News 14:00

BULLETIN 20 September 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa confirms the ANC’s national executive committee will decide on the IEC list dispute
# Special vote applications are open for the local government elections
# And cricket: Australia arrives in South Africa for the ODI and Test series against the Proteas

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the party’s national executive committee will chart the course over disputes with the Electoral Commission. The party failed to formally submit 181 candidates across six municipalities in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State before the deadline, leaving them off the final candidate lists. The Electoral Court has dismissed the ANC’s challenge. Ramaphosa says the party will announce the next steps:

The Electoral Commission has meanwhile announced applications for special votes for November’s local government elections are now officially open. Registered voters who will not be able to cast their ballots at their voting station on election day are encouraged to apply to vote on a predetermined day. This provision is for voters who are physically infirm, disabled, pregnant, or unable to travel to their voting station. The IEC says applicants must be South African citizens, registered voters, and at least 18-years old.

# International Relations minister Ronald Lamola criticised US president Donald Trump’s Afrikaner resettlement programme, accusing Washington of applying a race-based approach. He made the remarks at the African Diaspora Forum in Washington, where he is engaging policymakers to rebuild ties. This comes amid strained relations after new US restrictions on South African officials over land expropriation. Analyst Oscar van Heerden says South Africa has limited options against the world’s largest economy and must endure pressure:

# Tens of thousands of German auto workers are staging nationwide protests following a profit warning from Volkswagen AG. The demonstrations, organized by the IG Metall union across more than 280 events, involve employees demanding job security and government intervention against high manufacturing costs. While a formal, full-scale strike has not officially started, the unrest signals deepening gloom for Germany’s vital automotive sector. The crisis is heavily driven by a weakening automotive manufacturing sector and intense competition from Chinese manufacturers.

# Cricket: Old foe Australia arrives in South Africa today for a tour comprising three one-day matches and three Tests. The visitors just beat Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series, although yesterday’s final match was a nail-biter, with Australia winning by only one wicket from the penultimate ball. Meanwhile, the Proteas rested many of their regulars for the recent visit to Namibia. The first ODI between South Africa and Australia will be played in Durban on Thursday, and the first Test starts at the same venue on 9 October.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-26-cents and the euro at 18-rand-66-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-531-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-351-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 101-dollars-60-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….