News 14:00

BULLETIN 20 August 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The judicial commission into Mbuyiseli Mkhwanazi’s allegations is to start hearings on 1 September
# Inflation jumped to a 10-month high in July
# And Israel’s Defence minister approves plan to conquer Gaza City

# The Madlanga judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system will begin hearings on the first of next month. Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga says the first session is expected to be open to the public and will take place at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in central Pretoria, where the commission’s offices will also be located. The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, says public submissions are not yet open.

# Businessman Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe has been denied bail by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng in connection with the 2022 assassination of Oupa ‘DJ Sumbody’ Sefoka. He faces multiple charges, including murder and conspiracy to murder. Magistrate Renier Boshoff ruled Molefe failed to prove exceptional circumstances to be released on bail. Three co-accused also remain behind bars. Boshoff cited cellphone evidence linking Molefe to the co-accused after the shooting:

# Statistics South Africa says inflation has risen to a ten-month high of 3.5-percent in July, up from three-percent in June. Household food budgets remain under strain, with food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation accelerating to 5.7-percent. Beef prices have risen nearly 29-percent over the past year, while vegetable inflation reached 14.6-percent. Stats SA’s Patrick Kelly says there was some relief with coffee, eggs, and certain milk products becoming cheaper:

Moving abroad:

# Israeli Defence minister Israel Katz has approved the military’s plan to conquer Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60-thousand reservists. A spokesperson from the ministry confirmed the reports which appeared in Israeli media. Katz’s move piled pressure on Hamas as mediators, pushing for a ceasefire, await an official Israeli response on their latest proposal. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement.

# Cricket: Test skipper Shubman Gill was named in India’s T20 squad for next month’s Asia Cup tournament after being left out of three previous series in the shortest format. He returned to the 15-man squad as deputy to skipper Suryakumar Yadav, thanks to the stellar role he played with the bat in the recent Test series against England. The eight-nation Asia Cup will be the first major event in the build-up to the T20 World Cup in India in February and March next year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-20-cents and the euro at 20-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-89-cents and Bitcoin trades at 113-thousand-611-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-325-dollars-58-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-88-cents a barrel. 

Stay tuned for more news………….