News 08:00

BULLETIN 31 December 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Gupta enterprise kingpin Salim Essa’s bid to review the Zondo Commission report is dismissed
# The Australian police believe the Bondi Beach terror suspects acted alone
# And rugby, the Bulls coach clarifies the Springbok coaches’ involvement in the team

# The Gauteng High Court has dismissed Gupta associate and alleged state capturer, Salim Essa’s bid to review the State Capture Commission of Inquiry report. Essa, who left South Africa in 2017, was implicated in several big-money transactions across Eskom and Transnet. His name featured 806 times in the report. In the ruling, Judge Dunstan Mlambo stated that Essa is a fugitive of justice, and allowing a person implicated in state capture to pursue a review application will risk undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

# The Activists and Citizens Forum has questioned the transfer of alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala to eBongweni Correctional Facility in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. Matlala faces charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering and is awaiting trial in the Johannesburg High Court. The forum’s Dennis Bloem says the forum wants clarity on the reasons for the move and the processes followed:

# The ANC in the Western Cape has welcomed a court ruling ordering the City of Cape Town to provide an alternative venue for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association. Judge James Lekhuleni issued the order last night, also directing the city to assist the association in complying with Safety at Sports and Recreational Events regulations. ANC’s Jerimia Thunysma says the government must enable communities to practice their culture.

# Australian Federal Police have confirmed that the Bondi Beach terror suspects, who shot and killed 15 people celebrating Hannukkah on December 14, acted alone. Fifty-year-old Sajid Akram was shot dead by police during the terror incident, and 24-year-old Naveed Akram has been charged with 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and other charges. Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett says the suspects spent almost a month in the Philippines before arriving back in Sydney on November 29:

# Rugby: Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has clarified the Springbok coaches’ involvement, denying that they are involved in preparations for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship derby with the Stormers. Bok assistant coaches Felix Jones and Jerry Flannery, SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coach Duane Vermeulen, and head of athletic performance Andy Edwards will provide short-term support to the Bulls. Ackermann says he does not expect the Bok coaches to put a plan together on how to win, adding that any collaboration would be practical and rotational.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-59-cents and the euro at 19-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-34-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-686-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-354-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-19-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….