News 17:00

BULLETIN 19 September 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi claims that interference disrupted Gauteng drug cartel investigations
# Thabo Bester’s lawyer withdraws and new counsel is appointed
# And Soccer: SAFA’s CEO says Bafana focused on winning despite the FIFA probe

# KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says political interference disrupted investigations into a Gauteng drug cartel. Mkhwanazi told the Madlanga commission in Pretoria that Police minister Senzo Mchunu, influenced by controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi, played a role in disbanding the political killings task team, which was assisting with the investigation. He warned that these interventions compromised police work and the pursuit of justice:

# Convicted murderer Thabo Bester’s lawyer, Lerato Moela, has withdrawn from the ongoing pre-trial hearing at the Free State High Court. Advocate MoAfrica Wa Maila has taken over the case. Bester, his girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana, and co-accused, including former Mangaung Correctional Services staff, face charges of aiding escape, fraud, money laundering, arson, and violating a corpse. Magudumana’s extradition case at the Constitutional Court has stalled proceedings, with her lawyers requesting the trial be postponed to 5 December.

# A group of leading analysts suggests the Kremlin has launched a “coordinated information” campaign targeting another of its neighbouring countries that echoes of the rhetoric employed before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Institute for the Study of War says senior figures in Moscow, including members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, have been making a series of statements designed to threaten Finland. Finland shares an 833-mile border with Russia and abandoned its longstanding policy of neutrality in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and joined NATO in 2023.

# Soccer: South African Football Association CEO Lydia Monyepao says the priority remains winning their final two World Cup qualifiers despite FIFA’s investigation into midfielder Teboho Mokoena’s eligibility. FIFA is probing his appearance in March’s 2-0 win over Lesotho while under suspension. A guilty verdict could see Bafana Bafana docked three points. Monyepao insists that the focus is on beating Zimbabwe and Rwanda in October as attorneys are preparing SAFA’s defence. She emphasised that qualification for 2026 remains firmly in Bafana’s hands.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-38-cents and the euro at 20-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-43-cents and Bitcoin trades at 116-thousand-117-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-652-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-53-cents a barrel.

# And finally: An academic at the University of the Western Cape, Prof Siphamandla Zondi says colonialism distorted Africa’s self-knowledge, limiting development and perpetuating poverty. Zondi spoke at the Annual Keith Gottschalk Lecture and urged the continent to build its own multilateral institutions and overcome intellectual colonialism. He also linked Africa’s agency to BRICS and G20 collaboration, advocating alternative financial systems to transform global inequality:

Stay tuned for more news………….