News 07:00

BULLETIN 17 September 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# It’s all systems go for the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry today
# Parliament is concerned about the unnatural deaths of inmates in detention
# And, Cosatu slams the closure of some Western Cape taxi routes

# The highly-anticipated Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is set to get underway at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria today. The commission, set up by president Cyril Ramaphosa, following allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He alleged collusion and corruption within the criminal justice system. He named Police minister Senzo Mchunu as allegedly having links with a crime syndicate. Mkhwanazi will be the commission’s first witness. The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, says they note the MK Party’s high court bid challenging its legitimacy:

# The Institute of Race Relations has dismissed deputy president Paul Mashatile’s claim that Black Economic Empowerment has been a great success. The organisation says evidence shows BEE has worsened unemployment, deepened inequality, and deterred investment, while mainly benefiting a small elite. The institute’s Hermann Pretorius says over 80-percent of South Africans support merit-based hiring and fair procurement instead of race-based policies. Pretorius calls for a new non-racial policy focused on jobs, skills, and real growth.

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Correctional Services has expressed concern about the unnatural deaths of inmates in detention. The committee received a report from the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services on its first-quarter performance for 2025/2026. The JICS Complaints Unit received a total of 177 complaints, which includes 46 cases of inmate-on-inmate assault. There were 29 complaints of official-on-inmate assault and 21 complaints relating to attempted suicide. There were 24 unnatural deaths and 120 natural deaths recorded. The committee has demanded a full report from the Department of Correctional Services.

# The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the Western Cape has voiced strong concern over the decision by Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku to close several minibus taxi routes from Mfuleni, Khayelitsha, Nomzamo, Lwandle, and Somerset West for 30 days starting today. COSATU spokesperson Zanele Sabela says the move, taken without proper consultation, will severely impact workers, students, and commuters reliant on taxis:

# The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide. In a new report, among a long list of accusations is Israeli targeting of civilians that it has a legal obligation to protect, and the imposition of inhumane conditions, causing the death of Palestinians. Israel has dismissed the report as antisemitic lies inspired by Hamas. Chairperson of the Inquiry Navi Pillay says the ongoing genocide in Gaza is a moral outrage:

# Tennis: World number one Carlos Alcaraz of Spain headlines Team Europe in the annual Laver Cup, taking place in San Francisco this weekend. The other team members are German Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune of Denmark, Casper Ruud of Sweden, Czech player Jakub Mensik, and Italian Flavio Cobolli, with Frenchman Yannick Noah as the new non-playing captain. Former world number one, American Andre Agassi, captains Team World, to be represented by Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Reilly Opelka, and Alex Michelsen, Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, and Brazilian Joao Fonseca.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-34-cents and the euro at 20-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 116-thousand-736-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-687-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….