News 15:00

BULLETIN 14 October 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Sibiya says the Murder and Robbery Unit is a better option than the political killings task team
# Two men are sentenced to life for a brutal farm murder in the Free State
# And cricket: The Proteas chase a winning target of 277 after another Senuran Muthusamy masterclass

# Suspended national deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya says political killings in South Africa have declined due to the political killings task team’s efforts. He told Parliament the members’ expertise will now be absorbed into the Murder and Robbery Unit for nationwide deployment. Sibiya emphasised resources should target broader serious and violent crimes, ensuring permanent, well-distributed structures while maintaining the specialised skills developed by the task team:

The Madlanga commission has meanwhile put timelines for its evidence leaders, News24 and Daily Maverick to settle a dispute over another off-camera witness’ testimony set for Thursday and Friday. Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga says if unresolved, evidence leaders as well as News24 and Daily Maverick must file papers by 22 October. Madlanga says no other in-camera witnesses will be called without public notice:

# The Kroonstad Regional Court in the Free State has sentenced Mandau Sejani and Daniel Motaung to life imprisonment for the murder of farmer Eric David Wessels. The men attacked Wessels on 24 October 2020, suffocating him with a plastic bag and stealing property. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Mojalefa Senokoatsane hailed the ruling as a firm message against violent crimes in rural communities:

Moving abroad:

# Transport and services in Greece are disrupted for the second time this month as unions staged a 24-hour walkout against government plans to introduce an optional 13-hour workday. The government has said the 13-hour workday, to be voted into law Wednesday, is optional but opposition parties and unions argue that workers will risk layoffs if they refuse longer hours. The mobilisation will shut down public and municipal services and paralyse ferries and trains, but flights are unaffected. Protests are scheduled in Athens and other major cities during the day.

# Cricket: South Africa is chasing a winning target of 277 runs in the first Test against Pakistan in Lahore after another masterclass by spinner Senuran Muthusamy. He added another five wickets to his six of the hosts’ first innings and helped bowl Pakistan out for only 167. They had a first-innings lead of 109 runs after the Proteas were dismissed for 269 on the third day, but couldn’t capitalize on that. Co-spinner Simon Harmer took four Pakistani wickets and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada the other one.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-46-cents and the euro at 20-rand-18-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-615-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-136-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….