News 13:00

BULLETIN 28 May 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party’s chief whip is arrested for fraud
# Parole monitors are overwhelmed and under-resourced as over 27-thousand absconded parolees are uncounted for
# And Jill Biden says she thought her husband was having a stroke during his 2024 debate against Trump

# MK Party chief whip Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi has been arrested on fraud charges. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation says Mokoena-Zondi allegedly recruited four researchers into the party and demanded between 50- and 60-percent of their salaries in 2024, claiming the money was needed for legal costs linked to the party’s president, Jacob Zuma. Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani says the alleged fraud amounts to more than 233-thousand-rand. Mokoena-Zondi is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court later today.

# The Department of Correctional Services’ parole monitors say they are under-resourced, understaffed and overwhelmed, having to monitor large numbers of parolees weekly. An AmaBhungane investigation has revealed the department cannot account for almost 28-thousand high-risk parolees who have absconded. Presently, there are 44-thousand-857 active parolees in the country, with only 968 monitors. AmaBhungane says the monitors cite the lack of vehicles, access to firearms, and the dangers that come with monitoring serious and violent offenders as their main concerns.

# The Border Management Authority intercepted a drug consignment valued at 998.2-million-rand at the Beit Bridge border post in Musina, Limpopo. Three Malawian suspects were arrested. An intelligence-driven operation coordinated out of the National Targeting Centre identified a truck travelling from Zimbabwe. According to the BMA, the vehicle was intercepted and examined through the sophisticated truck scanner on site. Spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi says a hidden compartment was discovered:

# Soccer: Kaizer Chiefs legend Willard Katsande says the club made the correct decision by parting ways with co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef after deciding not to renew their contracts. The decision comes despite their third place finish in the Premier League, their best tally points in years. The pair took charge following the exit of former head coach Nasreddine Nabi in October last year. Katsande told TimesLIVE the club now needs an experienced serial-winning coach ahead of the new season.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-38-cents and the euro at 19-rand-3-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-268-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-391-dollars-96-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Former US first lady Jill Biden says she thought her husband, Joe, was having a stroke during the infamous 2024 debate against Donald Trump. He repeatedly stumbled over words and phrases as he delivered indirect responses to questions. Many in the Democratic Party called on him to drop out of the presidential election, which he did, endorsing vice president Kamala Harris. Biden told CBS News the moment scared her to death:

Stay tuned for more news………….