News 13:00

BULLETIN 22 September 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A backlog of vehicles complicates rescue operations on Van Reenen’s Pass
# The UDM says the looming 46-percent electricity price hike is bad for consumers
# And motorsport: Norris takes pole in Singapore with Verstappen next to him

# The N3 Toll Concession says the N3 Toll Route remains closed to incoming traffic between Tugela Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal and Harrismith in Free State. Chief operating manager Thania Dhoogra says there is a 30-kilometres backlog of vehicles attempting to make their way from Harrismith towards Van Reenen’s Pass. Incoming traffic cannot be accommodated on the pass at this time as it adds more pressure to the already complicated rescue and recovery operation:

The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements earlier reported the death of a passenger on the N3 Toll Route. The department’s spokesperson, Zimasa Mbewu, says the passenger passed away yesterday as a result of hypothermia while travelling from Johannesburg to KwaZulu-Natal. Mbewu says rescue operations after heavy snow began in earnest early this morning:

# The UDM says looming 46-percent electricity price hike developments raise serious concerns regarding the potential impact on consumers and the broader economy. The party’s deputy president, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, says the mismanagement of Eskom should not be passed on to consumers, who should not bear the eight-billion-rand resulting cost. He adds says a proposed 46-percent hike would place an unbearable burden on consumers, already grappling with the rising cost of living:

# A firefighter in California, Robert Matthew Hernandez, has been arrested and accused of setting five blazes in the state’s wine country. At the time, his fellow firefighters battled flames that have consumed almost half-a-million hectares and forced thousands of evacuations in the state this year. The 38-year-old Hernandez is suspected of having committed arson between 15 August and 14 September while off-duty. He remains in custody. Wildfires are still raging across California.

# And motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris is in pole position for this afternoon’s Singapore Grand Prix. His Red Bull rival and Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen will line up alongside him on the front row. Lewis Hamilton bounced back from some recent qualifying struggles and is in third position, with his Mercedes teammate George Russell fourth. Norris’ fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri takes the fifth position. Verstappen leads Norris by 59 points in the championship with seven rounds remaining.

Stay tuned for more news………….