News 08:00

BULLETIN 7th October 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee today
# It’s the second anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack on Israel
# And rugby: The Bulls include 13 Springboks in the URC touring group to Ireland and Scotland

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, is scheduled to commence with its hearings today. Mkhwanazi, who will be the first witness, has alleged corruption, political interference, and criminal infiltration of the justice system. Parliament has appointed Advocate Norman Arendse as its evidence leader. Committee chairperson, Molapi Soviet Lekganyane, told the SABC that Mkhwanazi’s testimony will be slightly different to the one he made to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry:

# Multi-Party Charter convener, professor William Gumede, believes South Africa’s political fragmentation has created both a challenge and an opportunity for centrist parties. Build One South Africa, the GOOD Party, and RISE Mzansi have joined forces to form Unite for Change, ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Gumede says it is important to have a political centre, which he defines as parties that are pro-constitutional, pro-entrepreneurship and non-racial, offering an alternative to the ANC and populist parties like the EFF and MK Party.

# The Gauteng government has denounced a News24 article suggesting that premier Panyaza Lesufi’s recently announced 64-million-rand energy project forms part of the Hawks’ corruption investigation. The article indicates that Lesufi’s transformer replacement project, introduced on the eve of the May 2024 elections to electrify townships and urban areas, is now shrouded in controversy. Provincial government spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says the article is misleading as the Hawks’ investigation is focused on City Power and not the premier or the provincial government:

# Today marks the second anniversary of the deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. One-thousand-200 people were killed in the attack, and 251 others were taken hostage. The Israeli Defence Force launched a campaign in Gaza in response. Since then, 67-thousand-160 Palestinians have been killed and about 170-thousand wounded in military operations. The anniversary comes as Israel and Hamas have begun indirect talks in Egypt on a US ceasefire proposal. The militant group has said it agrees to the peace plan proposals in part.

# Rugby: Thirteen Springboks players, including Handrè Pollard, Wilco Louw and Canan Moodie, have been included in the Bulls’ 31-man touring squad for the United Rugby Championship fixtures against Ulster, Connacht and Glasgow Warriors. Pollard is in line to make his second Bulls debut after re-joining the Pretoria-based club from Leicester Tigers. Captain Marcell Coetzee is out after failing a head injury assessment, while Kurt-Lee Arendse has a hamstring injury. Coach Johan Ackermann says he hopes to get the Boks integrated quickly:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-17-cents and the euro at 20-rand-10-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 124-thousand-457-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-968-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….