News 18:00

BULLETIN 5 October 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Wallets are under pressure as a fuel hike lands on Wednesday
# IDAC withdraws the corruption case against the former police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane
# And motorsport: F1 investigates the software problem that delayed the start of the Bahrein Grand Prix

# Global oil tensions are driving sharp fuel price increases in South Africa from Wednesday. Petrol prices are going up between three-rand-12-cents and three-rand-33-cents per litre; diesel prices will go up by between two-rand-84-cents and three-rand-24-cents a litre, while illuminating paraffin rises by four-rand-77-cents a litre. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources spokesperson Lerato Ntsoko says the increases are linked to higher crude oil prices, supply concerns and uncertainty over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz::

# The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has provisionally withdrawn the corruption case against former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and his co-accused. The case relates to a 2016 police contract worth more than 191-million-rand for emergency warning equipment, with 65-million-rand paid to the service provider. IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame says the accused face charges including corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering:

# The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed businessman Morgan Maumela and the Maumela Family Trust’s urgent bid to stop the sale of a Ferrari SF90 Stradale worth at least 9.5-million-rand. The vehicle was preserved as part of a Special Investigating Unit investigation into alleged corruption at Tembisa Hospital. SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho told Newzroom Afrika the applicants failed to show a clear legal right. Proceeds will remain secured pending litigation:

# The National Shelter Movement has accused government of failing to prevent gender-based violence, saying authorities continue to react only after women have been harmed. The organisation, representing about 100 shelters, points to the bodies of women found in Ekurhuleni and Soweto since July. It says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address last week offered audits and promises rather than urgent action. The movement has also criticised bail granted to businessman Lawrence Mudzinganyama, accused of threatening women, and is opposing bail for suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, who faces rape and trafficking charges.

# Motorsport: Formula One’s governing body ordered a full investigation into a software problem that delayed the start of yesterday’s Bahrein Grand Prix in Malaysia. The F-I-A says an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings and the Sepang circuit’s sector configuration led to an ​unintended loss of power for a number of cars. The body, the various teams and the power unit manufacturers will undertake a full review of the issue. Red Bull’s Dutch driver, Max Verstappen, eventually won the race.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-66-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-490-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-140-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-81-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….