News 14:00

BULLETIN 4 April 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Alliance for Citizens for Change tops the electoral ballot
# ActionSA is concerned about the inefficiencies and smart card backlogs at Home Affairs 
# And motorsport: Sebastian Vettel hints at returning to Formula One after talks with Mercedes’s CEO 

# The Alliance of Citizens for Change has secured the top spot on the electoral ballot paper. In the draw held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, Electoral Commission chairperson Mosotho Moepya initially picked independent candidate Zackie Ahmat in the first draw, but the draw was invalidated as independents aren’t supposed to be in the same draw as political parties. Moepya apologised for the error:

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has stressed political party leaders will be held responsible for any violence or intimidation by party members during elections. Chief electoral official Sy Mamabolo urged leaders to educate their members about the Electoral Code of Conduct and its consequences. He warns of harsh penalties for parties found in violation of the code:

# ActionSA remains deeply concerned about the inefficiencies at the Department of Home Affairs with regard to the backlog in the issuing of smart card identity documents. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi stated in a Parliamentary question and answer session in November last year there are well over 500-thousand uncollected ID smartcards nationwide. ActionSA’s Lerato Ngobeni implores the department to see to it that this is speedily resolved and that qualifying citizens are not deprived of the right to official documentation that empowers them to live dignified lives.

# Motorsport: German driver Sebastian Vettel is touted as a possible replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Formula One team Mercedes. The Briton announced earlier this year he will join Ferrari next season, and Mercedes hasn’t yet appointed another driver. Thirty-six-year-old Vettel retired after the 2022 season after winning four consecutive titles with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, and also racing for Ferrari and Aston Martin. He reportedly hinted at returning after recent talks with Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-58-cents and the euro at 20-rand-17-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-52-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-405-dollars-15-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-293-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Council of the University of the Western Cape has officially appointed professor Robert Balfour as rector and vice-chancellor from the first of January next year. He currently holds the position of deputy vice-chancellor for Teaching and Learning at North-West University. The UWC’s spokesperson, Gasant Abarder says with numerous accolades to his name, including being recognised as a National Research Foundation-rated academic, Balfour’s dedication to advancing language learning, rural education, and post-colonial literature is exemplary:

Stay tuned for more news………….