News 14:00

BULLETIN 22 March 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The speaker of the National Assembly’s court date is set for April for a motion to halt her arrest
# Corruption Watch criticises the justice system’s response to high-profile corruption cases such as the Steinhoff scandal 
# And cricket: The Indian Premier League kicks off in Chennai today

# National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will bring an urgent application before the High Court in Pretoria on 9 April, seeking an order to prevent her arrest on corruption charges. This comes amid speculation of her possible arrest following a raid at her Johannesburg home in connection to bribery claims from her time as minister of Defense and Military Veterans. She demands access to the entire state brief relating to the case being investigated, including the police docket, informer dockets, and the investigation diary. Mapisa-Nqakula’s legal team argues the state is abusing the process.

# Corruption Watch has voiced disappointment in South Africa’s handling of high-profile corruption cases following the death of former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste. The 62-year-old’s suicide comes after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority levied a 475-million-rand fine for publishing misleading financial statements. Corruption Watch director Karam Singh says justice has not been served, highlighting failures in the justice system. He also emphasises the need for successful prosecutions of Steinhoff’s masterminds.

# The High Court in Pretoria has granted two final forfeiture orders valued at 33-million-rand following alleged corruption at Eskom’s Kusile power station. The assets, including properties, land and vehicles, are linked to former Eskom employees and companies including Tamukelo Air Vendor, implicated in unlawful activities between 2012 and 2018. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Gauteng spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, says the move is part of the Asset Forfeiture Unit’s strategy to recover proceeds of corruption: 

# Cricket: This year’s Indian Premier League gets going this afternoon when defending champions Chennai Super Kings host Royal Challengers Bangalore. Former Proteas captain Faf du Plessis leads RCB, who also boasts star players such as former Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australians Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green. There are no South Africans in CSK’s squad. Protea fast bowler Gerald Coetzee is one of the best-earning players in this year’s IPL, being picked up by Mumbai Indians for a whopping 11.4-million-rand.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-1-cent and the euro at 20-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-887-dollars-2-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-167-dollars-5-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-77-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Western Cape government will spend over 315-million-rand over the 2024/25 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework to combat substance abuse. DA provincial spokesperson on Social Development, Conrad Poole, says resources will focus on prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. He says early intervention services will reach 12-thousand-930 users, with three-thousand-951 receiving aftercare. Poole says in addition, in-patient treatment services will accommodate 360 users, with 498 subsidised beds provided: 

Stay tuned for more news………….