News 11:00

BULLETIN 4 November 11 am

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Democrats win the US Senate as well as the House of Representatives
# The IEC says voting is underway in South Africa’s local government elections
# And motorsport: Esteban Ocon is permanently dropped by the Haas F1 team

# The Democrats have won a majority in the US House of Representatives and the Senate, breaking the Republican stronghold on Washington in the midterm elections. In Texas, James Talarico is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state since 1988, while Adam Hamilton is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Kansas in nearly 100 years. Democrat Annie Andrews will be the first woman elected to the Senate from South Carolina. Incoming House speaker Hakeem Jeffries says America is back:

Back home:

# Electoral Commission chairperson Mosotho Moepya says voting stations across the country opened at 7am this morning and will close at 9pm this evening. Over 29-million South Africans are expected to cast their votes in the local government elections today. Giving a first status update for the day at the national results operation centre in Midrand, Gauteng, Moepya reiterated no political party is allowed to campaign at voting stations:

Meanwhile, government has cautioned against the deliberate circulation of unsubstantiated allegations, fabricated election results, manipulated videos and misleading claims intended to discredit the IEC or create unnecessary public anxiety. Independent platform Real 411, used for reporting election disinformation, has registered 34 complaints comprising misinformation, incitement to violence, hate speech, and harassment. Government deputy spokesperson William Baloyi says all South Africans have a responsibility to stand up against misinformation and disinformation and report it:

# The City of Tshwane is working with Magalies Water to manage and respond to water supply challenges currently affecting customers supplied through the Wallmannsthal supply system. The Wallmannsthal reservoir, which supplies the Derdepark, Hoewes and Baviaanspoort reservoir systems, has experienced declining storage levels over the past week. This is due to insufficient and inconsistent augmentation from the Roodeplaat water treatment plant, high demand and system constraints on Tshwane’s main system upstream. The metro is urging residents to continue using water responsibly and only for essential domestic purposes.

# Motorsport: Formula One team Haas has confirmed Esteban Ocon will not race for the team again this season, with no reasons given. The Frenchman was replaced at last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix following the Friday’s practice session, apparently after a row with team principal Ayao Komatsu. Ferrari junior and Formula Two standings leader Rafael Camara, who has signed with Haas for next year, will replace Ocon at his home race, the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, this weekend. He will partner British driver Ollie Bearman.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-54-cents and the euro at 18-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-815-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-19-dollars-74-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-86-sents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….