News 08:00

BULLETIN 23 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum wants to facilitate the private sector’s procurement of foot and mouth disease vaccines
# Robert Mugabe’s son is set to appear in court for attempted murder today
# And, Mexico’s most-wanted drug leader, El Mencho, has been killed in a military operation

# AfriForum says it is currently engaged in negotiations with expert role players to help facilitate the private sector’s procurement, sale, and distribution of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines. South Africa received one-million high-potency foot and mouth disease vaccines from BioGenesis Bago over the weekend. AfriForum’s Lambert de Klerk says government does not have the capacity to take on the enormous task of procuring and vaccinating approximately 28-million doses of vaccine without the help of the private sector:

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system will meet today to discuss housekeeping matters, including the scheduling of witnesses. Also under discussion will be questions for president Cyril Ramaphosa and correspondence received. Committee members want the president to respond to issues around the disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team, even though he is not a material witness or has not been implicated. The committee has been granted an extension to the 31st of March to complete its work.

# The late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine Mugabe, and his bodyguard will appear in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court today, facing charges of attempted murder. The two were arrested in connection with the shooting of an employee at the Mugabe family home in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, last week. Mugabe has reportedly told police that the man who was shot is his security guard and that he shot himself during a scuffle. He alleged that the dispute stemmed from his firing the guard for performing traditional rituals on the property.

# One of Mexico’s most notorious cartel leaders and the world’s most-wanted drug traffickers was killed during a security operation to arrest him. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, was the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The 59-year-old was killed along with at least six alleged accomplices. The US provided information to the Mexican Defence Ministry that assisted the operation. Officials say suspected members of organised crime unleashed a wave of violence in eight states following the operation, torching buses and businesses while clashing with security forces.

# Golf: South African Casey Jarvis won the Kenya Open by three shots in Nairobi to secure his maiden DP World Tour title. Ranked 195th in the world, the 22-year-old posted an eight-under 62 for the final round and finished 25 under for the tournament. American Davis Bryant finished second with South African Hennie Du Plessis in third. Jarvis says getting to win in front of his dad for the first time is amazing:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-1-cent and the euro at 18-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-64-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-647-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-171-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….