News 12:00

BULLETIN 15 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC opens the applications for special votes
# The Department of Water says a national register of polluters is needed 
# And tennis: Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from the Barcelona Open due to injury

# The Electoral Commission has opened applications for registered voters wishing to apply for a special vote. A special vote is open to anyone who cannot vote on election day, on the 29th of next month. People who can apply for a special vote include anyone who will work on election day or people who are infirm, disabled or pregnant. Special votes can either be cast at home or at a voting station. Applications close on the third of next month.

# The Department of Water and Sanitation says a national register of polluters will have to be partnered with other interventions for it to work effectively. The department is looking to create a register of polluters in the latest bid to curb the pollution of the country’s water sources. The department’s Anet Muir says people must be held accountable for the neglect that leaves rivers polluted:

# The commissioner of the Border Management Authority, Michael Masiapato, says they facilitated more than 1.1-million travellers across 71 ports of entry in the ten days between 26 March and 4 April. He says this is an increase of 24-percent compared to last year’s Easter period, when they reported the handling of almost 914-thousand people:

# Tennis: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Barcelona Open due to injury. The Spaniard still struggles with a right arm injury that also saw him miss the Monte Carlo Masters. Alcaraz won the Barcelona Open in 2022 and last year. His compatriot Rafael Nadal, who has won the tournament a record 12 times, remains in the draw, where he is set to play Italian Flavio Cobolli in the opening round tomorrow.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-87-cents and the euro at 20-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-56-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-269-dollars-66-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-234-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-52-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Sandton SPCA’s Book Nook has raised 500-thousand-rand for the animal charity by selling second-hand books. The books sold at the shop, which is located at the Morning Glen Mall in Gallo Manor, Johannesburg, are between 50-to-90-percent less than the retail value. General manager Stephen Mailia says donations and book purchases are vital in sustaining their operations, including sterilisation drives for animals, outreach, and education programmes. He adds it costs about 800-thousand-rand each month to run the SPCA.

Stay tuned for more news………….