News 16:00

BULLETIN 25 September 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The acting minister of Police clears Wally Rhoode of blocking the Phala Phala criminal case
# Nepal calls for grants, not loans, after the deadly glacier flood
# And motorsport: Lando Norris is not confident ahead of qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

# Acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia says there is no evidence that Presidential Protection Unit head Wally Rhoode prevented a criminal case from being opened after the 2020 theft at president Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm, Phala Phala, in Limpopo. He was responding in writing to a parliamentary question from the EFF. Cachalia states the responsibility to open a case docket lay with farm manager Hendrick von Wielligh, and Rhoode was not the first responder. He adds the allegation that Rhoode blocked the case could not be proven.

# The Madlanga Commission’s evidence leaders have applied for a partial in-camera hearing to consider WhatsApp communications and legal responses linked to former Crime Intelligence deputy head Feroz Khan. They say releasing some information could compromise sensitive criminal investigations and operational security. The evidence includes chats retrieved from Khan’s devices seized after his arrest on separate charges. Khan is expected to appear before the commission on Monday, subject to an independent medical assessment, following previous delays linked to health complications.

# Statistics South Africa says civil debt cases increased in the three months to July compared with the same period last year. The number of civil summonses issued for debt rose by 3.9-percent, while civil judgments increased by 7.6-percent. Stats SA’s Vhonani Kwinda says the figures point to continued pressure on consumers struggling to meet their debt obligations:

Moving abroad:

# Nepal’s prime minister, Balendra Shah, has called for grant-based international support to help his country recover after the glacier flood that killed at least one-thousand-450 people. More than six-thousand people remain missing. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Shah said recovery and reconstruction could cost about 10-percent of Nepal’s economy. He argues vulnerable countries should not be forced into more debt after climate disasters. Shah also calls for greater cooperation with India and China on early-warning systems and climate resilience.

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris is not expecting to contend for pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix today. He and teammate Oscar Piastri ended yesterday’s practice sessions about 1.5 seconds behind the pace-setter, Mercedes’ George Russell. Norris, who is 106 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes with nine races to go, says the car doesn’t feel that bad, but it’s a little knife in the heart seeing how far off they are:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-29-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-61-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-206-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-305-dollars-71-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 103-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….