News 16:00

BULLETIN 8 March 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The deadline looms for political parties to submit the required documents to contest the elections 
# The High Court is to rule on Jacob Zuma’s bid to force prosecutor Billy Downer’s removal 
# And cricket: Fourteen wickets fell on the opening day of the Christchurch Test

# The deadline looms for political parties to submit required documents to contest the national and provincial elections. Candidates’ lists must be submitted by 5 pm today. The Independent Electoral Commission is expected to issue notices of non-compliance by 18 March , with parties given until 20 March to rectify any issues. Provisional candidate lists will be published for inspection on 26 March. The IEC has set 10 April as the cut-off date for the compilation of lists of parties and final lists of candidates who will contest the election.

# The High Court in Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg is set to rule on 20 March on former president Jacob Zuma’s latest bid to force the removal of his arms deal corruption prosecutor, Billy Downer. Zuma has accused Downer of prosecutorial bias and believes he won’t receive a fair trial if Downer leads the State’s case against him. The National Prosecuting Authority argues that Zuma’s claims have been repeatedly dismissed and are aimed at delaying his trial. Zuma’s prior attempts have been deemed abusive by the courts. 

# The DA in Limpopo urges increased collaboration between the Departments of Education and Transport for enhanced safety in learner transport. This follows after three learners lost their lives in an accident between Lebowakgomo and Burgersfort yesterday. The party calls for joint efforts to ensure compliance and safety in both public and independent school transport vehicles. The DA’s Katlego Suzan Phala urges law enforcement to intensify efforts for road safety, ensuring compliance, and preventing further tragedies:

# Cricket: A total of 14 wickets fell on the opening day of the second and final Test between New Zealand and Australia in Christchurch. The hosts’ woes continued when they were skittled out for just 162. Josh Hazlewood was the main destroyer when he took five wickets, and Mitchell Starc claimed three scalps. Australia’s chase also didn’t go well, and the team lost four wickets before stumps with just 124 on the board. Australia won the first Test by 172 runs.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-62-cents and the euro at 20-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-513-dollars-77-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-167-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-45-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, says the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure Centre has propelled the healthcare facility into a league of its own in the area of nuclear medicine and research in Africa. The centre is housed at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. The MEC says the centre has futuristic infrastructure that will help improve the quality of life and overall survival of cancer patients using radiopharmaceuticals:

Stay tuned for more news………….