News 09:00

BULLETIN 31 October 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Jacob Zuma says the MK Party is ready to lead the country
# Electoral Court dismisses the DA’s challenge on parties using only one candidate on PR lists
# And, a US federal judge blocks the Trump administration from threatening election workers

# MK Party president Jacob Zuma has urged voters to turn out in large numbers and take part in the local government elections, saying the party is ready to take over. In his first public appearance in nearly a month, he appeared in a video posted by his party. Zuma was admitted to hospital on the sixth of this month after falling ill during a campaign event in Msinga, KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma says the MK Party is ready to restore peace and prosperity in the country:

Meanwhile, the Electoral Court has dismissed the DA’s case challenging the EFF, MK Party, ActionSA and GOOD Party’s decision to submit only the name of a single candidate on their proportional representation lists for municipalities. The DA had argued that the four parties were attempting to conceal candidates from voters before the elections, and allow the parties to add names to their lists after the votes had been counted. The court dismissed the DA’s application for an order declaring the four parties’ candidate lists unlawful and submitted in bad faith.

# National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says police will protect the constitutional right to peaceful protest but will also act against lawlessness. This comes as the Durban High Court imposed conditions on the March and March movement’s demonstrations in KwaZulu-Natal, including restrictions on marching times, designated routes and the carrying of potentially dangerous objects. Masemola says protests can take place peacefully and within the law:

# The Motor Industry Staff Association says reopening of seven refurbished railway stations along the KuGompo City corridor in the Eastern Cape will help workers save on transport costs. The stations were reopened following a 115-million-rand Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa investment, which also created 171 jobs. The association’s spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, says affordable and reliable trains will reduce pressure on household budgets, improve workers’ punctuality and support businesses:

# A US federal judge has barred president Donald Trump’s administration from threatening or coercing election workers ahead of the midterm elections. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are also prohibited from forcing election workers to remove certain people from voter rolls, deny ballot requests or set aside ballots for individuals it suspects are ineligible to vote. The administration has alleged California sent ballots to about 20-thousand people who may not be US citizens. Judge Trina Thompson says these actions are likely to interfere with election administration and disenfranchise lawful voters.

# Tennis: German top seed Alexander Zverev is through to the Vienna Open semifinals after securing a comprehensive 6-0, 6-2 win over Britain’s Arthur Fery. The 2021 champion, who will rise to the world number one ranking on Monday, will face Australian Alex de Minaur for a place in the final. In the other semifinal, Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz will face Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz beat American Tommy Paul, 6-4, 7-6, in his quarterfinal, while Medvedev defeated France’s Adrian Mannarino, 6-2, 6-3.

Stay tuned for more news………….