News 18:00

BULLETIN 1 February 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC’s electoral committee assures a smooth candidate selection process
# The case of a Pretoria teacher accused of raping an 11-year-old girl is postponed
# And World Rugby takes action against online abusers during the World Cup

# The ANC’s electoral committee has announced positive strides in the candidate selection process for the elections. Expected to conclude by mid-February, the process includes the nomination of three premier candidates from each province. In a post-National Executive Committee briefing, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said candidates will undergo interviews at a later date, with timing to be determined by the national office bearers after the elections:

Meanwhile, the DA has issued a call to young people to reclaim their power and vote for change in the upcoming election. Speaking at the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa’s voter registration event in Johannesburg, DA leader John Steenhuisen emphasised the importance of youth participation, encouraging voters to register in large numbers during this weekend’s registration drive. He highlights to address challenges, including load-shedding and unemployment, requires removing the ANC from power.

# The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has postponed the case against a 34-year-old man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting and raping an 11-year-old girl to Wednesday. News24 reports the man had been a teacher at an elite girls’ school in the city. He handed himself over to police earlier this week. It is alleged the accused sexually assaulted and intimidated the girl on multiple occasions. The alleged rape happened during the same two-year period. The incidents allegedly took place at St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls.

# Eskom has expanded its load-limiting project to Gauteng in a bid to address the challenges posed by load-shedding. The initiative follows a successful pilot project in Fourways. It aims to optimise electricity consumption during stages one to four of load-shedding. The project targets areas with smart meters, allowing remote control of electricity capacity. Eskom spokesperson Amanda Qithi says customers will receive prompts to reduce consumption an hour before load-shedding, ensuring continued access to essential appliances:

# Rugby: A person in Australia is due in court soon after World Rugby took action following players and match officials suffering online abuse during last year’s World Cup in France. Prosecutions are also pending in South Africa, France, Australia, New Zealand and Britain. World Rugby partnered with an online monitoring agency for the tournament, and over one-thousand-600 abusive accounts were flagged on social media. Wayne Barnes, who was the referee in the final between the Springboks and the All Blacks, was one of the officials receiving death threats.

Stay tuned for more news………….