News 17:00

BULLETIN 2 March 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum’s legal challenge against expropriation without compensation begins
# The Hawks serve arrest warrants to senior officials from the National Department of Health fraud case
# And soccer: FIFA’s president says players who cover their mouths during on-pitch rows should be sent off

# AfriForum has begun their High Court battle in Cape Town, challenging the constitutionality of the Expropriation Act. This week, the court will determine who may participate as applicants, respondents, and amici curiae. AfriForum’s Ernst van Zyl says the case is critical for safeguarding private property rights, warning the Act could enable expropriation without compensation, similar to former Zimbabwean policies:

# Three senior officials from the National Health Department appeared briefly in Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court over alleged fraud and theft. Deputy director-general for Tertiary Health and Hospital Services, Malixole Mahlathi, chief financial officer, Phineas Mamogale, and director-general, Sabelo Buthelezi, were granted ten-thousand-rand bail each, with the case postponed to 3 June this year. They are restricted from returning to work. Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale says the fourth suspect remains at large:

# At least 100 suspects arrested for serious crimes remain at large after escaping police custody across South Africa during the 2025/26 financial year. Out of 284 escapees, only 184 have been recaptured. Most incidents occurred from police station cells or court areas or were due to wrongful releases, with Gauteng recording the highest number. SAPS officials say overcrowded and poorly maintained cells, along with infrastructure challenges, continue to hinder detention, recapture efforts, and effective law enforcement.

# Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has welcomed the assistance provided by the State Security Agency in rooting out the unlawful interception of sensitive information by insiders. This comes after the minister raised concerns with minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who is responsible for the State Security Agency, that sensitive information between their offices was being unlawfully intercepted by officials within the department. Macpherson says this matter is extremely serious and the State Security Agency is the correct agency to investigate it.

# Soccer: FIFA president Gianni Infantino says players who cover their mouths in on-pitch confrontations should be sent off. This comes after Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him in their Champions League playoff first leg, with Prestianni covering his mouth during the alleged incident. UEFA is investigating the incident. Infantino told Sky News that they are serious about fighting racism in the sport:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-13-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-60-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-953-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-392-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….