News 13:00

BULLETIN 29 May 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa is concerned over voting interference incidents
# John Steenhuisen calls on South Africans to vote for an accountable government 
# And, minister Cele says police will escort ballot papers to the final counting stations 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has voiced concerns over attempts to interfere with the Electoral Commission’s work. Two individuals have been arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga for interfering with ballot boxes. The IEC is investigating further cases, urging the public to let electoral officials work without hindrance. He cast his vote at Chiawelo in Soweto. Ramaphosa stated citizens should never be obstructed from voting, as it is their democratic right:

Meanhwile, DA leader John Steenhuisen has called on South Africans to vote in large numbers for change. Speaking to the media after casting his vote in Durban, Steenhuisen emphasised that the 2024 election is crucial for voting the ANC out and ushering in new leadership. Steenhuisen stressed the need for a coalition government to remove corrupt leaders. He emphasised on a government that will deliver for the people and not politicians:

And, the minister of Police, Bheki Cele, says police, with the help of a deployment of two-thousand-828 National Defence Force members, will escort ballot papers to the final counting stations. Cele briefed the media about the countrywide picture on election safety, and also voted at the Lamontville High School in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. He says police remain ready to safeguard the elections:

# Tennis: Despite never having progressed past the third round of the French Open, Naomi Osaka says she is really excited to face tournament favourite Iga Swiatek of Poland in the second round today. Former world number one Osaka won a match at a Grand Slam event for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open with her opening victory over Lucia Bronzetti. The Japanese star returned earlier this year after a 16-month hiatus from tennis to start a family.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 19-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-721-dollars-61-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-234-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-58-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A US luxury real estate billionaire and a deep-sea explorer are planning to travel in a submersible to the Titanic. Ohio tycoon and adventurer Larry Connor and Patrick Lahey, co-founder of Triton Submarines, say they want to descend to a depth of around three-thousand-800-metres in the North Atlantic Ocean. The private submersible industry was rocked after five people were killed when an OceanGate vessel imploded en route to the Titanic last year. There is no timeframe for the latest planned expedition.

Stay tuned for more news………….