News 14:00

BULLETIN 27 March 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC is urged to schedule voting days overseas on non-working days
# The Draft Integrated Resource Plan is criticised for failing to address load-shedding, energy poverty, and climate change
# And rugby: The Springbok Women are keen to end their European tour on a high

# The DA Abroad urges the Independent Electoral Commission to schedule voting days overseas on non-working days, aligning with past elections. This follows as contradictory information from diplomatic missions reportedly causes confusion about voting day timing. The IEC is advised to ensure all voting stations open on Saturday, May 18, or Friday, May 17, where applicable, from 7 am to 7 pm. Clear guidelines on ID requirements and queue management are also requested to uphold democratic principles for South African citizens abroad.

Meanwhile, the Referendum Party leader, Phil Craig, says the party has been included on the Western Cape provincial, Western Cape regional, and national ballots for the upcoming elections. The party was founded in November last year and established to compete in the upcoming elections. Craig says before the Electoral Commission deadline for submission of signatures, the party had amassed 18-thousand-660 national signatures and eleven-thousand-937 provincial signatures:

# Members of the Climate Justice Coalition, including the general industries union, Giwusa, are criticising the draft Integrated Resource Plan for overlooking critical energy challenges. The plan has been accused of failing to address issues such as load-shedding, energy poverty, and climate change. They argue the plan’s reliance on coal, gas, methane, and nuclear power is unsustainable and does not align with the country’s commitments to decarbonisation. Giwusa’s Ferron Pedro calls for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to energy planning:

# Rugby: The Springbok Women are determined to finish their European tour on a high and deliver a commanding performance when they face the USA on Saturday. They won their season-opening test by beating Spain last weekend. The Test in London will be the sixth between the two countries and according to Springbok Women assistant coach Franzel September, it will conclude a productive three weeks on tour for the team:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-90-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-152-dollars-74-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-193-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Organisers say the 24th edition of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival will be bigger and better than ever before as new talents, formats and stages will be introduced. Artists include British band Matt Bianco, and local stars Mandisi Dyantyi, Benjamin Jephta, and Zoe Modiga. The jazz spectacle is set to run from the third to the fourth of May at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The ticket passes for each day are priced at 950-rand each.

Stay tuned for more news………….