News 07:00

BULLETIN 12 March 7 am/pm

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC notes with concern the DA’s letter appealing for international observer support and there may be load-shedding on election day
# The Poultry Association questions the rebates on poultry imports
# And the UN chief is calling for the silencing of the guns in Gaza during Ramadan

# The Independent Electoral Commission says it has noted the DA’s letter to the United States and other countries including the European Union. The official opposition party has appealed to the countries to help provide resources for independent domestic observers ahead of the 29 May elections. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the commission believes that elections must be observed, but the DA’s request is direct to an executive in another country, which is not how the observation process works:

The IEC also says a task team has been established to work out a plan to deal with possible load-shedding on election day. Load-shedding has dominated the manifestos of political parties, all claiming to have the solution to fix the country’s energy crisis. Mamabolo says the commission cannot say with certainty that there won’t be load-shedding on election day, but plans are being put in place to ensure minimum disruptions:

# The South African Poultry Association has voiced concerns regarding the International Trade Administration Commission’s recommendation suggesting rebates for frozen poultry imports to address alleged market shortages. SAPA’s broiler general manager, Izaak Breitenbach, deems these rebates unnecessary and unjustified, emphasising that the avian influenza threat has subsided, assuring ample poultry supply. Breitenbach says SAPA opposes the rebates, citing potential harm to the local poultry industry and especially small-scale farmers recovering from the bird flu outbreak.

# Another council meeting to debate the motion of no confidence against Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana will be held today. The 29th of February council meeting to debate the motion had to be adjourned after a physical altercation between EFF and ANC councillors broke out. ActionSA in the metro says opposition parties in council have the support of the ANC in removing Ngodwana, who represents the African Independent Congress, from power today. This will be the third attempt to remove him as mayor.

# United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, is calling on Israel and Hamas to honour the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, by silencing the guns and removing all obstacles to the delivery of lifesaving aid. Hopes that a 40-day ceasefire could take effect by the start of Ramadan have faded but mediators are confident an agreement can be reached soon. Guterres says the unprecedented killing of civilians in Israel and Gaza is unacceptable and cannot continue:

# Tennis: The young American Ben Shelton will tomorrow try and stop Jannik Sinner’s 17-match winning streak when they meet in the round of 16 of the Indian Wells Open in the United States. The Italian looks unstoppable at the moment, following up his Australian Open title with victory in the Rotterdam Open in the Netherlands. Sinner is seeded third and Shelton 16th. Thirty-second-seeded Czech player Jiri Lehecka plays Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas next after sending fifth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev packing in the previous round.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-69-cents and the euro at 20-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-263-dollar-29-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-179-dollars-85-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….