News 06:00

BULLETIN 14 October 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Shadrack Sibiya insists the WhatsApp evidence implicating him is falsified
# The Madlanga Commission weighs media opposition to in camera hearings
# And cricket: The Proteas Women beat Bangladesh to record their third straight win at the World Cup

# Suspended Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, has told Parliament’s ad hoc committee that WhatsApp messages linking him to Police minister Senzo Mchunu and the disbandment of the political killings task team are false. Sibiya described his relationship with Mchunu as strictly professional. He said he independently ordered the cancellation of Vusumuzi “Cat” Matlala’s Medicare24 tender, awarded before his tenure, following concerns about its legitimacy:

# The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is set to rule on objections by News24 and the Daily Maverick against holding parts of the proceedings in camera this week. Evidence leaders have requested closed hearings for the rest of the week to protect witness safety and sensitive police methods. According to reports, the next witness, linked to the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence Operations Team, who participated in the arrests of controversial businessmen Vusumuzi “Cat” Matlala and Katiso “KT” Molefe, is expected to reveal classified police techniques and informant information.

# DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head Kingsol Chabalala says the financially troubled Emfuleni Local Municipality has spent nearly 12-million-rand hiring private grave diggers between 2022 and 2025. This is despite having municipal staff capable of doing the work. Chabalala says this wasteful spending reflects poor fiscal management. He is demanding an immediate end to outsourcing and wants existing workers utilised to save costs and improve accountability within the struggling municipality:

# The Western Cape Government has achieved a historic 34.6-percent of its total procurement spend, valued at 6.84-billion-rand awarded to women-owned businesses in 2024/25. Premier Alan Winde says the milestone demonstrates transparency and inclusive growth. Meanwhile, Finance MEC Deidré Baartman confirmed requests to the UN and World Bank to verify if the province is the first government globally to surpass 30-percent. He says the achievement also supports black-owned and youth enterprises:

# Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas an unprecedented accomplishment. More than 20 world leaders gathered in Egypt on Monday for a peace summit. All 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have been released after more than two years in captivity. In exchange for the hostages, Israel has released almost two-thousand Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Sisi says leaders need to ensure now that the ceasefire holds, and that the bodies of the remaining deceased hostages are returned to their families.

# Cricket: South Africa secured a thrilling three-wicket win against Bangladesh to make it three consecutive victories in the Women’s World Cup in Visakhapatnam. Shorna Akter’s unbeaten 51 powered Bangladesh to a competitive total of 232 for six. In reply, the Proteas were reduced to 78 for five, but Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon put together an 85-run partnership to keep South Africa in the game. Nadine de Klerk came to the rescue again, scoring an unbeaten 37 to guide the Proteas to victory with three balls to spare.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-31-cents and the euro at 20-rand-3-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-8-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-490-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-113-dollars-1-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….