News 11:00

BULLETIN 22 September 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa says South Africa will be championing multilateralism at the UN General Assembly
# Charlie Kirk’s wife says she forgives her husband’s accused assassin
# And in tennis: Team World beats Team Europe to secure their third Laver Cup title

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week is taking place at a time when the global rules-based system is profoundly fragile. The session will be held under the theme, Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights. Speaking to the SABC just after landing in New York, Ramaphosa said they will be championing robust multilateralism, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the unwavering protection of human rights:

# Law professor, Pierre de Vos, says the success of the Madlanga Commission will ultimately depend on overcoming potential resistance from within compromised institutions. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was the commission’s first witness last week. He accused political leaders and senior police officials of protecting criminal syndicates and sabotaging investigations. De Vos says he remains carefully optimistic the commission will do an excellent job at uncovering the truth. He says he is less optimistic that the findings and recommendations of the commission will be fully implemented.

# National Director of Public Prosecution, advocate Shamila Batohi, has raised concerns about the safety of prosecutors, saying at least 34-million-rand a year is spent on protecting state advocates. This includes 24-hour close protection with someone stationed at their homes during high-profile cases. Five prosecutors have been shot and killed over the past five years in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape. Batohi says, despite the dangers, many prosecutors are galvanised in the resolve to continue their work.

# Conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, says she forgives the man charged with her husband’s murder. Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Robinson was formally charged last week with seven counts, including murder and obstruction of justice. Kirk was shot dead during an event at Utah Valley University. Speaking at her husband’s memorial service in Arizona on Sunday, Erika Kirk vowed to take the mantle of Turning Point USA, where she’s now serving as CEO and board chairperson:

# Tennis: American Taylor Fritz guided Team World to their third Laver Cup title in four years in San Francisco. Team World beat Team World, led by Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 15-9, giving Andre Agassi his first win as captain. Fritz was the star, securing big wins over Alcaraz and Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The 2026 edition of the competition will take place at London’s O2 Arena. Agassi was full of praise for his team:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-35-cents and the euro at 20-rand-96-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-39-cents and Bitcoin trades at 112-thousand-725-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-710-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-47-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….