News 18:00

BULLETIN 13 February 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# IPID slams disciplinary action by EMPD against two officers linked to the Putfontein truck theft
# Premier Panyaza Lesufi welcomes the deployment of the SANDF to tackle illegal mining in Gauteng
# And, Eskom threatens legal action over the draft electricity trading rules

Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s assistant director for investigations, Thulani Magagula, has told the Madlanga Commission that the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department failed to discipline two officers over a 2023 one-million-rand truck theft in Putfontein. The case involves EMPD officers Adrian McKenzie and Kasher Lee-Stols, along with private security official Etienne van der Walt. Magagula said the investigation has stalled due to missing and fearful witness despite the provision of witness protection:

# Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has welcomed the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to support the police in tackling illegal mining. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment during his State of the Nation Address yesterday evening. Lesufi’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says the SANDF deployment is a decisive and necessary intervention to confront the growing threat of illegal mining in the province:

# Eskom has warned it may take legal action if the National Energy Regulator of South Africa does not amend proposed electricity trading rules. During hearings yesterday, the power utility raised legal and technical concerns, saying the draft could undermine market reform and retail competition. Eskom outlined ten legal objections and proposed phased market-opening alternatives. While supporting bilateral trading, it argues all customers must pay non-bypassable grid costs. Several traders backed the framework but called for refinements to boost investment and competition.

# A SpaceX rocket lifted off from Florida early this morning with a crew of two U.S. NASA astronauts, a French astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut heading to the International Space Station for an eight-month science mission in Earth orbit. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, topped with an autonomously operated Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Freedom, was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA says upon arrival, the team will get busy with a host of scientific, medical and technical research tasks in microgravity.

# Cricket: Debutant Italy hopes to host top-class events after recording its first T20 World Cup victory yesterday. The Italians beat Nepal by ten wickets in Mumbai, India, when Australian-born brothers Justin and Anthony Mosca easily chased down the target of 124. Italy is far better known for soccer than cricket, but captain Harry Manenti hopes the World Cup will help change cricket’s standing in the country:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-98-cents and the euro at 18-rand-97-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-79-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-135-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-997-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….