News 07:00

BULLETIN 10 October 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula says it would be improper for the ANC to speculate on Mthethwa’s death
# The UN chief says the Gaza peace plan is the start of the end of the devastating war
# And, the Princess of Wales warns that too much screen time damages family life

# ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula says the party will not be entertaining any speculation on the death of South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa. The 58-year-old died after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Hotel in Paris last week. Speaking outside Mthethwa’s home in KwaMbonambi, northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday, Mbalula said they support the government’s decision to send a team to France to establish the circumstances surrounding the passing of Mthethwa:

# ActionSA’s Alan Beesley has welcomed confirmation that the Office of the Public Protector has launched an investigation into the Presidency, National Treasury, and Accounting Officers for failing to act on Special Investigating Unit corruption referrals. This follows ActionSA’s complaint, revealing that only one of 467 flagged suppliers was blacklisted. Beesley says this marks a major step for accountability, adding that if the government fails to act, independent institutions must step in to enforce consequence management.

# The Western Cape High Court has dismissed an urgent interdict application by the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations against the closure of certain taxi routes and ranks in the province. On the 17th of September, a 30-day shutdown of taxi routes and lanes between Mfuleni, Khayelitsha, and Somerset West was enforced, following deadly taxi-related shootings. Provincial Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku says the court found that the department acted within its legal mandate to ensure commuter safety and restore order:

# The United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, has urged Israel and Hamas to abide by the ceasefire and hostage release deal fully. The first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire plan that will allow for the release of all hostages in Gaza, Israeli withdrawal to an agreed point, and the release of some Palestinian prisoners, was agreed upon on Wednesday. Guterres says a permanent ceasefire must be secured and the bloodshed must stop once and for all:

# Rugby: Springbok backline stars Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse were included straight into the Stormers’ starting line-up on their return from international duty. They will face Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales, in a United Rugby Championship match this evening. The Cape team started the season on a high with victories over defending champion Leinster and Ospreys in their first two games. Another Bok player, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, won’t play today after only joining the Stormers from Montpellier in the off-season.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-19-cents and the euro at 19-rand-89-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 121-thousand-665-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-977-dollars-74-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Princess of Wales has warned that an overload of smartphones and computer screens is creating an “epidemic of disconnection” that disrupts family life. In her essay published on the website of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, Catherine says children need to be encouraged to develop social and emotional skills, which will help them throughout their lives. Catherine says smartphones and gadgets have become a constant distraction and undermine the time that families spend together. Her husband, Prince William, recently said none of their three children were allowed to have smartphones.

Stay tuned for more news………….