News 08:00

BULLETIN 28 October 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime warns political killings threaten the electoral process
# Home Affairs extends its office hours ahead of the elections
# And, there is no clear winner in Israel as Netanyahu and Eisenkot both appear short of an outright victory

# The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime says political killings pose a serious threat to the integrity and stability of the electoral process ahead of next Wednesday’s local government elections. A total of 45 political attacks were recorded between January first and September 30th this year, in which at least 43 people were killed. This month alone, nine politically linked killings have been recorded. KwaZulu-Natal remains the province most severely affected by political violence. GI-TOC’s Julian Rademeyer told the SABC this violence also points to a criminalisation of politics:

# The Department of Home Affairs will extend operational hours at all its front offices leading up to the local government elections next Wednesday. The extended hours are intended to allow South Africans to apply for or collect their IDs or temporary identity certificates before casting their ballots. The department’s spokesperson, Ndileka Cola, says citizens who have applied for IDs are encouraged to collect them and exercise their right to vote:

# ActionSA has written to Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya requesting that the independent investigation into the Bronkhorstspruit water contamination crisis also examine whether actions or inactions of officials were politically motivated. The crisis linked to a lack of chlorine at the Bronkhorstspruit wastewater treatment plant has left over 800 people affected by gastrointestinal illnesses. ActionSA says political parties have been quick to politicise this crisis, given its timing ahead of the elections, and have tried to place the blame at Moya’s feet. It adds that those found responsible must be held accountable.

# Exit polls indicate Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, are tied and appear short of an outright victory. The country held its first legislative election since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 yesterday. Exit polls of Israel’s two leading broadcasters, Kan 11 and Channel 13, put Netanyahu’s bloc of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties and the Eisenkot-led bloc tied on 51 seats each. A candidate needs 61 parliamentary seats to form a majority government. Final results are expected over the next 48 hours.

# Tennis: World number two Alexander Zverev survived four match points to beat Spain’s Martin Landaluce, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, and reach the Vienna Open round of 16. If the German reaches the quarterfinals in Vienna, he will become world number one for the first time in his career on Monday, overtaking Italian Jannik Sinner for the top spot. Seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated Russian Karen Khachanov, 6-4, 7-6, in their first-round meeting. Italian Flavio Cobolli and American Tommy Paul also advanced to the round of 16.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-66-cents and the euro at 18-rand-53-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-16-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-860-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-46-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 115-dollars-82-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….