News 16:00

BULLETIN 16 September 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The High Court in Pretoria dismisses the Lungu family’s bid to approach the Supreme Court of Appeal
# Israel launches a ground assault on Gaza City
# And rugby: James O’Connor hopes to return to the Wallabies for the All Blacks Tests

# The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed with costs the Lungu family’s bid to appeal a ruling allowing Zambia to repatriate former president Edgar Lungu’s remains for a state funeral. Lungu died on 5 June at a Pretoria hospital where he was receiving treatment. His family requested he be buried in South Africa following disputes with the Zambian government. The court said burial rights fall under Zambian law, not South African law, and no compelling reasons exist for the Supreme Court of Appeal to hear the matter.

# BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane has asked Finance minister Enoch Godongwana for full transparency on the board of the Public Investment Corporation rationale and legal basis for prematurely terminating the previous board’s extended term. BOSA’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, says ten new non-executive directors were appointed, with no explanation and no public consultation. He says it is extraordinary that a board which oversaw the growth of PIC assets from two-trillion-rand to almost 3.9-trillion-rand was suddenly and quietly replaced:

# City Power in Johannesburg has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against cable theft and internal collusion. This follows the recent arrest of three suspended operators from the Roodepoort Service Delivery Centre for tampering with essential infrastructure. Last week alone, five people were arrested for cable theft. City Power’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, says they are determined to root out these criminals, protect essential infrastructure and ensure accountability at every level:

Moving abroad: 

# Israel launched its long anticipated ground assault on Gaza City before dawn today, shortly after visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed its goal of eradicating Hamas in Gaza. A United Nations probe, meanwhile, charged Israel with committing genocide in the Palestinian territory and accused prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials of incitement. During the night, the military unleashed a massive bombardment of Gaza City as Israeli troops moved deeper into the territory’s largest urban hub.

# Rugby: Wallabies flyhalf James O’Connor wants to return Down Under for the two Bledisloe and Rugby Championship Tests against the All Blacks. The 35-year-old left for English club Leicester Tigers, who he planned to join after the British and Irish Lions series, but was then retained in the squad due to injuries. He played for Australia for the first time in three-years this season, but was released following the return of Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson. O’Connor says he would love to face New Zealand.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-3-cents and the euro at 20-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-69-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-427-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-689-dollars-54-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….