News 09:00

BULLETIN 26 September 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The minister of Public Works implements reforms to stop wastage
# The repatriation of freedom fighters is a joyous but painful moment
# And Putin warns Russia could use nuclear weapons

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson says it is important that drastic action is taken to improve oversight, accounting, and reporting within the department quickly. The Auditor General’s report revealed that 86-percent of the department’s budget had been spent, but only 20-percent of the mandated targets were achieved. Irregular wastage increased from 98-million-rand to 521-million-rand in the last three financial years. Macpherson says reforms needed include removing officials’ ability to spend up to 20-million-rand without accounting officer approval and implementing a skills audit for senior management.

# The Activists and Citizens Forum says no amount of money can ever compensate for the sacrifices of the selfless heroes and heroines who decided to take up arms and fight the brutal apartheid regime. The remains of 49 former liberation fighters, who died in exile in southern African countries, landed at the Waterkloof Air Force Base yesterday evening. They were buried in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The forum’s Dennis Bloem says families can now bury the remains of their loved ones on home soil:

# Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has commended the swift and decisive action taken by the police in dismantling a kidnapping syndicate operating in the Tshoxa location. Four suspected kidnappers were killed and another injured in a shootout with police at a house near Keiskammahoek. Three unlicenced firearms with ammunition and two suspected stolen bakkies were recovered. Provincial government’s spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, says they are committed to combating crime and protecting the vulnerable:

# Russian president Vladimir Putin says they will consider using nuclear weapons if his country is attacked by any state with conventional weapons. Putin has changed Russia’s official nuclear doctrine, in response to the US and Britain considering permitting Ukraine to fire conventional Western missiles into Moscow. Putin also warned that a nuclear power supporting another country’s attack on Russia would be considered a participant in aggression. He added that the country’s nuclear arms were the most important guarantee of security.

# Soccer: Kaizer Chiefs recorded their second consecutive Premier Soccer League victory, with a three-one win over AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Goals from Ranga Chivaviro, Gaston Sirino, and Ignacio Miguel, inside the opening 23-minutes set the stage for a comfortable triumph for Chiefs. Stellenbosch FC got a morale-boosting three-nil victory over Cape Town City at the Danie Craven Stadium. SuperSport United defeated TS Galaxy one-nil, while Sekhukhune United played to a one-all draw against Chippa United.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-20-cents and the euro at 19-rand-17-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-431-dollars-1-cent. Gold sells at two-thousand-661-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-71-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….