News 13:00

BULLETIN 21 February 1 pm

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen dismisses rumours of his removal as Agriculture minister
# FOSA calls for the suspension of judge Ledwaba pending an investigation
# And cricket: The Protea and Pakistani women face off in the first ODI in Bloemfontein tomorrow

# Outgoing DA leader John Steenhuisen has dismissed rumours that he will be removed as the minister of Agriculture. This follows an article on Friday in the Mail and Guardian, that senior leaders within the DA want him removed over his handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Steenhuisen since told News24 he is 100-percent focused on the fight against the disease. He said the party leader determined who serves on the executive, not the party’s federal council. Until April, he is still the leader, and changing representatives would be the new leader’s prerogative.

# The Freedom Front Plus in Tshwane says illegal immigrants, particularly those guilty of crime and illegal land occupation, will soon be deported to their country of origin. The party says Tshwane Metro Police and Home Affairs minister, Leon Schreiber, agreed to cooperate and address the problem. Grandi Theunissen of FF Plus says one of the biggest issues is foreigners who illegally occupy abandoned buildings in the city centre. They then rent out rooms to other undocumented foreigners, which poses a health, fire, and safety risk.

# Western Cape premier Alan Winde has cautiously welcomed the 3.4-percent decrease in the province’s overall murder rate for the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year. However, he says the provincial government is demanding a complete reform of South Africa’s policing system and proper funding for law enforcement agencies in the Western Cape. Winde says organised crime, including extortion and firearm-driven violence, continues to place immense pressure on vulnerable neighbourhoods:

# The Forum for South Africa is concerned by allegations levelled against the acting Judge President of the Pretoria High Court, Aubrey Ledwaba. Ledwaba is accused of accepting a 2.5-million-rand bribe to grant alleged crime boss Katiso Molefe bail of 100-thousand-rand and also a 35-million-rand corruption allegation. FOSA leader Tebogo Mashilompane says if these allegations are true, it strikes the very heart of the integrity of the South African judiciary:

# Cricket: The Proteas Women face Pakistan in the first of three one-day matches in Bloemfontein tomorrow. The series follows three T20s which South Africa won 2-1. The second ODI will be played in Centurion on Wednesday, and the final one in Durban next Sunday. Eighteen-year-old Fay Cowling can make her debut for South Africa after replacing veteran Marizanne Kapp, who is ill. The teams use the white-ball series as preparation for this year’s T20 World Cup in England, starting on the 12th of June.

# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa is officiating today at the Armed Forces Day commemoration in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. The day is observed annually to commemorate the sinking of the SS Mendi in February 1917. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the sinking of the SS Mendi remains one of South Africa’s greatest tragedies of the First World War. A total of 616 black South African troops lost their lives when the vessel sank en route to France.

Stay tuned for more news………….