News 16:00

BULLETIN 15 October 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eugene de Kock is too ill to testify in the Cradock Four inquest
# Soccer: SAFA’s president says the focus is now on AFCON and the World Cup
# And Cape Town is rated the third happiest city in the world

# Former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kock will not testify in the Cradock Four inquest due to ill health. The High Court in Gqeberha resumed hearings into the 1985 murders of anti-apartheid activists Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkhonto. Their charred remains were found near the city. De Kock was scheduled to testify today, but lawyer Howard Varney urged the court to continue despite his absence:

# The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has filed a review application with the High Court in Pretoria after Magistrate Vusumuzi Mahlangu recused himself from the case involving Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo and two other senior police officers. Mahlangu stepped aside following allegations made against the judiciary before the Madlanga commission. IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame says the Pretoria Regional Court has postponed the case to 6 November pending the outcome of the review:

Moving abroad:

# Six suspected drug smugglers have been killed in a US attack on a boat near the coast of Venezuela. US president Donald Trump says intelligence confirmed the boat was carrying drugs. It’s the fifth attack since the start of September after the Pentagon said Trump had ruled the US was in an armed conflict with drug cartels. Trump earlier said the cartels were a threat to America’s national security. However, some experts argue the explanation for destroying the boats does not meet requirements under the laws of war.

# Soccer: South African Soccer Association president Danny Jordaan says the focus is firmly on the future, with Bafana Bafana preparing for the African Cup of Nations in Morocco and next year’s World Cup, while the under-17 team heads to Qatar. Jordaan hailed the 2010 World Cup as a reminder of South Africa’s soccer journey. He emphasised that despite an unsuccessful appeal against FIFA’s deduction of three points for fielding an ineligible player, Bafana is moving forward with confidence:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-950-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-180-dollars-3-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-45-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Cape Town is officially the world’s third happiest city, according to the results of a global survey by TimeOut. The happiness survey is part of the magazine’s annual index that seeks to determine the best city in the world, based on metrics such as culture, nightlife, food, walkability, affordability, quality of life and happiness. This year’s list was topped by the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, followed by Medellin in Colombia. Cape Town was followed by Mexico City and Mumbai in India in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Stay tuned for more news………….