News 18:00

BULLETIN 19 March 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fannie Nkosi confirms an ActionSA mayoral committee member is linked to controversial tender talks
# Home Affairs grants equality to Muslim marriage officers
# And, the Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning calls for responsible water use and ecosystem protection

# SAPS officer Fannie Nkosi has confirmed that ActionSA mayoral committee member Kholofelo Morodi was involved in discussions linked to the controversial Tshwane Metro Police Department security tender. The revelations add to ongoing scrutiny around procurement processes and alleged irregularities within the City of Tshwane. Testifying before the Madlanga Commission, Nkosi acknowledged Morodi’s role in related communications but could not identify other individuals referenced in chats.

# The Department of Home Affairs has ensured Muslim marriage officers are now recognised on the same basis as other religious marriage officers under the Marriage Act 25 of 1961. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber says officers will no longer need to reapply every five years, correcting unequal treatment and affirming that all faith communities are treated equally and with dignity under the law:

# Communities across the Western Cape are facing increasing water shortages due to low rainfall, ageing infrastructure, invasive trees, and rising demand. Western Cape Provincial MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning. Anton Bredell urged residents again to conserve water and institute waterwise practices, in view of the current drought situation facing the province:

# The DA  in Mpumalanga has welcomed the securing of a court order by Public Works, Roads and Transport Department against construction mafias and community members who have been disrupting the construction of Mapulaneng hospital in Bushbuckridge. The DA’s Teboho Sekaledi says construction of hospital, started in 2017 and the department has spent 2.5-billion-rand overall on the project which was supposed to have been completed by June 2025:

# Israel reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt today after nearly three weeks, to allow some wounded Palestinians to leave for ​treatment. This comes after Gaza medics said Israeli strikes had killed four people ‌in the enclave. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said only eight Palestinians, who were injured in Israeli attacks during the two-year war and 17 of their family members, would ​be allowed into Egypt for medical treatment after the crossing reopened. ​ It was unclear how many would be let through ⁠from Egypt back into Gaza.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-97-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-52-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-63-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-154-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-581-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….