News 18:00

BULLETIN 27 September 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Pieter Groenewald refers Najwa Petersen’s parole decision to the review board
# Tennis: A Chinese woman causes a huge upset after winning her first match in 25 attempts
# And famous British actress Maggie Smith dies at 89

# Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald has referred Najwa Petersen’s parole decision to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board. This move, following the victim’s family’s appeal, suspends Petersen’s parole until the board reviews the case. Petersen was to be released on parole on 27 November after serving 28-years in prison for the murder of her husband, renowned musician Taliep Petersen. Groenewald emphasises the need for thorough consideration, citing public trust issues, and ensuring future parole decisions are fair.

# The Palm Ridge Regional Court in Gauteng has postponed the corruption case against former Eskom contractor Michael Harry Lomas to 28 October for formal disclosure of the case docket. The Investigating Directorate’s Henry Mamothame says Lomas, who was extradited from the United Kingdom recently, faces 65 charges related to 1.4-billion-rand intended for the upgrade of Eskom’s Kusile power station in Mpumalanga between 2014 and 2017: 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans to renew their commitment to freedom and equality. He spoke at the repatriation ceremony for the remains of 42 freedom fighters in Pretoria, and called for unity in ending poverty, inequality, and violence, particularly against women and children. Ramaphosa acknowledged the support of neighbouring countries in the fight for South Africa’s freedom: 

# Tennis: Local woman Zhang Shuai stunned US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro in the China Open after recording her first victory after 24 successive defeats in the first round. The 35-year-old beat another American, McCartney Kessler, on Wednesday, after last winning a match 603 days ago. Zhang, number 595 in the world, beat eighth-ranked Navarro in straight sets, making her the lowest ranked player to ever beat a top ten opponent in the tournament. She next plays Belgian Greet Minnen.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-9-cents and the euro at 19-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-92-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-31-dollars-13-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-662-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Oscar-winning British actress Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89. Known for her iconic roles in the The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Downton Abbey, and the Harry Potter series, Smith’s career spanned over six decades. Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, confirmed that she passed away peacefully in hospital, surrounded by family and friends. Smith, celebrated for her sharp wit and versatility, was a star of both comedy and drama, earning multiple awards, including two Oscars. The family has asked for privacy as they mourn her loss. 

Stay tuned for more news………….