies to recognise a Palestinian state. He was speaking at a joint news conference in Jerusalem with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio says their recognition does not have impact and actually served as an impediment to peace. He says at times in the past, Hamas walked away from agreements that they actually had tacitly agreed to, but then they see the sort of international support they believe they’re getting.

# Soccer: Pressure is mounting on Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim as his side lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the Premier League yesterday. The Red Devils’ four points from as many games means the club has made their worst start to a Premier League campaign in 33-years. Amorim, who has been criticised for his 3-4-3 system, is adamant he won’t deviate from his favoured formation:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-34-cents and the euro at 20-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-53-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-653-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….