News 11:00

BULLETIN 2 May 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Paul Mashatile is confident the ANC will win local government elections
# The president of COSATU praises the Madlanga Commission’s work
# And rugby: French, Irish and English teams fight it out in Champions Cup semi-finals

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile says the success of the upcoming local government elections is critical, expressing confidence that the ANC will emerge victorious on November 4. Speaking in Limpopo, Mashatile emphasised that the party is campaigning to win, not merely participate. He highlighted the ANC’s role, alongside alliance partners, in advancing service delivery and transformation. He also called for unity to drive economic liberation and build an inclusive economy:

Meanwhile, the South African Communist Party central committee member, Alex Mashilo, has called for level-headedness and discipline amid local government elections campaign preparations. The SACP is contesting the elections against its alliance partner, the ANC, for the first time. Mashilo stressed that elections should not overshadow the broader goals of the party and its alliance partners. He also warned that elected shop stewards must not treat their positions as personal property:

# Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi has praised the Madlanga Commission as possibly the most effective inquiry in the country’s history. The commission is probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in June last year on political interference and corruption in the justice system. Speaking at a Workers’ Day rally in Polokwane, Limpopo, Losi said repeat appearances before the commission are leading to accountability:

# Eskom says progress under its generation recovery plan has significantly improved power system stability, with no load shedding expected this winter. Diesel spending dropped by over 84-percent year-on-year, while energy availability improved to just above 60-percent. Eskom’s spokesperson Daphne Mokoena says South Africa has now recorded 350 consecutive days without interruptions to electricity supply, reflecting system availability of approximately 98.9-percent.  She confirmed that additional generation capacity will be brought online to meet demand.

# King Charles the Third is visiting Bermuda on his first trip to a British overseas territory as monarch. The King, who Queen Camilla did not accompany, arrived in the territory’s capital of Hamilton on Thursday evening, after a four-day state visit to the US. His first day in the territory included viewing artefacts from the transatlantic slave trade, a boat trip with the coastguard, and a cake-cutting event at an aquarium.

# And rugby: The Champions Cup semi-finals will be decided this weekend. In Dublin, Leinster host RC Toulon at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon at 3 pm, bolstered by returning Irish internationals but wary of the French side’s historic pedigree. Meanwhile, defending champions Union Bordeaux-Bègles face a resurgent Bath Rugby in France tomorrow afternoon. South African hopes ended earlier in the knockout stages, with the Bulls, Stormers, and Sharks all eliminated despite promising runs.

Stay tuned for more news………….