News 13:00

BULLETIN 10 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan calls his accusers criminals
# South Africa’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index remains unchanged
# And cricket: The Netherlands easily beats Namibia in Delhi

# Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has dismissed allegations against him, calling his accusers criminals. He spoke to SABC News ahead of his testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee. O’Sullivan says he has spent 36-years investigating crime and helped place senior police officials behind bars. He claims renewed attacks mirror past harassment, insisting unlawful possession of phone records is a criminal offence. O’Sullivan says he will present the truth to the committee:

# The Anti-corruption movement Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index shows corruption remains a serious threat globally. The CPI ranks 182 countries and territories worldwide by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. South Africa’s score is 41, the same as in 2024, and still below the global average. Corruption Watch’s executive director, Lebogang Ramafoko, says this year’s results show the majority of countries are failing to keep corruption under control:

# The Western Cape Education Department is wrapping up school placements after receiving an unusually high number of late applications. Since last month, more than 26-thousand grade R, one and eight learners have been placed across the province, with over 99-percent of grade one and grade eight learners already accommodated. The department’s Bronagh Hammond urged the public to allow officials to complete the remaining placements, ensuring every learner is placed:

# SA Airlink announced all its flights to and from St Helena has been cancelled until further notice, due to safety concerns at the airport. The Atlantic Ocean island’s government says a technical inspection revealed the fire-fighting capability did not meet international safety requirements, which could disrupt flights until at least next Friday. SA Airlink says customers requiring assistance should contact its reservation office or their travel agencies, and adds the situation is beyond their control. It has weekly flights to St Helena from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

# Cricket: The Netherlands recorded an easy seven-wicket victory over Namibia in their T20 World Cup Group A match in Delhi, India. The Dutch bowlers restricted the African nation to 156 for eight, with Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s 42 the highest score. Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede both took two wickets. The Netherlands chased down the target with just three wickets down and two overs left, with De Leede top-scoring with 72. Today’s second match sees New Zealand playing the United Arab Emirates in Chennai.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-88-cents and the euro at 18-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-318-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-and-51-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-94-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….