News 08:00
BULLETIN 7 March 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The DA says Defence minister’s silence on Iran’s participation in the navy exercise deepens concerns
# The DA says the police and SANDF deployment to gang-ridden areas lack coordination
# And rugby: A victory over Scotland will clinch a consecutive Six Nations title for France today
# The DA says Defence and Military Veterans minister Angie Motshekga has refused to confirm whether president Cyril Ramaphosa approved Iran’s participation in the South African National Defence Force’s exercise, Will for Peace. The parliamentary question comes amid diplomatic and security concerns over Iranian naval vessels taking part in the exercise. The DA’s Chris Hattingh says Motshekga’s silence raises serious questions about civilian oversight of the military and accountability within the SANDF:
# The DA says there is a lack of coordination and planning between the South African National Defence Force and the police about the planned deployment to gang-ridden communities. The DA’s Lisa Schickerling says there appears to be no clearly articulated joint operational plan detailing how SAPS and the SANDF will work together on the ground:
Eskom says the generation fleet continues to show sustained improvement, with the Energy Availability Factor remaining above 65-percent mark, currently at 65.31-percent for the 2025/2026 financial year to date. Spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says this upward momentum reflects ongoing progress in restoring power station reliability, reinforcing system stability, and advancing Eskom’s operational recovery. She says the generation fleet has also achieved or exceeded the 70-percent EAF milestone on 78 occasions this financial year:
# Israel pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs with airstrikes on Friday, stepping up a war with Hezbollah that has forced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese from their homes. A ministry of Health report sets the death toll at more than 200. Israel ordered everyone in the densely-populated suburbs, Hezbollah’s main stronghold in the capital, to leave before launching strikes that lit up the night sky. It has also warned civilians to quit swathes of southern and eastern Lebanon, heartlands of the Lebanese armed Shi’ite Muslim group.
And finally, sports news:
# Cricket: Every one of the 132-thousand seats is expected to be filled when the world’s largest sports stadium, the Narenda Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, hosts the T20 World Cup final between co-hosts India and New Zealand tomorrow. India qualified by beating England in a nail-biting semifinal in Wankhede, while the Black Caps annihilated South Africa by nine wickets in Kolkata. New Zealand opener Finn Allen is regarded as a huge danger to India after smashing a century off just 33 balls against the Proteas.
# And rugby: France can clinch a second consecutive Six Nations title with a round to spare if they beat Scotland in Edinburgh today. They already lead the Scots by four points on top of the log, and another victory will see them retain the crown. France already beat Ireland, Wales, and Italy, and victory today will mean the match against England in next weekend’s final round will have no bearing on the outcome. Today’s other match sees Italy welcoming England to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Stay tuned for more news………….