News 11:00

BULLETIN 30 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Business Leadership SA says it creates uncertainty in the business sector when police are compromised 
# The national police commissioner says he will cooperate with the Medicare 24 tender probe
# And rugby: The Springbok Women’s Sevens finish fifth in Sao Paulo

# Business Leadership South Africa says police corruption at the top, with the minister on leave of absence and the national commissioner facing charges, undermines the rule of law that business depends on to function and invest. Minister Senzo Mchunu was placed on special leave in July last year following allegations of corruption and political interference. National commissioner Fannie Masemola has been linked to a controversial 360-million-rand Medicare 24 tender. BLSA CEO Busisiwe Mavuso says police should be the last line of defence and must be incorruptible. 

Masemola meanwhile says he will fully cooperate with investigations into tender corruption involving Medicare 24. He has been summoned to appear in court on April 21 over the tender linked to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company. Twelve senior police officials linked to the tender appeared in court last week on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering. Masemola says he won’t speculate as to what could be behind all of this:

# Police, in collaboration with Airports Company South Africa, have arrested five suspected drug mules at OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng. Preliminary reports indicate the five women were en route to China via Dubai. Police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk says they were caught with drugs with an estimated value of more than five-million-rand concealed on their bodies:

Moving abroad:

# United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has strongly condemned the killing of an Indonesian peacekeeper serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, amid hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The peacekeeper was killed yesterday when a projectile exploded at a UNIFIL position near a southern Lebanese village. Another was critically injured. Guterres has called on all parties to uphold their obligations under international law and ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property.

# Rugby: The Springbok Women’s Sevens finished the final World Sevens 2 tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in fifth place. On Saturday, South Africa suffered a 19-5 defeat to Spain and a 14-5 loss to Kenya before bouncing back to beat the hostesses 26-12. Yesterday, a depleted Bok Women’s side, with five injured players out, suffered a 19-5 defeat to Argentina and won their final match against China 14-10. South Africa has already secured a place in the Sevens World Championship Series which begins in Hong Kong next month.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-10-cents and the euro at 19-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-316-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-530-dollars-93-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….