News 07:00

BULLETIN 29 November 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Shamila Batohi says the public’s confidence in the justice system is at stake
# An Israeli raid in southern Syria leaves 13 dead
# And, Johannesburg motorists are warned of road closures ahead of the Soweto Marathon

# National Prosecuting Authority head Shamila Batohi has told the Nkabinde inquiry that public confidence in the justice system is at stake. Testifying at the inquiry, Batohi said serious red flags in the handling of former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen’s racketeering authorisations prompted her to appoint the 2019 De Kock panel. She added that the panel found the authorisations unlawful and highlighted procedural irregularities:

# Rise Mzansi says South Africans remain unsafe as violent and organised crime continues to rise. The party warns that police are struggling to respond effectively, with more than 60 murders reported daily and over 100 rapes every day. Between January and June, 328 mass murder incidents left more than one-thousand-100 victims. Rise Mzansi’s Makashule Gana calls for better-resourced detectives, improved crime intelligence, and safer police stations to protect communities:

# The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed Ithuba Lottery’s urgent bid to block the handover of the new lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings. The ruling clears the way for Sizekhaya to take over as the new operator in June next year. Ithuba, the runner-up in the bidding process, will continue its main review of the licence next year. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is still probing claims of political connections in the licence award, including that of deputy president Paul Mashatile’s sister-in-law.

# Thirteen people were killed in an Israeli raid in southern Syria on Friday. According to Syrian state media, Damascus is accusing Israel of an attack in a village where Israel said its troops came under fire during an operation to arrest militants. The Israeli military said six soldiers were wounded, three of them severely, by militant fire during the raid in the village of Beit Jinn. Israel frequently bombed Syria when it was ruled by president Bashar al-Assad and stepped up its military operations in the country after he was ousted.

# Rugby: Today’s clash between South Africa and Wales is described as only a money-spinner. Both teams lost many of their first-choice players because the Test falls outside of the international window. But Wales, who won only two of their last 20 Tests, urgently needs money, and luring the world champions to Cardiff will achieve just that. They are reportedly set to make millions from the clash at the Principality Stadium. No one is giving Wales a chance of beating the world number one without 13 of its best players.

# And finally: The Johannesburg Metro Police Department has announced major road closures today ahead of the Soweto Marathon. Roads closed at 4 am and will remain closed until 3 pm this afternoon, including Soweto Highway, Randshow Road, Nasrec Road, Chris Hani Road, Vilakazi Street, Main Road, Main Reef Road, and Union Road. Additional closures affect Riverlea, Orlando, Diepkloof, Pimville, Rockville, Jabulani, Central, Western Jabavu, Mofolo, Dube, and Kliptown. JMPD officers will be deployed across the city to monitor and manage traffic during the event. Motorists are urged to drive with caution.

Stay tuned for more news………….