News 08:00

BULLETIN 22 September 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The National Police Commissioner is set to testify as the next witness at the Madlanga Commission
# Fikile Mbalula says the ANC’s electoral decline is largely due to voter abstention
# And Netanyahu says there will be no Palestinian state

# National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola is expected to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria today. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was the commission’s first witness last week. He delved into, among others, the alleged infiltration by an organised crime syndicate of law enforcement agencies, with the alleged assistance of key figures in business, Parliament, and the executive. Masemola is expected to respond to Mkhwanazi’s claims, including the undue influence to disband the KwaZulu-Natal Police’s political killings task team. 

# ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says the party’s electoral decline is largely due to its voters staying away from the polls, rather than voting for other parties. The ANC lost its majority in last year’s elections, receiving 40.2-percent support, which reflects a 17 percentage point drop in support compared to the 2019 elections. Mbalula says the path to victory in the upcoming local government elections is through rebuilding its social compact with communities:

# The DA has condemned the City of Ekurhuleni’s unlawful and unconstitutional attempt to seize private property without compensation. According to business lobby group Sakeliga, the metro has refused to pay for a 34-hectare property it seized for housing development in Driefontein in 2019. At the time, the property was valued at no less than 30-million-rand, with later independent valuations running as high as 64-million-rand. The DA’s Willie Aucamp says they will fight relentlessly to protect private ownership:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the recognition of an independent Palestinian state as an absurd reward for terror. This comes as the UK, Canada, and Australia have formally declared their recognition of Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu says for years he has prevented the creation of that terror state, against tremendous pressure, both domestic and from abroad. He adds that his response to the latest attempt to impose a terrorist state on Israel will be given after he returns from the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

# Motorsport: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed a dominant victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his fourth win of the season. Mercedes’ George Russell finished second with Carlos Sainz in third, his first podium for Williams. McLaren’s Lando Norris finished seventh and closed the gap to title rival and teammate Oscar Piastri to 25 points, after the Drivers’ Championship leader crashed out on the opening lap. Verstappen admitted his hopes of securing a fifth successive drivers’ title remain extremely faint:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-35-cents and the euro at 20-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-471-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-691-dollars-41-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-52-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….