News 16:00

BULLETIN 13 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA files criminal charges against president Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala case
# A police official alleges interference at the Aeroton drug bust before the Madlanga commission
# And a report details systematic and widespread sexual violence by Hamas 

# ActionSA has laid criminal charges against president Cyril Ramaphosa at the Bela-Bela police station in Limpopo over the Phala Phala scandal. The charges include violations of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, as well as fraud and perjury linked to declarations about the amount of money stolen from Ramaphosa’s farm in the province in 2020. ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont says South Africans deserve full accountability and answers:

# Police warrant officer Boy Phakula has told the Madlanga commission there was serious interference during the 2021 Aeroton drug bust investigation in Gauteng. He says unknown people attempted to take control of the crime scene and intimidate police officials. Phakula says he believed officials on the scene were being managed to prevent them from controlling the investigation:

# Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says his department will publish a roadmap for the implementation of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market. Speaking during his budget vote address, he said the plan aims to reduce uncertainty around the transition to a competitive electricity market. Ramokgopa says the new system will improve pricing, transparency and efficiency. He also confirmed plans to reform electricity pricing, strengthen transmission infrastructure and establish an independent transmission system operator as part of wider energy sector reforms.

Moving abroad:

# Hamas militants and other Palestinian armed groups raped, assaulted and sexually tortured their victims during and after the October 7, 2023, terror attack on southern Israel. This is according to a report by the Civil Commission, which draws on 430 filmed interviews with survivors and witnesses, and more than ten-thousand photographs and videos filmed by attackers. Lead author and human rights expert Cochav Elkayam-Levy says rapes, sexual assault and sexual torture were intended to maximise pain and suffering. She describes the attacks as the weaponisation of sexual violence.

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he named a purpose and goal-driven 40-man squad for next week’s second alignment camp in Cape Town. The group of 25 forwards and 15 backs features two newcomers – Lions’ loose forward Sibabalwe Mahashe and the Sharks’ versatile back, Zekhethelo Siyaya, and ten uncapped players. With several experienced Boks sidelined due to injury, Erasmus says the purpose of the camp is to expose these players to the team’s structures and systems with an eye on the next two seasons, and beyond.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-257-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-685-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….