News 11:00

BULLETIN 30 May 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party is surging across KwaZulu-Natal
# The Election Commission admits things could have been done better
# And rugby: The Blitzbok captain is optimistic about their chances in Madrid

Vote counting is continuing with three-thousand-259 voting districts completed. The MK Party is performing well in the hotly contested KwaZulu-Natal, leading with 42.31-percent, followed by the ANC with 20.12-percent and the IFP at 16.17-percent. Analysts believe the ANC will comfortably lose its majority in the province. In Gauteng, the ANC is leading with 36.85-percent, followed by the DA and the EFF. Nationally, the ANC leads, followed by the DA and then the EFF.

The Electoral Commission’s General Manager of Electoral Operations, Granville Abrahams, meanwhile admits they could have done things better. Glitches and delays saw many people still standing in queues after 9 pm yesterday. Voter management devices and ballot paper shortages were some of the problems reported to the IEC. Abrahams told Newzroom Afrika given the challenges they faced, they were able to fix the problems fairly quickly:

# ActionSA in Gauteng says the erosion of the rule of law has become increasingly evident, leaving millions of South Africans vulnerable. This comes after the party’s Johannesburg regional campaign manager, Sello Mabelebele, was kidnapped and assaulted on Tuesday before being released. Just three weeks ago, the party’s Gauteng premier candidate, Funzi Ngobeni, and chairperson of the youth forum, Hluphi Gafane, were involved in a hijacking ordeal in Olievenhoutbosch. ActionSA says it will ensure that those responsible for committing this heinous act are held accountable.

# The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has urged a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, where millions face worsening hunger. President Kate Forbes emphasises the need for a political solution to allow aid delivery. Forbes, who witnessed the dire conditions in Rafah, pleads with governments to negotiate a ceasefire to provide the necessary aid.

# Rugby: Blitzbok captain Selvyn Davids says they are heading with optimism into the Grand Final of the Sevens Series in Spain this weekend. Only the top eight men’s and women’s teams will compete in Madrid. After seven rounds, Argentina and New Zealand were named men’s and women’s league winners, before the new stand-alone tournament in the Spanish capital. South Africa will face Ireland, New Zealand, and Fiji in the group stage. Davids says their performances in the last two tournaments gave them confidence:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-66-cents and the euro at 20-rand-15-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-69-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-805-dollars-23-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-334-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….