News 08:00

BULLETIN 20 December 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Nkabinde inquiry panel blocks Shamila Batohi’s attempt to rewrite Chauke’s fitness terms
# Cosatu is optimistic about the appointment of the National Dialogue steering committee
# And cricket: The Proteas end the year with a T20 series loss against India

# The Nkabinde inquiry panel investigating suspended Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Chauke has rejected the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi’s request to amend the terms of reference. Batohi admitted she had not reviewed the final terms issued by president Cyril Ramaphosa before the inquiry began. Chauke’s lawyer, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, argued that changing the terms now would be unfair, and the panel agreed. The inquiry will continue under the original terms, examining allegations that Chauke made politically motivated prosecutorial decisions.

# Cosatu welcomes the appointment of the National Dialogue Steering Committee. The labour federation says the committee will play a key role in facilitating discussions between government, business, and labour to address pressing social and economic challenges. The party’s Matthew Parks says Cosatu believes the dialogue will promote cooperation, improve stakeholder engagement, and contribute to the development of policies that benefit workers and the broader South African community:

# The DA says the Western Cape is short of more than two-thousand police officers, leaving communities under-policed and at risk. According to the party, only 12-thousand-908 of 15-thousand approved officers are active, and 471 police vehicles are out of service. The DA’s Benedicta van Minnen warns this has contributed to high crime, with four-thousand-539 murders this year, and calls on acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia to act urgently:

# A global hunger monitor says there is no longer famine in Gaza. This follows after access for humanitarian and commercial food deliveries improved following a fragile October ceasefire in the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants. The latest assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification comes four months after it reported that nearly a quarter of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were experiencing famine. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that while famine had been pushed back, the gains were fragile and warned that the situation in the enclave remained critical.

# Cricket: The Proteas ended their year on a sour note after losing by 30 runs to India in the fifth and final T20 International at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. The Proteas won the toss and chose to bowl, but couldn’t stop the Indian onslaught. Quinton de Kock with 65 off 35 balls and Dewald Brevis with 31 off 17 initially kept the South Africans in the chase in their innings, but they faded away badly in the second half, to lose the five-match T20 series 3-1, after a 2-0 Test series win, and a 2-1 One Day series defeat.

# And finally: The National Sea Rescue Institute warns people to be careful along the coast this weekend as a spring tide peaks today. Higher and lower tides will make currents stronger, increasing risks for swimmers, anglers, and hikers. The institute’s Andrew Ingram advises swimming only at lifeguarded beaches, wearing life jackets when fishing or boating, planning hikes safely, and checking tides and weather before going out:

Stay tuned for more news………….