News 18:00

BULLETIN 8 September 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government reports progress on its five-point migration plan
# The ANC lodges more than nine-thousand election candidates
# And, RISE Mzansi is concerned over four-thousand-500 pedestrian deaths on highways

# The Inter-Ministerial Committee says the government is making progress in implementing its five-point migration plan, including stronger law enforcement, improved border security and modernised immigration systems. More than 350-thousand inspections have been carried out, while over 86-thousand foreign nationals have been processed for deportation or repatriation. Committee chairperson Mmamoloko Kubayi told the media the government is also working with neighbouring countries to improve border security and manage migration:

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party lodged nine-thousand-128 candidates across all nine provinces for the local government election. Of these, eight-thousand-947 candidates were registered with the Electoral Commission, representing ward seats and proportional seats. Mbalula says 181 candidates did not complete the final electronic registration step. He says these include 130 proportional and 51 ward candidates, affecting six councils in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State:

# RISE Mzansi expressed concern over 4-thousand-500 pedestrian deaths recorded on South Africa’s major highways in the past three years. Spokesperson Makashule Gana says according to Transport Department data, the N2 recorded the highest fatalities at one-thousand-500, followed by the N1 with one-thousand-200, N3 with one-thousand and N4 with 800. He says South Africa’s road death rate of over 20 per 100-thousand people far exceeds the global average of four to five:

# Japan will send three military helicopters and 180 personnel to Indonesia this weekend to help battle widespread wildfires. The helicopter crews are due to begin firefighting operations in West Kalimantan on Saturday, as Indonesia struggles with fires across six provinces in Sumatra and Borneo. More than 76-thousand hectares have already been burned during the country’s severe dry season, with smoke spreading across Southeast Asia. Indonesia has deployed more than 50 aircraft for water bombing and cloud seeding, but authorities expect firefighting efforts to remain intense through the month.

# Cricket: Pakistan will face England in the third and final Test at Edgbaston from tomorrow with a totally inexperienced team after its governing body made sweeping changes after the humiliating losses in the first two matches. Coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were replaced by white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively, while seven players were sent home and replaced by five uncapped players and another two. New Zealander Hesson wants to put together a balanced squad with some variety in the attack.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-1-cent against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-69-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-282-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-399-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 100-dollars-7-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….