News 17:00

BULLETIN 5 October 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The High Court orders an oral hearing in the Mbalula and Dlamini-Zuma defamation case
# The former Duke of York challenges search warrants linked to his arrest
# And tennis: Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in the final of the Japanese Open

# The High Court in Johannesburg has found a dispute of facts in ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s defamation case against ANC National Executive Committee member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. She has accused Mbalula of vote-buying during the party’s 2022 Nasrec conference. Acting Judge Henno Viljoen has ordered oral hearings, saying the dispute cannot be resolved through written submissions alone. Both Mbalula and Dlamini-Zuma will give evidence and face cross-examination. A pre-hearing conference will determine witnesses, and a hearing date, while costs has been reserved until the case is finalised.

# AfriForum calls on acting national police commissioner Puleng Dimpane to urgently intervene in ongoing violence between suspected illegal-mining groups in Schoemanskloof, Mpumalanga. Six suspected illegal miners were shot dead in August, while further gunfire was reported in the area last week. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk urges police to investigate the wider criminal networks behind illegal mining, including financiers, gold buyers and firearm suppliers, and maintain a stronger police presence in the area:

# The Public Servants Association says the government must increase investment in the education sector to support teachers and improve learning. Commemorating World Teachers’ Day, the union believes educators need better working conditions and support as they face overcrowded classrooms, staff shortages, safety concerns, limited resources and growing administrative pressure. The PSA’s Claude Naiker calls for greater investment in teaching and lecturing, including at technical and vocational education and training colleges:

# The former Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, , is taking legal action to challenge search warrants used by police before his arrest in February. He has been granted permission to ask the High Court to examine whether Thames Valley Police acted lawfully when officers searched his home at the Sandringham estate and his former residence, Royal Lodge. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he shared sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein. He denies wrongdoing. A private High Court hearing is due on Thursday.

# Tennis: World number three Carlos Alcaraz reached the final of the Japanese Open in Koto. He needed three sets to beat Spanish compatriot Jaume Munar to stay on course for his first title since returning from a long-term wrist injury last month. The 23-year-old lost to local player Ben Shelton in die quarterfinals of the US Open, where he won two of his seven Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz will meet Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, who defeated Valentin Vacherot of Monaco in the other semifinal.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-64-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-45-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-148-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….