News 08:00

BULLETIN 18 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Hlabisa says the White Paper on Local Government Review will be a game changer
# The MK Party slams Ramaphosa’s SONA as ‘state of intent’ not reality
# And, judgment on the extradition of Moroadi Cholota is expected today

# Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and IFP leader, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says the White Paper on Local Government Review, which will be completed by 31 March 2026, will be a game-changer for the country’s local governance system. The review presents an opportunity to address systemic issues that hinder effective service delivery at the local government level. Hlabisa says the White Paper emphasises that the deployment of officials will have to be based on competency and professionalism, not political deployment:

# The MK Party says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent State of the Nation Address was a state of intent rather than a true report on government performance. Speaking during the state of the nation address debate, the party’s Des van Rooyen warns that growth remains weak despite low inflation, accusing the government of national unity of protecting party interests instead of advancing the country:

# The Free State High Court in Bloemfontein is expected to hand down judgment in the trial-within-a-trial on whether Moroadi Cholota’s 2024 extradition from the US was lawful. She was extradited to South Africa in connection with the 255-million-rand asbestos scandal, which included charges of fraud, corruption, theft, and racketeering. The matter was referred back to the high court by the Constitutional Court, which found that Cholota’s extradition was unprocedural. Today’s ruling will determine whether the trial proceeds or whether the charges against Cholota are set aside.

# A grouping of over 80 countries at the United Nations, including South Africa, has condemned Israel’s newly announced measures in the West Bank. The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register large areas in the West Bank as “state property,” for the first time since Tel Aviv occupied the territory in 1967. Palestinian Permanent Observer to the UN, Riyad Mansour, says they reject all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian territory:

# Tennis: World number one Carlos Alcaraz claimed a hard-fought, 6-4, 7-6, victory against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in his opening match of the Qatar Open in Doha. The Spaniard was competing for the first time since becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Alcaraz will next face Frenchman Valentin Royer, after he defeated countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 6-0, 6-3. Defending champion Russia’s Andrey Rublev beat Dutchman Jesper de Jong, 6-4, 6-3, while Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas overcame Tunisian wild card Moez Echargui, 6-4, 6-4.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-1-cent and the euro at 18-rand-96-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-70-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-299-dollars. Gold sells at vier-thousand-904-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….