News 09:00

BULLETIN 25 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Motsoaledi calls on lawyers who submitted fraudulent medico-legal claims to withdraw them
# A police union rejects the two-pot pension system
# And, motorsport:  Norris pips Verstappen to pole at Dutch Grand Prix

# Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi says his department is making an offer to lawyers, who might have knowingly submitted fraudulent medico-legal claims, to withdraw them within two weeks with no consequences. In the Eastern Cape, two-thousand-500 claims, valued at 22.3-billion-rand, have been submitted to the department. The minister says failure to withdraw within two weeks would mean the offer lapses and the Special Investigating Unit will strike:

Meanwhile, the Activists and Citizens Forum has rejected Motsoaledi’s offer to lawyers who submitted fraudulent letters of demand. KwaZulu-Natal alone had two-thousand-440 medico-legal claims, valued at over 29-billion-rand, while Gauteng’s two-thousand-450 claims are valued at 24-billion-rand. The forum’s spokesperson, Dennis Bloem, says Motsoaledi is promoting corruption by saying there would be no consequences for lawyers who come forward about fraudulent claims within two weeks:

# The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union has rejected the new two-pot pension system, criticising the capped ten-percent seed capital and its tax implications. The union argues that the system, set to begin in September 2024, fails to address workers’ financial distress and could lead to inadequate retirement savings. Popcru demands a revised system allowing more accessible, tax-free pension withdrawals.

# Israel’s Defence Force has intensified its attacks on Hezbollah. The military says its warplanes are hitting targets in Lebanon after detecting moves to fire missiles and rockets into Israel. IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari is quoted as saying they are acting in self-defence to remove these threats. He adds Lebanese civilians had been warned to immediately leave areas where Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shia Muslim group, was operating. In northern Israel, sirens warning of incoming rockets were blaring.

# And, motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris became the first person to beat Max Verstappen to pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix with a stunning lap by the British-Belgian driver. Verstappen has monopolised his home race for Red Bull since it returned to the calendar in 2021 after a 36-year gap. Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri was third, with Mercedes’ George Russell fourth. Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in the second session and will start in twelfth position after a mistake on his final lap.

Stay tuned for more news………….