News 11:00

BULLETIN 7 September 11 am

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Gwede Mantashe denies that his comments on RDP housing and social grants amount to vote-buying
# Vehicles are submerged due to localised flooding in parts of Johannesburg
# And tennis: It’s an Alcaraz-Shelton quarterfinal showdown as Medvedev is knocked out of the US Open

# ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has rejected assertions that his comments on RDP housing and the child support grant amount to vote-buying or emotional blackmail. During a door-to-door campaign in Freedom Park, Johannesburg, he pointed out RDP housing and child support grants were direct results of ANC policies, arguing voters should acknowledge and thank the ruling party for these interventions. Mantashe told Newzroom Afrika the ANC does not buy votes, but serves the people:

# Political parties and independent candidates who received notices of non-compliance have until 5pm today to submit outstanding documents for the local government elections. This may include a candidate’s ID copy or signed acceptance of nomination. On Wednesday, the Electoral Commission will issue notifications to nominated candidates who also appear as independents or as candidates on the list or on the list of other political parties. The IEC will compile and make available the final lists of those who have fully met the requirements for candidacy on 16 September. 

# The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has advised all motorists to exercise extreme caution due to persistent heavy rainfall, wet road surfaces, and severe localised flooding. The severe weather has already caused flooding in some areas, leaving multiple vehicles submerged and stranded in high water. Spokesperson Xolani Fihla says localised flooding has been reported on Siemert Road and Currey Street in Doornfontein:

Moving abroad:

# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wants a just peace with no opportunity for renewed aggression by Russia. He met with US president Donald Trump’s top envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in Kyiv after they earlier met with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Zelensky says his country needs to develop its own anti-ballistic system, as Moscow has escalated its ballistic missile attacks against Kyiv. Witkoff says both countries need to come to a resolution to end the war:

# Tennis: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has set up a blockbuster quarterfinal clash against American Ben Shelton at the US Open. The Spaniard beat American 20th seed Tommy Paul, while Shelton defeated Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas. Another local, Frances Tiafoe, dispatched of 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia. In the women’s draw, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus beat American Taylor Townsend to reach a sixth straight US Open quarterfinal. She will face Wimbledon champion, Czech Linda Noskova, who overcame Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-96-cents and the euro at 18-rand-54-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-578-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-400-dollars-and-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 98-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….