News 13:00

BULLETIN 9 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom implements its energy crisis intervention
# Western Cape train services resume partially after repair work on damaged electrical infrastructure
# And the Olympic rings will be displayed on the Eiffel Tower during the Paris Games

# Eskom has implemented various interventions to assist in eradicating the energy crisis. Updating the media on the energy action plan, minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa highlighting accelerated maintenance, spare parts sourcing and utilisation of the energy war room have assisted in tackling load-shedding. He cautions that Eskom isn’t a sole solution, and says the utility aims to appoint skilled expertise internally and private sector collaboration:

# ActionSA has welcomed the ruling by the Press Council against the publication of an anonymous poll by Rapport and Netwerk24 which withheld the provenance of an electoral poll published last month. The article was syndicated to City Press and News24 on the same day. ActionSA believes it is a poll conducted by the DA. ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont says this is the first victory in a long road to the regulation of the polling industry that is necessary to protect South Africa’s young democracy from abuses:

# Metrorail in the Western Cape says train services affected by extreme weather are gradually being restored. The Stellenbosch service is back following repair work on damaged overhead wires. Technicians are working to repair other affected lines. Gale-force winds caused debris to block tracks and damaged electrical infrastructure. The Southern corridor, including the Cape Flats line, remains closed due to infrastructure issues. Metrorail spokesperson Zino Mihi urges commuters to seek alternative transport and monitor digital platforms for updates:

# Olympics: The Olympic rings will be displayed on the Eiffel Tower during the Games in Paris. Work is starting at the end of the month to fix the emblem on the side of the world-famous tower facing the River Seine in the French capital. The organisers say the Olympic flame will burn in the Tuilleries Gardens near the Louvre Museum. This year’s opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium, but on the Seine where the partticipating athletes will be paraded on a flotilla of boats.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-47-cents and the euro at 20-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-449-dollars-83-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-363-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-48-cents a barrel.

# And finally, hip-hop icon Missy Elliott will embark on her first-ever headlining tour. The tour, dubbed Out of This World: The Missy Elliott Experience Tour, will be held in arenas in 24 cities, beginning in Vancouver on the fourth of July and ending in Rosemont, Illinois, on the 22nd of August. The tour will feature Busta Rhymes, Ciara and Timbaland. Last year, Elliott made history by becoming the first female hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame.

Stay tuned for more news………….