News 16:00

BULLETIN 24 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg appears in court for the first time in his fraud case
# Minister Macpherson reveals MPs and ministers owe the Department of Public Works four-million-rand
# And rugby: The Bulls kick off the weekend’s URC action against Benetton in Treviso

# The diamond dealer embroiled in a four-billion-rand investment scam, Louis Liebenberg, made a striking entrance in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng, shouting “Viva Msholozi, viva MK”. Liebenberg, arrested alongside his wife Dezzi and seven others, face racketeering and fraud charges linked to allegations of swindling investors. The state is opposing bail for three of the accused, but has proposed that bail be set at 50-thousand-rand each for the rest of the defendants. 

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has revealed that current and former members of Parliament and cabinet members owe the department around four-million-rand. He disclosed the department’s financial challenges, including a three-billion-rand overdraft while it is owed nearly 14-billion-rand by other government departments. The department oversees ministerial homes and parliamentary villages. The minister has vowed to develop a roadmap for financial recovery, while no new housing or office stock will be procured for officials.

# The DA in Gauteng says it will continue to press for the urgent involvement of the private health sector to save the lives of cancer patients in public hospitals. Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko revealed that despite two-thousand-652 cancer patients on the waiting list for radiation therapy, 511-million-rand of the budget for urgent cancer cases has been unspent since April last year. The DA’s Jack Bloom says the MEC’s excuse is that the outsourcing to private facilities needed to be re-advertised:

# The GOOD Party is demanding a zero-tolerance approach regarding United States artist Chris Brown’s entry into South Africa. They urged Home Affairs minister Leon Schreiber to declare him undesirable, given his criminal conviction for assaulting Rihanna, which has resulted in bans from the UK, Canada, and potential refusals in Australia and New Zealand. The party’s Kaden Arguile urges the government to take action that aligns with its commitment to fighting gender-based violence:

# Rugby: The Bulls face Benetton in Treviso, Italy, tomorrow night at the start of the weekend’s United Rugby Championship action. Kick-off is at 8.35. Saturday afternoon, the Stormers welcomes Glasgow Warriors to the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, while the Sharks and Munster will do battle at Kings Park in Durban. Later the top-two teams on the log, Leinster and the Lions, will meet at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The Bulls are now fourth on the log, the Stormers 12th and the Sharks 13th.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-66-cents and the euro at 19-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-304-dollars-42-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-736-dollars-23-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….