News 14:00

BULLETIN 27 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A ballistics expert confirms guns recovered in the Swart case were connected to other crimes
# The Civil Aviation Authority opens a probe following a fatal helicopter crash in the Northern Cape
# And cricket: Temba Bavuma is back for next month’s Test series against India

# The police’s national head of ballistics, Mishak Mkhabela, has told the Madlanga commission a gun used in the murder of engineer Armand Swart, whose serial number was initially unreadable, was later restored by a lab in Amanzimtoti in KwaZulu-Natal. Mkhabela is stationed at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Silverton, Pretoria. He explained that a timeline will show how firearms recovered in the Swart case are connected to other crimes:

# The South African Civil Aviation Authority has opened an investigation into yesterday’s fatal helicopter crash that claimed three lives in Danielskuil in the Northern Cape. Meanwhile, the pilot of a light aircraft made an emergency crash landing at Hoërskool Alberton’s rugby field in Ekurhuleni yesterday, crashing into the school’s tuckshop. Police spokesperson, Cherelle Ehlers says police are investigating the deaths of three men, aged between 23 and 34 after they perished in the helicopter crash:

# The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has approved a new HIV prevention injection called Lenacapavir. The six-monthly injection, developed by Gilead, can be used by adults and teenagers weighing at least 35 kilograms and must be combined with safer sex practices, such as condom use. SAHPRA’s Yuven Gounden says the regulator reviewed the medicine in collaboration with the European Medicines Agency to accelerate access to essential treatments:

# Johannesburg mayor, Dada Morero, says the metro is committed to building a fair and inclusive economy where informal traders can operate with dignity and stability. The metro recently introduced smart trading permits to informal traders operating in the inner city. Each card is uniquely linked to the trader’s profile and trading number, which allows authorised officials to verify trader information on-site. Morero says through this initiative, they are not undermining small businesses, but are regularising and ensuring order and discipline in the informal trading sector.

# Cricket: South Africa’s Test captain, Temba Bavuma, returns to the squad for next month’s two-match series against India. He missed the recent drawn series against Pakistan due to a left calf strain. Prenelan Subreyan and David Bedingham, who were part of the squad for the Pakistan Tests, miss out. The squad includes three spinners; Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, and Senuran Muthusamy. The first Test is at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from 14 November. The action will then shift to Guwahati, which will host its first-ever Test from 22 November.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-21-cents and the euro at 20-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-97-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-402-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-44-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-76-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….