News 08:00

BULLETIN 4 September 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy national commissioner Sibiya is going to testify before Parliament’s political killings inquiry
# The MK Party condemns the diversion of dockets to the Madlanga Commission
# And at least 15 people were killed after Lisbon’s famous Glória Funicular railway car derailed

# Deputy national police commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, will appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Wednesday next week. His testimony follows allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claims senior police leaders interfered with investigations into political killings. Sibiya, currently placed on special leave, has denied the accusations and is challenging the process in court. The committee is investigating governance failures within the police and the broader justice system. It will table its final report in October.

# The MK Party has accused the government of tampering with police investigations into political killings. This comes after National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia agreed to send copies of 121 dockets from the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The MK Party’s David Skosana says this is a clear case of executive overreach and abuse of power:

# Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza says the metro is making progress in strengthening its financial position, having addressed a 2.1-billion-rand revenue shortfall. The metro’s current bank balance stands at nearly 1.2-billion-rand. Ekurhuleni’s investment balance is now at 672-million-rand, up from 245-million-rand. Meanwhile, Xhakaza says an internal disciplinary process against officials implicated in the metro’s missing funds is at an advanced stage:

# At least 15 people have been killed and 18 others injured after Lisbon’s famous Glória Funicular railway car derailed and crashed in Portugal. According to reports, a cable came loose along the railway’s route, causing it to lose control and collide with a nearby building. Authorities say some foreign nationals were among the dead, but have not disclosed their nationalities. Carris, the public transportation company that manages the Glória Funicular, says it has opened an investigation. Portugal’s government has declared today a day of national mourning.

# Golf: South Africa’s Jacques de Villiers fired an opening round 63 to share the lead with England’s Joe Knox on seven under par at the Sunshine Tour’s Sunbet Challenge at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club in Port Edward. South Africa’s Albert Venter is two strokes further back and the leaders’ nearest challenger on five under par. De Villiers, who is aiming for a maiden Sunshine Tour title, says he has put himself in a good position:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-377-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-527-dollars-5-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-5-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….