News 07:00
BULLETIN 5 November 7 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The ANC becomes the first party to win a ward as results start to trickle in
# The NPA is prioritising cases related to the elections
# And, JD Vance says the Iran war is the reason why they lost the elections
# The Electoral Commission has started to release the first results of the local government elections. The ANC is the first party to win a ward in the local government elections, securing Ward Three in Kamiesberg Municipality, Northern Cape, with 52.54-percent of the vote. Only three-percent of the votes have been counted nationally, with 939 of the 23-thousand-696 of the voting districts completed. The IEC says the final results and council seat allocations will be announced within seven days.
Meanwhile, the National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi says they are prioritising election-related cases to ensure speedy prosecution in order to protect the integrity of the polls. More than 25 election-related cases have been enrolled in court, with about 20 others still under investigation. In Gauteng alone, 14 arrests have been made. Mothibi says the NPA is working with police to ensure swift prosecution of offences including assault and intimidation of IEC staff:
# The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa says the loss of the African Growth and Opportunity Act is not only a loss for South Africa’s citrus industry, but for US consumers as well. The US government has raised concerns about South Africa’s trade and investment barriers, corruption and issues relating to national security and foreign policy. Citrus Growers CEO doctor Boitshoko Ntshabele says they hope that a future bilateral agreement between the two countries will acknowledge the unique place seasonal fresh produce holds in world trade.
# The Freedom Front Plus has lodged a complaint with the Green Scorpions over sewage pollution in Zeerust and surrounding areas in the North West. The party blames the Romotshere Moiloa Local Municipality for sewage flowing into streets and the Kareespruit due to damaged sewerage infrastructure. The FF Plus’s Karlien Venter says the pollution poses health risks to residents, threatens groundwater and could contaminate water in the Klein-Maricopoort Dam, which local farmers use for irrigation.
# US vice president JD Vance believes that the conflict with Iran ultimately cost Republicans control of Congress in the midterm elections. The Democrats successfully secured majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives—results widely interpreted as a direct referendum on president Donald Trump’s administration. In a lengthy post-mortem statement published on X, Vance acknowledged that voters expressed significant dissatisfaction with the administration’s immigration agenda, indicating he is open to policy reforms. He emphasised that honest conversations are needed within the Republican Party.
# Tennis: The Women’s Tennis Association says protecting players from online abuse and threats is a key priority, after several players received death threats following defeats this week. British player Jodie Burrage was targeted after losing at the Chennai Open in India, while former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and Britain’s Katie Boulter also faced abusive messages. The WTA is providing Burrage with additional support and investigating the threats. More than 12-thousand abusive social media posts and messages targeting female tennis players were recorded last year, with many linked to angry gamblers.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-36-cents and the euro at 18-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-558-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-122-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 96-dollars-91-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….