News 09:00

BULLETIN 5 October 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC loses an appeal on the cadre deployment contempt ruling
# Judgment on the Judicial Service Commission interviews interdict has been reserved
# And, rugby: The Bulls face Ulster with 13 Boks in their match-day squad

# The Johannesburg High Court has dismissed the ANC’s application for leave to appeal a ruling finding it guilty of civil contempt over cadre deployment records. The ANC has been ordered to provide unredacted records from 2013 to 2021, including emails and social media communications, when president Cyril Ramaphosa was ANC deputy president. Judge Brad Wanless dismissed this application with punitive cost. The DA has termed the ruling as a victory for transparency, exposing the ANC’s role in state capture.

In another case, judgment on the interdict to halt the Judicial Service Commission interviews set for Monday has been reserved for today, with the outcome expected by this afternoon. The High Court in Johannesburg heard the case yesterday, following a ruling that barred MK Party leader, John Hlophe, from participating. Freedom Under Law’s lawyer Max du Plessis argued it’s irrational for Hlophe to serve on the JSC after Parliament impeached him for gross misconduct in February:

# Communications and Digital Technologies minister, Solly Malatsi, has announced plans to make broadband access a top empowerment goal for South Africa. Malatsi says by issuing a policy directive to Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, the initiative will expand internet access to underserved communities while driving economic growth. He stressed that the initiative will lower regulatory barriers and device costs:

# The US military says it has launched strikes on the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen, hitting 15 targets. The Pentagon said it used aircraft and warships to launch the attacks to protect freedom of navigation. Explosions were reported in some of Yemen’s main cities, including the capital Sanaa. Since November, the Houthis have launched attacks on around 100 ships in the Red Sea, sinking two vessels. The Houthis are part of a network of armed groups in the Middle East backed by Iran that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

# And, rugby: The Bulls will face Ulster in this afternoon’s United Rugby Championship match with a squad packed with 13 Springboks, with director of rugby Jake White describing the team as the strongest in four years. The internationals include Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Marco van Staden, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Elrigh Louw, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Ruan Nortjé, who will captain the team. Other teams opted to give their Boks a break, with players like Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe seen boarding a plane to Mauritius with their families.

Stay tuned for more news………….