News 11:00

BULLETIN 5 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# An analyst says the future DA leader cannot be distracted by the weight of a cabinet position
# Cape Town’s mayor emerges as front runner to become the new DA leader
# And rugby: The Six Nations kicks off in Paris tonight

# Political analyst Daniel Silke says the future DA leader would be best advised not to take a cabinet position, but devote his or her energy to developing and articulating a real vision for the party. John Steenhuisen will not seek re-election in April, but will focus on being Agriculture minister. Silke says the future DA leader must not be distracted by the weight of a government portfolio:

Meanwhile, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is emerging as the front-runner to succeed Steenhuisen. The formal application process for April’s elective congress opens on 27 February. Hill-Lewis has drawn praise for his management of the metro. Other names mentioned for the top job include the party’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, and the mayor of uMngeni in KwaZulu-Natal, Chris Pappas.

# The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has concluded its investigation into the murder of Emmanuel Mbhense, whose body was found in a Germiston lake in April 2022. He is alleged to have been tortured and killed by Ekurhuleni metro police members and private security personnel. IPID’s Lizzy Suping says the investigation has now been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further action:

Moving abroad:

# United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres warns the expiration of the New START treaty between the US and Russia represents a grave moment for international peace and security. The treaty, signed in 2010 by then presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, limited the countries’ nuclear arsenal to one-thousand-550 deployed strategic warheads each, and imposed limits on delivery systems such as intercontinental ballistic missiles. Russia and the US control more than 80-percent of the world’s nuclear warheads. Guterres has urged Washington and Moscow to return to the negotiating table.

# Rugby: This year’s Six Nations kicks off in Paris between defending champions France and Ireland tonight. The match starts at the Stade de France at ten past ten, South African time. Italy will welcome Scotland to the Stadio Olimpico in the capital of Rome on Saturday afternoon, and England and Wales will do battle at Twickenham in London that evening. The competition is reduced from seven to six weekends this year, with the final round taking place on the 14th of next month.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-10-cents and the euro at 18-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-254-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-927-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….