News 06:00

BULLETIN 9 November 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC declares the local government elections free and fair
# The mass shooting in Poland is being investigated as terrorism
# And rugby: Eben Etzebeth will join the Boks in France while Yaqeen Ahmed is sent home

# The Electoral Commission has declared the 2026 local government elections free and fair. A total of 29.2-million South Africans registered to vote, and 14.9-million cast their ballots, for a 52-percent turnout. The elections involved 213 councils, ten-thousand-526 available seats, 520 political parties and 636 independent candidates. Announcing the results in Johannesburg yesterday evening, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the ANC received the most votes 30.76-percent and secured three-thousand-246 council seats, followed by the DA, MK Party, EFF and ActionSA:

Meanwhile, the IEC also says the results at a counting station in Douglas, Northern Cape, where ballot papers were destroyed by activists from a local political party, will be subject to a re-vote. The activists stormed the station and tore ballot papers before counting could begin. Moepya says the commission remains ready to adjudicate any post-election objections. He adds that the re-voting in Douglas will be conducted with speed:

# Civil society organisations are calling on government to withdraw the proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill, particularly provisions that would empower the Minister of Employment and Labour to impose quotas on foreign workers across different economic sectors and occupations. Government announced that the proposed amendments are intended to regulate labour migration, protect workers and promote employment opportunities for South Africans. The organisations have raised concerns about increased government control over employment practices and the potential impact on businesses and the labour market.

# Western Cape police have condemned a shooting at the Bellville Taxi Rank that left four men dead, while another person and a child sustained injuries on Saturday evening. Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk says preliminary reports indicate that the victims were at the long-distance section of the taxi rank at around nine o’clock when four armed suspects travelling in two vehicles emerged. He says the circumstances surrounding the shooting are still under investigation:

# Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office has opened a terrorism investigation after six people were killed and 16 others injured in Saturday’s attack in Kraków. A 24-year-old Polish national wearing military-style clothing opened fire in a busy market square, killing four women and two men. He was shot and injured by police and is in a critical condition in hospital. Police say three bodies were found at the gunman’s home after the attack, and they were identified as his father, mother, and sister. Officials believe his “ultra-nationalistic” views inspired the attack.

# Rugby: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is set to join the national squad in France today, after being recalled for the Nations Championship tour. He was initially omitted from head coach Rassie Erasmus’s touring group due to an ankle injury but has now successfully recovered. Etzebeth’s inclusion comes at the expense of flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who has been forced to return to South Africa to recover from a shoulder injury. Erasmus will today name his 23-man squad for Friday night’s blockbuster against France at the Stade de France.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-48-cents and the euro at 18-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-209-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-69-dollars-63-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 101-dollars-2-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….