News 17:00

BULLETIN 14 October 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Electoral Commission approves a record 2.6-million special vote applications
# Shadrack Sibiya’s accusers fear for their safety if he is granted bail
# And, a Japanese journalist is held in Russia on spying charges

# The Electoral Commission has approved a record 2.6-million special vote applications ahead of the 4 November local government elections. This is a 131-percent increase compared with the 2021 elections. Special votes will take place on 2 and 3 November for people who cannot vote on election day. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo told the media Gauteng has the highest number of approved special votes, followed by the Eastern Cape:

# Two alleged victims in the rape and sexual grooming case against former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya have urged the Randburg Magistrate’s Court to keep him behind bars. In victim impact statements read in court, they expressed fears for their safety if Sibiya were to be released on bail. The 16-year-old complainant alleges Sibiya threatened her father, while an 18-year-old claims a friend was approached to contradict her evidence:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says the government’s new water strategy does not clearly state when problems will be fixed, how improvements will be funded or who will be held responsible. OUTA supports plans to reduce water losses, repair infrastructure and appoint qualified staff, but some 2030 targets appear to have been pushed to 2035. The organisation’s Julius Kleynhans says officials must face consequences when they fail to do their jobs:

# Russia has arrested Japanese journalist Yuki Imai on suspicion of spying on the country’s military capabilities. The Hokkaido Shimbun reporter was detained on Sakhalin Island and taken to Moscow. Russian state television shows him in a metal cage during a court appearance. Russian news agency Interfax reports Imai will remain in custody until 12 December, pending trial. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Japan is seeking information from Russian authorities and has called for fair treatment.

# Tennis: Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek barely broke a sweat before beating Polish compatriot Magdalena Frech in the round of 32 at the Wuhan Open in China. She clinched her 40th victory of the season and is still on course for a potential quarterfinal showdown with three-time champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. World number 170, Sonay Kartal of Britain, celebrated her return from a long-term injury lay-off by beating ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. She will face 15th-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-57-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-45-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-89-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-822-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-101-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….