News 15:00

BULLETIN 15 September 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Public Protector investigates the RAF’s CEO over a four-million-rand armoured BMW
# MK calls upon Judge Madlanga to suspend the commencement of the commission’s proceedings
# And golf: South Africa’s Retief Goosen wins his fourth PGA Tour Champions title

# The Public Protector will probe embattled Road Accident Fund CEO Collins Letsoalo over allegations he spent over ten-million-rand of public funds on security over three-years. Allegations also include a four-million-rand armoured BMW-X5 and employing nine bodyguards. A whistleblower claims some guards protect his wife and children. This makes him the most protected state-owned enterprise boss with more security than ministers. Letsoalo claims the security is justified over threats linked to his anti-fraud work, but the Transport Department says no threats were reported.

# The MK Party calls upon Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga to suspend the commencement of his commission’s proceedings until the High Court in Pretoria has pronounced on the legality of the investigation. The commission will investigate corruption allegations within the criminal justice system and kicks off on Wednesday. MK’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, says the establishment and composition are scheduled to be challenged by the party before a full bench of the court on Thursday:

# Presidential protection services head Wally Rhoode has been cleared of misconduct in a police disciplinary hearing. He was accused of improperly running an unofficial probe into the 2020 Phala Phala farm theft, where ten-million-rand was stolen from president Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in Limpopo. Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka had found he acted improperly, but the committee ruled otherwise. Rhoode remains Ramaphosa’s top bodyguard, while the trial of three accused in the theft resumed in the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo today.

# Eskom says during the winter peak periods in the mornings and evenings, load reduction eased slightly from an average of 544-megawatts in April to 529-megawatts in June. Spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng have accounted approximately 87-percent of the total. She says Eskom appreciates the progress achieved in reducing load-reduction nationally, with a three-percent improvement recorded during the same period:

# Golf: South Africa’s Retief Goosen won the Sanford International at the Minnehaha Country Club in South Dakota, to claim his fourth career PGA Tour Champions title. The 56-year-old closed with a three-under 67 for a two-stroke victory over American Bo van Pelt. Goosen’s compatriot Ernie Els and Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland finished tied for third at eight-under. Goosen, the 2001 and 2004 US Open champion, says playing against Els and Van Pelt was special:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-34-cents and the euro at 20-rand-39-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-60-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-959-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-644-dollars-24-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….