News 08:00

BULLETIN 21 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Police killings rise despite an overall crime drop
# Civil debt cases drop sharply in 2025
# And rugby: The Lions and Sharks face off in the weekend’s only United Rugby Championships action

# Acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia has expressed concern over a rise in the killings of police officials, despite an overall drop in violent crime. In the latest crime statistics, a total of 23 officers were killed between October and December, with nearly 80-percent of them off duty. Cachalia told the media this trend is alarming, and steps are being taken to better protect law enforcement personnel and prevent further tragedies:

Meanwhile, Rise Mzansi says many lives continue to be lost to violent crime, despite reported declines in some crime categories. The party referred to the nearly six-thousand murders recorded between October and December, with the highest numbers in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. It also raised concerns about rising cases of rape, domestic violence, extortion, and the use of illegal firearms. Rise Mzansi’s Makashule Gana has called for stronger policing and better-resourced detectives:

# Statistics South Africa reported a decline in civil debt cases for the last year. The number of summonses issued decreased by 11.6-percent, while civil judgments dropped by 11.5-percent compared to 2024. Stats SA’s Vhonani Kwinda says the total value of debt judgments also decreased slightly, by 1.4-percent, indicating a small easing in debt-related court activity:

# The DA in the Eastern Cape has welcomed the allocation of 55-million-rand in emergency funding to buy vaccines to contain the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The party says the funding will help protect livestock, farmers, and food security in the province. It also praised Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen for helping secure the disaster declaration, which enabled the release of funds. The DA’s Heinrich Müller urged Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe to ensure vaccines are distributed quickly and fairly.

# Seven bodies have been found in Lake Baikal in Russia’s Siberia after a tour bus with Chinese tourists plunged into the water. The accident happened when the ice broke as the bus crossed the frozen lake on Friday. One of the Chinese tourists on the bus managed to escape. A criminal case had been opened over the incident. Rescuers have inspected the scene using an underwater camera. The water at the site of the accident is 18 metres deep. Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest freshwater lake, and a popular destination for tourists.

# And rugby: The Lions welcome the Sharks in Johannesburg this afternoon in the weekend’s only United Rugby Championship action. The match was earlier postponed to today. The two teams are currently within six points of each other on the log, with the Sharks ninth and the Lions tenth, and the winner will move into the top-eight which eventually qualify for the next round. The third-placed Stormers and the Bulls, who are seventh, return to action next weekend after almost a month of rest.

Stay tuned for more news………….