News 13:00

BULLETIN 18 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Helen Zille says a DA government would not revive apartheid
# A CSIR model points to more coalitions after the local government elections
# And: A nuclear emergency exercise is planned at Koeberg

# DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille says a DA-led government in Johannesburg would never bring back the painful years of apartheid. Zille’s remarks come as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the local government elections, with Johannesburg among the key battlegrounds. Addressing delegates at Nasrec in Gauteng, Zille said the party wants to unite South Africans, accusing the ANC of driving division in the country:

Meanwhile, the Inkatha Freedom Party leader Velenkosini Hlabisa has pledged to end cadre deployment in municipalities. Speaking during a campaign in Tzaneen, Limpopo, Hlabisa said appointments must be based on merit, qualifications and competence, rather than political connections. This forms part of the party’s manifesto pledge ahead of the elections. He also called for minimum educational standards for councillors and financial management skills for those handling municipal finances:

In more election news, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research says coalition governments are likely to remain a feature of local government after the elections. The CSIR uses statistical modelling to predict election outcomes based on voter behaviour patterns. Professor Pravesh Debba says predictions for some municipalities may carry a two-percent margin of error. He says that early forecasts are expected to help political parties prepare for possible coalition negotiations once results emerge.

# The National Nuclear Regulator will conduct a nuclear emergency exercise at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in Cape Town on Tuesday. The exercise aims to assess emergency preparedness, test response procedures and improve coordination between organisations responsible for handling a potential nuclear emergency. Chief executive Ditebogo Kgomo says the exercise will also help identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. The regulator stresses that this is a planned training activity and does not indicate an actual nuclear emergency at the power station.

# US President Donald Trump’s plan to restore direct flights between the United States and Lebanon has hit a setback over safety concerns at Beirut airport. A United Nations aviation agency found the airport’s certification had expired, its emergency plan was inadequate and its firefighting equipment unsuitable for large aircraft. Lebanon says it is addressing the problems, but US aviation authorities must still conduct safety reviews before flights can resume. Direct commercial flights between the two countries have been suspended since 1985, after a US passenger plane was hijacked and forced to land in Beirut.

# And lastly soccer: Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca is waiting for news on striker Erling Haaland after he limped off following Saturday’s three-two win over Ipswich Town.  The Norwegian scored twice, including his 100th non-penalty Premier League goal, as City made it seven wins from seven league matches. Haaland appeared to hurt his foot late in the game. Maresca says the striker told him he was okay, but the club must assess the injury. Several other City players also suffered knocks, including Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Antoine Semenyo.

Stay tuned for more news………….