April 29, 2024.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines:

Bantu Holomisa agrees to be UDM’s Eastern Cape premier candidate

Eskom warns political parties against placing posters on electrical structures

And, Egypt hopeful on Gaza talks, waiting for response

Bantu Holomisa agrees to be UDM’s Eastern Cape premier candidate

The United Democratic Movement announced the availability of its leader Bantu Holomisa as the Premier candidate for the Eastern Cape, saying should the party do well in the upcoming May 29 elections, the party would approach the Independent Electoral Commission to change the UDM’s candidates list in the allowed window period after the elections.

On Saturday, during a prayer day in Gqeberha, Holomisa announced that he had, in principle, agreed to the nomination.

UDM deputy president and Chief Whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said in the months running up to the elections, Holomisa had been “pressurised” by various traditional leaders, religious groupings and civil society organisations and other individuals to consider the candidacy.

This had also been a desire of the UDM’s structures in the Eastern Cape, he added.

Kwankwa explained that being the national leader of a party, Holomisa would campaign in all provinces, but focus more of his time in the Eastern Cape.

Eskom warns political parties against placing posters on electrical structures

Ahead of the upcoming May 29 elections, State-owned power utility Eskom has cautioned all political parties against the “dangerous practice” of placing election posters on electrical structures.

The utility said in the past there had been incidents of electrocution whilst posters were being put up, which it said contravened the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Eskom warned of an inadvertent flash-over or electrical contact and said this could cause serious injuries and even be fatal.

It said posters mnust not be places on electricity poles, electricity towers, meter boxes or mini substations.

Only authorised personnel are allowed to climb or work on the electrical structures, it pointed out.

Egypt hopeful on Gaza talks, waiting for response

Egypt is hopeful about a proposal for a truce and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip but is waiting for a response on the plan from Israel and Hamas.

Egypt, alarmed by the prospect of an Israeli ground operation in Rafah where more than one million people took shelter near its border, has made a renewed push in recent days to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Along with Qatar and the US, Egypt has led efforts in recent months to broker a ceasefire deal for the conflict that would involve the freeing of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 and of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Hamas said on Saturday that it had received Israel's position on the latest phased ceasefire proposal and would study it before submitting a reply. A Hamas delegation was due in Cairo on Monday to follow up on the talks.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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