News 13:00

BULLETIN 25 September 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A SAPS legal expert says the Police minister exceeded his powers by ordering the disbandment of the political killings task team
# The DA says Gauteng has become the kidnapping capital of South Africa
# And Rugby: The All Blacks coach makes four changes for Saturday’s Wallabies clash

# South African Police Service legislative expert Marga van Rooyen says Police minister Senzo Mchunu exceeded his powers when he ordered the disbandment of the political killings task team. Testifying on day six of the Madlanga commission in Pretoria, Van Rooyen told the inquiry that the minister’s directive was an operational matter and therefore unlawful, as only the national police commissioner is empowered to manage police operations:

# The DA in Gauteng has expressed concern at the increasing cases of kidnapping in the province. According to the South African Police Crime Statistics, kidnapping cases have increased by 15.8-percent in Gauteng from two-thousand-and-85 in the fourth quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year to two-thousand-414 in the same quarter for the 2024/2025 financial year. The DA’s Michael Sun says they are also concerned about the trend of kidnappers, allegedly disguising themselves as law enforcement agencies:

# The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine worth more than 10-billion-rand from a fishing vessel off the coast of west Africa. The seizure by two navy ships followed a tip-off by anti-drug and maritime intelligence authorities and British police. The naval mission has been deployed in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990 to ensure security in an area where piracy is fairly common. With more than 45 tonnes of drugs intercepted by the end of August, seizures made in 2025 have already reached a record.

# Rugby: New Zealand coach Scott Robertson has made four changes to the side that suffered a historic defeat to the Springboks, for their Rugby Championship clash against Australia at Eden Park on Saturday. Fabian Holland comes in to replace the injured captain Scott Barrett, while Codie Taylor returns after recovering from injury. The scrum-half duo of Cam Roigard and wing Caleb Clarke are also back, in the only other changes to the starting side. Robertson says he has faith in his players:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-30-cents and the euro at 20-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 112-thousand-102-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-752-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Lamb Champs 2025 made history at Hoër Landbouskool Boland in Paarl, featuring a record-breaking lamb carcass sale. Lamb Champs is an annual competition which showcases the best lamb producers from across South Africa. Louis Botha from Cradock in the Eastern Cape won, walking away with a cash prize of 40-thousand-rand. Botha will now compete at the national final in October. Meanwhile, a Dorper cross lamb from Pieter Cilliers of Philippolis in the Free State was auctioned for 72-thousand-rand to Kalahari Group, surpassing the previous record 63-thousand-rand.

Stay tuned for more news………….