Daily news update: ANC will get over 50%, M1 highway fire and SA T20 World Cup squad

Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.

Daily news update – 02 May

WATCH: Ramaphosa confident ANC will get over 50% in elections

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed confidence that his party the African National Congress (ANC) will get more than 50% of the votes in the upcoming national and provincial election and may even win the Western Cape.  

South Africans will go to the polls on 29 May in what is expected to be the most hotly contested elections since the dawn of democracy thirty years ago.

Addressing thousands of supporters at Cape Town’s Athlone stadium on Wednesday, Ramaphosa in his capacity as ANC leader emphasized the governing party’s goal of achieving a decisive victory in the election, noting that the people are determined to ensure the party does not fall below the 50% mark.

“There are those who go around, various political parties who go around and are our opponents. They run around the country like little brakkies, running around and saying all manner of things saying nweh, nweh, nweh (sic).

The ANC president also took the opportunity to throw some jabs at the Democratic Alliance (DA), predicting that the ANC could take control of the Western Cape province.

WATCH: City Power suspects fire on M1 highway in Joburg CBD caused by vandals

In other news, City Power said it suspects that the fire on the M1 highway in Johannesburg may have been sparked by vandals.

Parts of Johannesburg‘s inner city were filled with smoke on Wednesday morning after underground cables caught alight.

The blaze led to power outages in several parts of the city including Braamfontein, Page View, Parktown, Melville, Amalgam, Vrededop, Johannesburg, and surrounding areas.

According to officials, no casualties or injuries have been reported.

‘The liberation army can’t be stolen’- Solly Mapaila takes shots at MK party

South African Communist Party (SACP) Secretary General Solly Mapaila has taken fresh shots at the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, claiming it had “stolen” the identity of the ANC liberation army and it would not allow it.

The ANC has taken the MK party to court for using the name and logo linked to its armed wing ahead of this year’s elections. The matter was dismissed by the Durban High Court last week, but the ANC said it intends to appeal.

Speaking at a Worker’s Day rally in Cape Town on Wednesday, Mapaila shaded the MK party and said its actions would not be tolerated.

‘I trust quality of players’: Walter defends World Cup squad selections

While pace bowler Anrich Nortje and all-rounder Marco Jansen have not been able to show form in recent weeks, Proteas coach Rob Walter has defended their selections for next month’s T20 World Cup.

One of the quickest bowlers in the world, Nortje has struggled to hit his straps after returning from a long-term back injury. He has taken just six wickets in seven games for Delhi Capitals during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament, at an average of 42.00 and an economy rate of 13.36.

Jansen, meanwhile, hasn’t had a chance to prove himself after playing only one game in the last seven weeks for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Confirmed: Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull in early 2025

Red Bull confirmed on Wednesday that celebrated chief technical officer Adrian Newey will leave the Formula One team in early 2025 after 19 years.

It was widely reported last week that the designer was set to quit following a controversy involving allegations about team principal Christian Horner.

The announcement is set to spark a bidding war for Newey’s services, with Ferrari, soon to be joined by Lewis Hamilton, in pole position to sign him.

Newey, widely regarded as the greatest F1 designer and a chief architect of Red Bull’s dominance, is set to end his stay in the “first quarter” of next year, according to a Red Bull statement.

24 hours in pictures, 1 May 2024

Our Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world to bring you a visual snapshot of the day’s events