News 15:00

BULLETIN 14 February 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SALGA says the killing of politicians is a lucrative business in KwaZulu-Natal
# The world’s first woman-owned phosphate mine will open in South Africa 
# And Soccer: Bafana Bafana’s coach commends the team staff for their exceptional support 

# The South African Local Government Association warns that killing politicians has become a profitable enterprise for hitmen in KwaZulu-Natal. The association addressed the media following the recent murder of Nongoma Local Municipality councillor Ndukwenhle Duma in uMtubatuba. Chairperson Thami Ntuli urges immediate action to address the situation where politicians have become easy targets. Ntuli warns of the danger to those exposing corruption at local government level, branding the rising political killings as a direct assault on the democratic system:

# The world’s first woman-owned phosphate mine, Adelaide Ruiters Mining and Exploration, is expected to open in South Africa in June or July. The company is also considering an initial public offering before the end of the year. ARME’s main activity has been phosphate mineral exploration and mine development in Saldanha Bay, with the aim of developing the Zandheuvel project. The goal is to create a new phosphate competency for South Africa and the Southern African region, serving the food security and agriculture development needs.

# UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the recent attacks on journalists reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Two Al Jazeera correspondents, Ismail Abu Omar and Ahmad Matar, were seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza while documenting the living conditions of displaced Palestinian families when they were directly targeted by a missile fired by a drone. Guterres has emphasised the importance of media freedom:

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, has praised the national team staff for their exceptional dedication in caring for the players. Broos lauded the tireless efforts of the staff in meeting the team’s needs, ensuring seamless performance. His remarks came during the team’s return to OR Tambo International Airport from Ivory Coast after securing the bronze medal in the Africa Cup of Nations:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-15-cents and the euro at 20-rand-49-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 51-thousand-439-dollars-29-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-991-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

# And finally: In celebration of world-renowned artist Esther Mahlangu’s illustrious career, Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town will host an exhibition titled Then I Knew I Was Good at Painting. Curated by Nontobeko Ntombela, the exhibition highlights Mahlangu’s over 50-year-long career and her meteoric rise as a contemporary artist. The exhibition will run from Sunday until the eleventh of August. From there it will then begin its global tour, stopping first at Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa, before moving to the US in early 2026.

Stay tuned for more news………….