News 09:00

BULLETIN 17 September 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Calls that the Madlanga Commission must ensure proper security for whistleblowers
# The government is urging students to apply for 2026 funding
# And a Joint Operations Centre is established to monitor taxi routes in the Western Cape

# Non-governmental organisation, the Whistleblower House, says the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry must ensure the protection of whistleblowers. The commission, tasked with investigating allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption in South Africa’s justice system, gets underway today. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be the first witness to testify. Whistleblower House’s Ben Theron told eNCA that by making whistleblowing a less risky endeavour, impunity is diminished, and accountability becomes an inherent outcome:

# Government is urging all eligible students to apply for funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme for next year. Deputy minister of Higher Education and Training, Nomusa Dube Ncube, launched the application process in Pretoria yesterday. Government’s spokesperson, Themba Mazibuko, says the application process for 2026 has been simplified and strengthened, with applications being submitted via the myNSFAS portal:

# The City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Directorate says it has established a joint operations centre to monitor taxi routes in Somerset West and surrounding areas. Last week, the Western Cape government announced the closure of some routes between Khayelitsha, Lwandle, Mfuleni, and Somerset West for 30 days. This follows ongoing tensions between taxi organisations. Mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says the centre will ensure adherence and mitigate any potential risks to public safety:

# The South African Communist Party has strongly condemned Israel’s violent and unlawful attack on Qatar. They accuse Israel of pursuing imperialist aggression that threatens peace in the Middle East, undermines sovereignty, and prolongs the war against Palestine and neighbouring states. SACP spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana says Israel’s justification for targeting Hamas in Qatar is mere propaganda to conceal power-driven motives. Mandlana urged the global south to stand in solidarity with Palestine and all affected nations.

# Soccer: A 10-man Real Madrid got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start, beating Marseille 2-1. Kylian Mbappé converted two penalties, while captain Dani Carvajal was sent off for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, as the 15-time champions came from behind to win. Juventus and Borussia Dortmund played to a 4-4 draw, while Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to score as Arsenal beat Spanish side Athletic Club 2-0. Tottenham Hotspur defeated Villarreal 1-0, with Qarabag seeing off Benfica 3-2.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-35-cents and the euro at 20-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 116-thousand-286-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-681-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….