News 11:00

BULLETIN 17 October 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa is set to answer questions in Parliament today
# The FF Plus criticises the constant change in leadership in Mogale City
# And the US launches airstrikes in Yemen

# President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to answer questions in the National Assembly today. These include the functioning of the government of national unity, the fight against organised crime, including extortion, and the outcomes of the recent United Nations General Assembly. The president will also be pressed on Justice minister Thembi Simelane, who is facing claims of impropriety linked to the now-liquidated VBS Mutual Bank. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says the president will soon make a decision on the minister:

# The ANC has welcomed the decision by its former national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, to step aside as a member of the national executive committee. He is facing charges of fraud and money laundering, in connection with a 27-million-rand tender awarded to his company, Enviro-Mobi, in March 2017. Mabe and his six co-accused appeared in court yesterday where they were granted 30-thousand-rand bail each. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says Mabe has done the right thing, as per the party’s step-aside rule.

# The Freedom Front Plus says the constant change in political leadership in the Mogale City Municipality in Gauteng undermines continuity on all levels. This follows the resignation of the mayor, Danny Thupane, who has been at the helm of the West Rand municipality since April last year. He resigned before a motion of no confidence against him was voted on yesterday. The FF Plus’s Danie Toerien says the council must now elect a new mayor, the third since the municipal elections in 2021:

# The US military carried out airstrikes in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthis, targeting five underground weapons storage facilities. The facilities were holding various weapons components used to target vessels in the Middle East. US Defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, says the strikes were a unique demonstration of America’s ability to target facilities that its adversaries seek to keep out of reach. He adds they will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks.

# Soccer: Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba says he takes full responsibility for his failed doping test but emphasises that he is not a cheater. The 31-year-old was banned for four years in February after testing positive for synthetic testosterone. The ban was reduced to 18 months earlier this month after the Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted his ingestion of a banned substance was not intentional. Pogba told Sky Sport he should have tripled checked before taking the supplement:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-70-cents and the euro at 19-rand-21-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-98-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-142-dollars-58-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-680-dollars-66-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-14-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….