News 18:00

BULLETIN 27 February 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Linda Gxasheka withdraws fraud claims against former EMPD official Revo Spies
# ActionSA in Tshwane welcomes the 2025/2026 adjustment budget
# And, a UWC study questions the compliance of baby food labelling in South Africa

# Suspended Ekurhuleni Human Resources head Linda Gxasheka has withdrawn allegations of fraud against former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Revo Spies. During cross examination at the Madlanga Commission, Gxasheka conceded references to fraud in her statements should be corrected, saying the matter related to Spies suspension not criminal conduct. She acknowledged to the commission that certain processes could have been handled better by the City:

# ActionSA has welcomed the City of Tshwane’s 2025/2026 Adjustment Budget, which was passed in Council on Thursday, saying it is a clear confirmation of the new administration’s commitment to stabilise the metro. The budget has an operating surplus of 1.2-billion-rand. ActionSA’s Henriette Frohlich says they are pleased to note an increase of 309-million-rand to the capital budget, with 109-million-rand allocated to Energy and Electricity, and 147-million-rand for Water and Sanitation:

# Some baby food companies may be flouting Regulation 991 of 2012, a national health regulation aimed at curbing aggressive advertising, and promotion of products such as infant formula, cereals and juices. This is according to a new study University of the Western Cape dietician and researcher, Aneeqah Latief. She warns that such practices may undermine breastfeeding and mislead parents into believing these products are superior to breast milk:

# Pakistan has bombed areas in Afghanistan earlier today after the Afghan Taliban earlier announced a major offensive against Pakistani military posts near the border. Pakistan responded quickly, bombing targets in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the provinces of Kandahar and Paktika near its two-thousand-600-kilometre border. The bombings are the most significant development in the ongoing tensions between the two countries, which had agreed to a ceasefire last October following a week of deadly clashes. Taliban fighters are thought to rely predominantly on commercially available drones carrying improvised explosives.

# Rugby: The Sharks’ Springbok fullback, Aphelele Fassi, is facing a long time on the sidelines after sustaining a shoulder injury in last week’s United Rugby Championship match against the Lions. Coach JP Pietersen says he is expected to be out of action for a minimum six weeks, and longer it an operation is necessary. The Sharks face the Bulls in Pretoria tomorrow, followed by a three-week break in the competition. Jaco Williams will play in the number 15 jersey at Loftus.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-96-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-49-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-270-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-226-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….