News 09:00

BULLETIN 17 October 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# IEC says the local government elections are still set for 4 November despite setbacks
# Eskom reports a six-year high in power availability
# And, Elon Musk unveils a Roadster with flying abilities

# The Electoral Commission says the local government elections will still take place on the 4th of November, despite setbacks caused by the Constitutional Court ruling on candidate lists. The IEC will capture uploaded candidate lists, allowing the ANC and 32 other political parties that had not finalised their submissions to complete the process. Briefing the media, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said logistical preparations will face tighter deadlines:

# The South African Reserve Bank plans to begin testing a new shared ATM network in January, as part of efforts to make cash cheaper and easier to access. The plan would turn the country’s roughly 30-thousand ATMs into unbranded machines that customers of different banks can use. The Reserve Bank also wants withdrawals below a set amount to be free. A national cash utility is planned for March next year, with the first wider rollout of shared ATMs expected by the end of 2027.

# The Green Connection is calling on the energy regulator Nersa to reject Eskom’s proposed 8.83-percent electricity price increase for the 2027/28 financial year. The organisation states families and small businesses are already struggling with high living costs and unemployment. The environmental group’s Lisa Makaula says the regulator must check the utility’s costs carefully and make sure electricity remains affordable:

Meanwhile Eskom says its year-to-date energy availability factor has reached 68.2 percent, the highest in six years. The utility says improved generation has reduced diesel spending by 4.87-billion-rand compared with last year, while unplanned outages have also declined. Load reduction has dropped by 88.6-percent, leaving about 194-thousand customers affected, mainly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Meanwhile, Koeberg Unit One was taken offline after a protection system was activated during testing. Eskom says there are no nuclear safety concerns.

# Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has unveiled a new electric sports car that can briefly lift off the ground and perform mid-air flips using technology developed with his SpaceX rocket company. The demonstration in Texas showed the Roadster driving upside down along a curved ramp before launching into the air and landing on its wheels. It also jumped over other vehicles. Musk says the car could accelerate from zero to 97 kilometres per hour in less than a second. Production is planned for 2028, although the vehicle’s airborne capabilities and safety still raise questions.

# Rugby: Springbok flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse returns from a long-term injury for the Sharks in today’s Challenge Cup opener against Lyon in France. Coach JP Pietersen has otherwise elected a largely second-string side, resting most of his international stars. Nick Hatton will captain the team, while former stalwart Stephan Lewies is back in the black and white jersey after a seven-year stint with English club Harlequins. Ivan van Zyl is Hendrikse’ half-back partner after leaving Saracens in England.

Stay tuned for more news………….