News 09:00

BULLETIN 21 September 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The N3 Toll Route remains closed in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State due to heavy snowfalls
# Corruption Watch reports a 247-percent increase in procurement rule bypasses
# And cricket: Afghanistan seal their first ever ODI series against South Africa

# The N3 Toll Concession says the Toll Route remains closed from Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal to Harrismith in the Free State due to heavy snowfalls. The concession’s chief operating officer, Thania Dhoogra, says wet weather, dangerous driving conditions and poor visibility are being reported along the entire route from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng. She says Van Reenen Pass will remain closed to traffic until driving conditions have improved and it is deemed safe for travel to resume:

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape Department of Transport and Community Safety also warns snow and wet weather have hit parts of the province and road users are warned to avoid the roads where possible. The department’s spokesperson, Makhaya Komisa, says the Penhoek Pass on the N6 between Jamestown and Komani, the Barkly Pass on the R58 between Elliot and Barkly, as well as R58 from Elliot towards Ngcobo are still closed due to heavy snow:

# Corruption Watch has revealed a 247-percent increase in the legal by-passing of procurement rules from 2021 to 2023. Despite this surge, the total value of these deviations significantly dropped, declining from 34-billion-rand in 2021 to 11.9-billion-rand in 2023. The report, compiled with Stellenbosch University, emphasises that while deviations rose, most were permissible under procurement laws. Common reasons included emergency procurement and sole suppliers.

# At least 14 people, including top Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, have been killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut, with scores wounded. The target was a building in suburban Beirut with reports saying ten members of Hezbollah’s Radwan special forces unit also died. The attack followed Hezbollah launching more than 100 rockets into northern Israel, and Israel striking sites in southern Lebanon. Aqil was also wanted by America for his alleged involvement in the bombing of the US embassy and US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983.

# And cricket: The much vaunted Proteas’ fire was again extinguished by Afghanistan in a one-day international in Sharjah last night. The South Africans lost by 177 runs. In Wednesday’s game they were dismissed for just 106 to lose by six wickets, and thus lost the three-game series. In yesterday’s match Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a superb century before leg-spinner Rashid Khan marked his 26th birthday by taking five wickets. Tomorrow’s encounter is at the same venue in the United Arab Emirates.

Stay tuned for more news………….