News 15:00

BULLETIN 10 October 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cele will disclose his association with “Cat” Matlala if he is summoned to the Madlanga commission
# Standard Bank returns 100-million-rand in unclaimed benefits to South Africans
# And New York attorney general Letitia James is indicted for fraud

# Former Police minister Bheki Cele says any information regarding his association with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala will be fully disclosed if officially summoned to appear before the Madlanga commission or Parliament’s ad hoc committee. Cele has been implicated in witness statements at the commission, linked to allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on political interference in police cases. He told Newzroom Afrika the focus is to fight crime and defend South Africans:

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance condemns calls by Mkhwanazi to investigate or imprison journalists for misinformation. The party’s Willie Aucamp stresses that media freedom is a cornerstone of democracy and essential for exposing corruption, including scandals like the corruption at the Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng. Aucamp says while supporting media self-regulation, the party vows to defend journalists’ safety, media independence, and the public’s right to accurate information:

# The Financial Sector Conduct Authority says South Africa has about 89-billion-rand in unclaimed benefits. Standard Bank has announced it reimbursed 100-million-rand to thousands of South Africans in the past year, many unaware they were owed funds. Partnering with tracing firm Reunyte, the bank’s app-based system helps customers claim benefits easily, mostly unpaid pensions. Head of Digital and E-commerce Belinda Rathogwa says the milestone restores trust and provides life-changing relief to beneficiaries.

Moving abroad:

# The US Justice Department has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on charges of fraud. The five-page indictment accuses James of falsely claiming in loan documents she would use a home she purchased in Norfolk, Virginia, as a secondary residence, but instead used it as a rental investment property. Prosecutors say this allowed her to get favourable loan terms. James says this indictment is a continuation of president Donald Trump’s desperate weaponisation of the justice system:

# Tennis: France’s Arthur Rinderknech joined his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters as he claimed the scalp of another seed, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4. Rinderknech, ranked 54th at the beginning of the tournament, has had a dream run in China, including beating world number three Alexander Zverev. The 30-year-old’s success has been matched by Monaco’s Vacherot, who booked his place in the last four by eliminating Denmark’s Holger Rune. They will not face one another in the semi-finals.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-92-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 121-thousand-475-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-995-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-31-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….