News 13:00

BULLETIN 2 June 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula says the ANC has nothing to celebrate
# Mexican voters to make history today by electing first woman president
# And Tennis: Auger-Aliassime sets up last 16 clash with Alcaraz

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the ANC has nothing to celebrate as it lost its majority for the first time in 30 years, marking a new political path for South Africa. However, Mbalula claims the ANC remains the most popular party with over six million votes and a majority in five provinces. He thanked supporters and emphasised that the results prove the need to intensify the party’s renewal efforts:

Meanwhile, the DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga says premier Panyaza Lesufi’s gimmicks have failed. This as the ANC has garnered 34.84-percent of the votes in the province, reflecting a drop of 15-percentage points from the last elections in 2019, when it received 50.19-percent. The party will now have to enter into coalition government. Msimanga says Lesufi and the ANC were desperate and knew they were losing power. He says that is why they used state resources to try to create so-called job opportunities, which were not budgeted for.

In other news about the elections, African politics expert doctor, Innocent Basani-Ncube, has praised the Electoral Commission for its role in educating people in rural communities. Observing the electoral process, he said despite challenges, voters were well-informed. He emphasised that the commission could however do better and improve in some areas. Basani-Ncube says he was impressed at how well IEC officials explained the new three-ballot system:

# In election news from Mexico, voters in that country are expected to make history today by electing their first woman president, a milestone in the crime-plagued country where gender-based violence and discrimination have long been rampant. Ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor and a scientist by training, had a 17 percentage point lead over her main opposition rival Xochitl Galvez on the eve of the vote. The only man running, centrist Jorge Alvarez Maynez, was trailing far behind as a particularly violent campaign season marked by a string of candidate murders drew to an end.

# And finally, Tennis: Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime booked a French Open last 16 clash against Carlos Alcaraz after sweeping past Ben Shelton of the United States. The 21st-seeded Canadian cantered to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 win over his 15th-ranked opponent. Auger-Aliassime reached the fourth round in Paris in 2022 when he lost in five sets to Rafael Nadal. The 23-year-old holds a career lead of three wins to two over world number three Alcaraz although the two men have never met on clay.

Stay tuned for more news………….