News 17:00
BULLETIN 20 March 5 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Fannie Nkosi denies allegations that he used contacts to sway recruitment or tender decisions at the Madlanga Commission
# The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department suspends an officer amid the investigation into the Molefe incident
# And cricket: A Six-wicket win for the White Ferns over the South African women
# Gauteng SAPS organised crime officer Fannie Nkosi has told the Madlanga Commission that suspended Tshwane mayoral committee member Kholofelo Morodi shared documents with him only to assist, not to influence outcomes. Nkosi denied claims from Commissioner Sesi Baloyi that he used contacts to sway recruitment or tender decisions. Baloyi suggested the communications could imply influence or concealment, but Nkosi maintained his involvement was limited to sharing information:
# The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department will lay charges against officer Johannes Makgatle for misusing state resources on alleged crime boss Katiso “KT” Molefe. An internal investigation found Makgatle breached vehicle policy, driving a departmental car to Molefe’s home while off sick, allegedly disrupting investigators and failing to file an occurrence book entry or seek superior approval. JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says Makgatle has been suspended pending formal charges:
# The Public Servants Association welcomes the re-arrest of an offender who escaped from Sevontein Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal on 5 February. Captured in Gauteng on 17 March, he had been serving time for serious violent crimes. The PSA’s Claude Naicker praised the National Commissioner’s track-and-trace team but says the escape highlights critical security gaps, calling on the department to strengthen protocols and prevent future incidents:
# A fire broke out at a car parts factory in the South Korean city of Daejeon earlier today, injuring 55 people, including 24 seriously, while 14 others were unaccounted for. More casualties are feared. Phone data showed their locations near where the fire broke out, but officials said search efforts were hampered after the building partially collapsed in the blaze. The South Korean government activated a centralised disaster management system for the large-scale accident, after President Lee Jae Myung ordered the mobilisation of all available resources to deal with the fire and save lives.
# Cricket: Sophie Devine lead New Zealand’s women to a six-wicket victory over South Africa in the third T20 Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday. The White Ferns reached the target of 150 in 18 overs and four balls, enabling them to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, conceded they were a bit short with the bat, but praised Kayla Reneke for her unbeaten 34 off 20 balls to take the total to a respectable 149 for seven. The next match is in Hamilton on Sunday.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-87-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-55-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-411-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-666-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-87-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….