News 17:00

BULLETIN 24 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The PA accuses the DA of anti-democratic behaviour in an IEC complaint 
# Ramaphosa calls for a national response to eradicate gender-based violence
# And rugby: You cannot just buy tickets for the Boks versus All Blacks Test in Cape Town

# The Patriotic Alliance has lodged a complaint with the Electoral Commission against the DA, accusing them of anti-democratic actions. The PA alleges the DA has engaged in spreading misinformation, inciting violence, and exploiting religious tensions. The complaint also accuses Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, of abusing his power for political gain. The PA’s deputy secretary general, Meshé Habana, condemns these actions as violations of the IEC’s Code of Conduct, and democratic principles.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a national response to eradicate gender-based violence and femicide. Speaking during the signing of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill in Pretoria, Ramaphosa highlighted the progress made through the National Strategic Plan on GBV. He emphasised the need to end violence against women and outlined new laws and initiatives to support survivors and strengthen the criminal justice response:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse is taking the National Energy Regulator of South Africa to court, over its decision to grant generation licenses to Turkish company Karpowership in South African harbours. It has filed an application to obtain the full, unredacted records of Nersa’s decision to approve generation licenses for the company. The hearing is scheduled in the High Court in Pretoria for next month. OUTA’s Stefanie Fick contends Nersa’s decision-making lacked transparency and failed to balance public and economic interests:

# A UK nurse jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering seven babies in her care, Lucy Letby, has lost a bid to appeal against her conviction. Court of Appeal judge Victoria Sharp announced in a short hearing in London that Letby’s application had been refused, marking the end of the appeal process for the 34-year-old. Letby was convicted in August of seven murders and six attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and ’16.

# Rugby: Tickets for the Rugby Championship Test between the Springboks and All Blacks in Cape Town will go on sale on 19 June. A public registration of interest will be held from 27 May to 9 June and a ticket ballot process will be conducted to ensure a fair process. Registration of interest is an entry into the ticket ballot and does not automatically secure tickets. Successful applicants randomly selected from the draw will be invited to purchase up to four tickets per customer. Tickets range from 250- to three-thousand-500-rand.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-43-cents and the euro at 20-rand-1-cent. One British pound costs 23-rand-46-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-274-dollars-30-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-342-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-52-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….