News 11:00

BULLETIN 10 December 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party loses a bid challenging Mchunu’s suspension and the establishment of the Madlanga commission
# ActionSA says the National Director of Public Prosecutions shortlisting process is tainted by including the disgraced Simelane
# And cricket: The Proteas and Ireland’s Women meet in the final T20 in Benoni

# The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed the MK Party’s bid to set aside president Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave. The court has also dismissed the challenge to the appointment of Firoz Cachalia as acting Police minister and the establishment of the Madlanga commission of inquiry. Judge Anthony Millar has ruled that suspending a minister pending serious but unverified allegations and instituting an independent inquiry to establish the facts are both rational and lawful exercises of executive power.

# ActionSA has objected to the shortlisting of Menzi Simelane for the National Director of Public Prosecutions job, saying he is plainly not a fit and proper candidate. He is one of six candidates shortlisted to take over from Shamila Batohi. ActionSA’s Matthew George says whether considering the adverse findings made against Simelane by the Johannesburg Society of Advocates or the findings of the Ginwala inquiry, they cannot reconcile with the fact that he was shortlisted in the first place:

# The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says it is confident the MK Party’s motion of no confidence in premier Thamsanqa Ntuli will not succeed next week. Amongst other things, the MK Party has accused Ntuli of presiding over an underperforming government of provincial unity, which the party claims is corrupt. Second deputy convener on the ANC’s KZN task team, Siboniso Duma, believes the motion is politically motivated and says the MK Party does not have the best interests of residents at heart:

Moving abroad:

# UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has accused Russian-linked organisations of using manipulation tactics, including fake investigations and artificial intelligence-driven content, to shape the narrative around global events. Britain has imposed sanctions on microblogging Telegram channel Rybar, the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, and the Centre for Geopolitical Expertise, a think-tank run by far-right Russian writer Aleksandr Dugin. Cooper says Moscow is a global threat:

# Cricket: Today’s final T20 between the Proteas and Ireland’s women in Benoni, Gauteng, will have no bearing on the series which South Africa already clinched by winning the first two encounters. They won the first one in Cape Town by 105 runs after captain Laura Wolvaardt scored an undefeated 115, as well as the second one in Paarl by 65 runs. After today, the two countries will face off in three one-day matches: in East London on Saturday; Gqeberha on Tuesday; and Johannesburg next Friday.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-2-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-67-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-589-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-207-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-89-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….