News 13:00

BULLETIN 27 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SAHPRA approves a groundbreaking HIV prevention injection
# Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala is denied bail
# And rugby: Injured Damian Willemse is in doubt for the Boks’ November Tests

# The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has approved a new HIV prevention injection called Lenacapavir. The six-monthly injection, developed by Gilead, can be used by adults and teenagers weighing at least 35 kilograms and must be combined with safer sex practices, such as condom use. SAHPRA’s Yuven Gounden says the regulator reviewed the medicine in collaboration with the European Medicines Agency to accelerate access to essential treatments:

# Controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala has been denied bail by the High Court in Johannesburg. Acting Judge Pieter du Plessis ruled that releasing Matlala would not be in the interests of justice. Matlala faces charges of orchestrating a hit on his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane in 2023, along with fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit murder. Judge Du Plessis found that the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court did not err when it denied Matlala bail on grounds of being a flight risk.

# The JG Zuma Foundation has criticised the recent ruling on former president Jacob Zuma’s legal fees, saying it shows the ongoing injustices against him. Last week, the Gauteng High Court ordered Zuma to pay back the State 28.9-million-rand for his legal fees in the long-running arms deal corruption case. The foundation’s Mzwanele Manyi says Zuma is entitled to consider pursuing a damages claim against the State for the immense financial and personal harm he continues to endure because of this injustice:

# The City of Tshwane says a detailed verification process has confirmed that approximately 12-thousand customers were incorrectly billed the cleansing levy of 194-rand in September. In August, the High Court in Pretoria declared the levy invalid. The metro has since appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Mayoral committee member for Environment and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, says the billing system has been successfully reconfigured, and customers who were incorrectly billed will receive credits on their accounts, as no cash refunds will be made.

# Rugby: The Springboks could be without fullback Damian Willemse for the upcoming five end-of-year Tests. He suffered a hamstring injury during the Stormers’ 31–16 victory over Benetton in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday. The 27-year-old is in coach Rassie Erasmus’ squad for the November internationals against Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales. The Stormers have not revealed the severity of Willemse’s injury. He is the only recognised fullback in the Boks’ touring squad.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-22-cents and the euro at 20-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-97-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-977-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-39-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-65-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….