News 06:00

BULLETIN 22 September 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa will advance an agenda for a more equitable world order at the UN General Assembly
# Fikile Mbalula urges respect for the Madlanga Commission
# And athletics: Team SA wins bronze in the men’s 4x400m relay in Tokyo

# President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading a South African delegation to the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. The session will be held under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights.” The country’s delegation will participate in several meetings, including those on trade and investment, as well as discussions on the two-state solution in Israel-Palestine. The Presidency says Ramaphosa will use this critical platform to advance a progressive agenda for a more just, peaceful, and equitable world order.

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has called on South Africans to respect the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Speaking in Johannesburg on Sunday, Mbalula stressed that witnesses must be taken seriously and warned that lying under oath carries legal consequences. Mbalula emphasised upholding the rule of law as a cornerstone of democracy. He urged citizens to observe proceedings and allow natural justice to take its course before drawing any conclusions:

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed the Construction Industry Development Board’s blacklisting of 40 contractors since June 2024, compared to only one since 2002. Macpherson says the move fulfils his promise to act against corruption and poor performance, ensuring public funds deliver quality infrastructure. The minister says the department is refining its processes to blacklist faster, recover funds, and restore accountability in support of job-creating economic growth:

# The DA in Gauteng has denounced Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko’s decision to centralise food bank operations, saying it has led to children suffering and dying from malnutrition. DA Gauteng Social Development spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe says nearly two-thousand-900 hospital cases and over five-thousand-600 clinic cases of child malnutrition were recorded last year. Nt’sekhe accuses Mazibuko of allowing food to rot while children starve. She calls for decentralised distribution through non-profit organisations:

# Amnesty International says history will not forgive the US for standing alone against the international community, and emboldening Israel in its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. This comes after the US vetoed for a sixth time a United Nations Security Council draft resolution last week. The resolution demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages. Amnesty International says that by continuing to back and arm Israel, the risk of US complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide is mounting.

# Athletics: South Africa secured a bronze medal in the men’s 4×400-metres relay on the final day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Botswana took gold, becoming the first African nation to win the event. Team SA of Lythe Pillay, Udeme Okon, Wayde van Niekerk, and Zakithi Nene finished behind the USA. Meanwhile, the USA’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became only the second female sprinter after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to complete the sprint treble. She won the 100 and 200-metres, and she was part of the victorious women’s 4×100-metres team.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-31-cents and the euro at 20-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-285-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-689-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-1-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….