News 18:00

BULLETIN 14 September 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government says every life lost on South Africa’s roads is one too many
# The ethics of the public service questioned amid revelations at the Madlanga Commission
# And, President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping could win the Nobel Prize with AI deal

# Government has expressed concerns about the high number of road deaths following separate accidents that claimed at least 29 lives. On the N17 near Ermelo in Mpumalanga eight people were killed yesterday, while 21 people died in a multi-vehicle collision on the N1 in the Western Cape today. Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi urged motorists to be patient and cautious as traffic volumes are expected to increase ahead of Heritage Day:

# Public Service Commission chairperson professor Somadoda Fikeni has questioned whether recent revelations at the Madlanga Commission point to a public service increasingly driven by personal enrichment rather than public duty. Speaking at the second professor Stan Sangweni Memorial Lecture, in Pretoria, Fikeni reflected on Sangweni’s legacy of ethical leadership and accountable governance. He questioned how public servants become multi-millionaires on modest salaries stating that Sangweni viewed public office as a responsibility:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has expanded the Special Investigating Unit’s investigation into eThekwini Municipality’s security and VIP protection contracts. An amendment to Proclamation 226 of 2024 extends both the investigation period and the procurement matters under review. The SIU will determine whether the contracts were awarded through fair, competitive and transparent processes, and whether they were cost-effective. Investigators will also examine whether any irregular expenditure occurred. Evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during the probe may be referred for prosecution.

# OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman says US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could deserve the Nobel Peace Prize if they reach even a one-page agreement on artificial intelligence safety. Altman says cooperation between Washington and Beijing could help prevent dangerous AI systems from being developed without adequate safeguards. His comments come as governments and technology companies debate how to manage increasingly powerful artificial intelligence. Altman says an agreement between the world’s two biggest AI powers could have a profound impact on global security.

# Rugby: Wallabies coach Les Kiss has announced a 34-man squad for the one-off Test against the Springboks in Perth on the 27th, with the surprising recall of Jordan Petaia. The versatile back last played for Australia in the 2023 World Cup. Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has been called up for a potential debut, replacing injured Carter Gordon. Prop Zane Nonggorr is back after recovering from a minor calf strain. Kiss says they are motivated by the challenge of facing South Africa in front of a home crowd.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-33-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-205-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-272-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 110-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….