News 08:00

BULLETIN 6 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The chairperson of the Election Commission says the defining feature of the elections is independent candidates
# The British premier admits there is work to do following the disastrous election results
# And motorsport: Lando Norris finally wins his first F1 race

# Electoral Commission chairperson, Mosotho Moepya, says the defining feature of the upcoming general elections will be the introduction of independent candidates. Eleven independent candidates will be contesting the 29 May elections. Moepya was part of the South African Council of Churches’ national day of prayer held in Soweto yesterday. He says the IEC has developed a results system, which will be put through several integrity tests to ensure that these elections can never be stolen.

# Former president Thabo Mbeki has welcomed the possibility of a commission of inquiry into political interference in the National Prosecuting Authority regarding apartheid-era crimes. Speaking during an ANC campaign in Mabopane, Pretoria, Mbeki expressed confidence in being cleared of any wrongdoing. He emphasises he cannot be held responsible for the NPA’s failure to prosecute apartheid-era crimes as recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission:

# The UDM in the Eastern Cape is calling for the provincial Department of Transport to account for their failure to pay scholar transport operators. Last week the operators, contracted by the department, went on strike over delayed payments, saying they have not been paid since January. UDM’s, Bulelani Bobotyane, says they want a detailed financial report of the 725-million-rand set aside for the scholar transport programme in the 2024/2025 financial year:

# British prime minister Rishi Sunak says he can make progress with voters before a general election following the Conservatives’ poor showing in the local elections. After the final votes were counted yesterday, the Tories had lost control of ten councils and more than 470 council seats. Sunak says the country does not need more political horse-trading, but action. He adds that the party will come together to show the British people they are delivering for them.

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed the first victory of his Formula One career by winning the Miami Grand Prix. The Briton took the lead with 25 laps to go after making a pit stop under the safety car, while others had already stopped. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third. Twenty-four-old Norris, who has the most podium finishes without a win in his sixth season of F1, says he is happy to have won finally:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-53-cents and the euro at 19-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-25-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-840-dollars-34-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-308-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….