News 08:00

BULLETIN 20 September 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi expresses his disappointment with Cele’s conduct
# Petrol prices are poised for a possible hike in October
# And NATO intercepts Russian warplanes violating Estonian airspace

# KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has expressed disappointment with former Police minister Bheki Cele’s conduct. Testifying at the Madlanga commission in Pretoria, Mkhwanazi alleged that Cele tried to interfere in a disciplinary case against Crime Intelligence boss Feroz Khan by pressuring the district commissioner of Zululand, Jabulani Khumalo, to resign so he would not preside over the hearing. Mkhwanazi said Cele’s actions were improper and left him deeply unsettled:

Mkhwanazi also says senior judiciary and intelligence officials obstructed investigations into Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo, facing fraud and corruption charges. He claims that bail conditions and directives blocked Khumalo and co-accused officers from accessing crime intelligence offices, disrupting ongoing probes. Mkhwanazi alleges that certain officials, including an Investigating Directorate Against Corruption officer and magistrates, acted in a coordinated manner to stall the case:

# The Central Energy Fund data shows petrol prices are under-recovering, signaling a likely increase in October. Petrol 93 may rise five-cents per litre, Petrol 95 by 13-cents, while diesel sees slight decreases. The fund says that the rand’s strength offsets some pressure, but rising international oil prices limit relief. Brent crude spiked to one-thousand-200-rand this week due to Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure; however, it eased back to one-thousand-162. Analysts warn that any rand weakness could push recoveries into the red.

# Three Russian warplanes that violated Estonian airspace have been intercepted by Nato. Estonia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incursion as “brazen.” It said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the country’s airspace without permission over the Gulf of Finland on Friday and remained there for a total of 12 minutes. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called it yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and NATO’s ability to respond. Tensions have escalated between NATO and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. They have risen in the last week, after NATO members Poland and Romania said Russian drones breached their airspace.

# And finally athletics: Sinesipho Dambile had to settle for eighth spot in a lightning 200-metre final at the world championships in Tokyo on Friday, with American Noah Lyles taking the win in 19.52 sec. Lyles secured the win over the final 10 metres for his fourth straight world 200-metre crown, finishing ahead of countryman Kenneth Bednarek and Jamaican Bryan Levell both in personal bests. Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana ended fourth. Dambile, who clocked a 19.97 personal best to make the final, crossed the line in 20.23.

Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ané du Plessis battled to find her rhythm in the qualifying round of the women’s javelin, but she did enough to secure a spot in today’s final. The 27-year-old threw a best of 61.38m — well short of the 62.50 automatic qualifying mark — which saw her finish fifth in her group and 10th overall.

Stay tuned for more news………….