News 08:00
BULLETIN 4 October 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Today marks one month to go until the local government elections
# Infrastructure South Africa has 110 projects worth around 395-billion-rand in the pipeline
# And motorsport: Max Verstappen takes pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
# South Africa is one month away from the 4 November Local Government Elections, with political parties intensifying campaigns nationwide. The Electoral Commission says it is prepared as more than 29-million voters are registered. Speaking at the IEC Podcast, chairperson Mosotho Moepya says the voters’ roll has reached its highest level for local elections, driven partly by increased youth participation. Voters are urged to make their voices heard:
Meanwhile, Communications and Digital Technologies minister Solly Malatsi has rejected claims that the failure to provide additional funding for the SABC’s election coverage was deliberate. The SABC says it is ready for the polls, despite financial challenges. It has requested 120-million-rand from National Treasury to support election coverage. Malatsi says there was no decision to prevent any political party from receiving fair and equitable coverage:
# Infrastructure South Africa has highlighted that 110 projects worth around 395-billion-rand in its latest Construction Book are expected to reach procurement and tender stage in the next 12 to 18 months. Highlights include the upgrade of national rail and rail corridors, the procurement of a new concessionaire to operate the Gautrain system, the Beitbridge Musina water transfer scheme, energy infrastructure, hospitals and digital projects. ISA says the Construction Book will give contractors, suppliers and investors a clearer picture of projects coming to market and help them plan ahead.
# The Technology Innovation Agency is investing 14-million-rand into a programme aimed at fast-tracking detection of livestock diseases. The funding will support biotechnology company TokaBio and its work on diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza. TokaBio operates laboratories in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, supporting disease surveillance in the ostrich and livestock sectors. The agency says quicker and more accurate detection will help protect farmers, strengthen biosecurity and keep South African agricultural products moving into international markets.
# The head of Tennessee’s Department of Correction will step down this month, days after convicted murderer Christa Pike was left gravely ill from the state’s failed attempt to execute her by lethal injection. The botched execution on Wednesday left Pike unconscious, and hooked to a mechanical ventilator to breathe. The governor had ordered an independent review of the execution attempt at the prison in Nashville. Pike, 50, was convicted three decades ago of first-degree murder for her role in the torture and killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995, when Pike was 18.
# And, motorsport: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the 2026 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was moved to Malaysia due to geo-political tensions. The Dutchman shares the front row with Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes is third, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri, Mercedes’ George Russell with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in eighth. Hadjar starts from eighth after a five-place grid penalty. The race is the 16th round of the 2026 championship.
Stay tuned for more news………….