News 06:00

BULLETIN 29 April 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Security Cluster has a plan to deal with any attempts to disrupt the elections
# Load-shedding continues to be suspended until further notice
# And cricket: The Lions are the Cricket South Africa T20 Challenge champions

# The Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster says no incitement of violence, lawlessness, or destruction of infrastructure will be tolerated on election day. The cluster gave an update yesterday on the state of readiness for the seventh democratic elections on the 29th of next month. Today marks 29 days before South Africans cast their votes. Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, says courts are prepared and ready to handle all election-related crimes:

Meanwhile, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says Home Affairs offices will be opened on election day. At the same time, mobile offices in remote areas will also be opened to assist with identity document applications and collection. Motsoaledi says anyone who has applied for IDs and has received their SMS notifications, to visit their Home Affairs office to collect the documents:

# Eskom says load-shedding will continue to be suspended until further notice, due to sustained generation capacity and sufficient emergency reserves. The power utility has reached 33 consecutive days without load-shedding, a milestone last reached in April 2022. A total of three-thousand-300 megawatts is expected to be restored by today. Eskom says The Generation Operational Recovery Plan has led to notable achievements including a reduction in unit trips and unplanned load losses.

# Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas says he believes that the US is the only country capable of stopping an Israeli invasion of Rafah. Pressure is mounting on mediators to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, amid fears of a looming invasion of Rafah, where more than a million people are believed to be taking refuge. Israel’s Foreign ministry says they could suspend the incursion if there is a hostage deal. Abbas says only a strike on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza Strip, which would be a disaster.

# The Lions recorded an emphatic seven-wicket victory against the Dolphins to be crowned CSA T20 Challenge champions at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Jason Smith scored a half-century as the Dolphins were restricted to 165 for eight with Codi Yusuf and Bjorn Fortuin taking two wickets each. In reply, Reeza Hendricks scored an unbeaten 73 and Wiaan Mulder smashed an unbeaten 55 as they propelled the Lions to victory.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-81-cents and the euro at 20-rand-15-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-55-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-167-dollars-13-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-329-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-35-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Tshepo Kgobe, says they will introduce a product specifically catering for people with disabilities as they reaffirm their commitment to further enhance the system to ensure universal accessibility. Gautrain spokesperson Albi Modise says the South African Guide Dogs Association conducts mobility and orientation training on the system for sight-impaired students using canes:

Stay tuned for more news………….