News 11:00

BULLETIN 1 October 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC criticises the DA’s proportional representation lists court challenge
# Netanyahu says it’s too early to say whether Iran was behind the attempted Flydubai hijacking
# And soccer: Manchester City’s main sponsor is considering legal action against the Premier League

# The Electoral Commission says the DA’s proportional representation lists case is without merit. The DA has approached the Electoral Court, accusing the EFF, MK Party, ActionSA and GOOD Party of trying to dupe voters by not disclosing a full list of candidates. The parties have fielded only one proportional-representation candidate in some municipalities. The DA wants the four parties’ PR lists declared unlawful. The IEC argues the relief the DA is seeking would put the integrity of the local government elections at risk.

# AfriForum says the revised electricity pricing policy needs clear consequences for the energy regulator, Nersa, Eskom and municipalities that fail to follow the rules. The organisation has raised concerns about possible legacy costs, municipal surcharges and fixed electricity charges, warning consumers could face additional costs. It argues the new policy could fail without proper enforcement and transparency. AfriForum’s Morné Mostert says all electricity charges must be clearly explained, justified and transparent:

# The Bureau for Economic Research says artificial intelligence could reshape South Africa’s job market without causing mass retrenchments. Instead, the initial impact will likely slow down hiring, making it harder for youth to secure their first jobs. While A-I may reduce demand in some professional sectors, the bureau notes it will boost productivity and unlock new opportunities. To navigate this shift, it urges South Africa to aggressively focus on skills development and training to help young job seekers enter the formal workforce.

Moving abroad:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it’s too early to tell whether Iran was involved in yesterday’s Flydubai incident. A copilot on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight stabbed the pilot in the cockpit during an apparent attempt to crash the plane. Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, enabling a second pair of pilots aboard to land the plane safely ⁠in Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu told Fox News they are investigating whether the incident was an attempted terror attack:

# Soccer: Manchester City’s main sponsor, Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi, is considering legal action against the English Premier League. City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of the league’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018. An independent commission found the club arranged sham contracts with several of its commercial partners as part of a disguised funding scheme to inflate the club’s revenues. The airline rejects any suggestions it has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-49-cents and the euro at 18-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-74-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-179-dollars-43-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 102-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….