News 07:00

BULLETIN 8 October 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa has confidence in the national election security plan
# South Africans will get a new tool to stop unwanted marketing
#And rugby: World Rugby introduces measures targeting two dangerous tackling techniques

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country is ready for next month’s local government elections, with operational preparations in place. A total of 142-thousand-and-72 candidates have been nominated to contest ten-thousand-526 council seats across municipalities. These include 636 independent candidates, 97-thousand-815 ward candidates and 38-thousand-679 proportional representation candidates. Ramaphosa says he has confidence in the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure to put the necessary security measures in place for the elections:

# The National Consumer Commission has launched a free national opt-out registry to help South Africans block unwanted direct marketing. Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu told the media consumers can pre-emptively block direct marketers, while marketers must register and regularly remove blocked consumers from their lists. Ratshisusu added the system will be phased in, with consumers able to register and block marketers from May next year:

# Self-proclaimed political fixer Brown Mogotsi’s firearm and perjury case has been postponed to October 23 for arguments in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. The postponement follows his legal team’s request for further particulars from the State. Mogotsi’s lawyer, Makau Sekgatja, says the defence is dissatisfied with the State’s response. The defence is seeking information including cellphone records of State witnesses, which it says is material to preparing the case. The lawyers are expected to apply to compel the State to provide outstanding information.

# Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has condemned the killing of two learners in Alexandra, saying the death of pupils through violence is deeply concerning. The victims are a Grade 12 pupil from Minerva Secondary School and a Grade 9 learner from Alexandra High School. According to preliminary information, the learners were fatally shot on Alfred Nzo Street, opposite Madala Hostel. Maile’s spokesperson, Onwabile Lubhelwana, says this tragedy is a reminder that protecting and guiding children requires the involvement of the whole community:

# A Tennessee judge has granted a motion for the state to preserve all relevant evidence related to the failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike. The 50-year-old, who was sentenced to death following her conviction for a murder in 1995, is in the hospital after surviving two lethal doses of the drug pentobarbital last week. In the motion, Pike’s lawyers argued that the Tennessee Department of Correction inflicted “a cruel and unusual punishment” through its deliberate indifference to her basic medical needs and reckless disregard of basic medical practices.

# Rugby: World Rugby has designated the ‘hip drop’ and ‘knee drop’ techniques as dangerous and illegal tackles. The hip drop tackle, where tacklers use their body weight to pull a player to ground and drop onto the legs of ball carriers from behind, will be added to the foul play law and sanctioned with a penalty kick. The knee-drop tackle, where a player drops to one or both knees before tackling, is already covered by the law and can be sanctioned with a penalty.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-61-cents and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-96-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-46-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-132-dollars-71-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….