News 07:00

BULLETIN 16 October 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa has suspended the Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel
# A forensic analyst denies the corruption allegations raised at the Madlanga Inquiry
# And rugby: The Bulls face Connacht with a new-look starting-15 and new captain

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended the Inspector-General of Intelligence, Imtiaz Fazel, with immediate effect. This is pending a decision in an investigation by Parliament’s joint standing committee on Intelligence into Fazel’s conduct. Ramaphosa appointed him in 2022 following his nomination by the National Assembly. Presidential spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says Ramaphosa’s action in suspending Fazel is in line with the Constitution:

# Forensic analyst Calvin Rafadi has denied corruption allegations raised at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. WhatsApp messages presented as evidence allegedly show Rafadi requesting financial help from businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala for rent, petrol, and tuition fees, in exchange for shaping media narratives favoring Matlala. According to MDN News, Rafadi dismissed the claims, saying they are part of a wider campaign to discredit him for criticizing Crime Intelligence’s handling of criminal investigations.

# Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says following the Tembisa Hospital scandal, they have tightened financial controls that will help audit monthly expenditures in the different institutions. A Special Investigating Unit probe uncovered three coordinated syndicates behind the looting of two-billion-rand from the hospital through a complex web of corruption and fraud. Nkomo-Ralehoko says they are committed to rooting out maladministration:

# Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba says efforts are underway to identify the victims of Sunday’s bus crash that claimed the lives of 43 people near Louis Trichardt. Most of the passengers on board were Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals who were en route to Harare from the Eastern Cape. Ramathuba says they are working closely with authorities from Zimbabwe and Malawi to help with the identification. Police have opened a case of culpable homicide, and the Road Traffic Management Corporation is finalising a technical report on the accident.

# US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is calling for peace through strength to help end the conflict in Ukraine, and for Russia to stop what he says is the needless bloodshed. NATO’s defence ministers, who have already pledged more drones for Ukraine, met in Brussels on Wednesday. Hegseth says if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the US, along with its allies, will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression:

# Rugby: Reinhardt Ludwig will captain a new-look Bulls team in tomorrow night’s United Rugby Championship match against Connacht in Galway, Ireland. Head coach Johan Ackermann made 11 changes to his starting-15 after last weekend’s loss to Ulster, which saw the Pretoria team plummet from first to sixth on the log. The team will be without Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard, who returned home for the birth of his second child, and Keagan Johannes will wear the number 10 jersey, with Bok stalwart Willie le Roux at fullback.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-21-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-957-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-225-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….