#SABCNews Headlines @06H30 | 23 August 2023

* President Cyril Ramaphosa says BRICS leaders will go on a retreat during which they will consider the over 20 applications they have received from countries that would like to join the bloc. * President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chinese President Xi Jinping have committed to narrowing the trade deficit between the two nations. This emerged from President Xi’s fourth state visit to the country. The two leaders presided over the signing of several bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding at the Union Buildings in Pretoria yesterday. They will co-chair the Africa-China round-table discussion today, where Beijing wants to deepen trade and investment with the over 50 AU member states attending the summit. * Zimbabweans are heading to the polls today for a hotly-contested general election. The leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change Nelson Chamisa is again challenging the incumbent President of the country and ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa. 11 Presidential candidates will take part in total. Over 6 million people are eligible to vote in the elections. There has been violence in the run-up to the election which is taking place against the backdrop of a worsening economic crisis. The United States has called on all parties in Zimbabwe to commit to free, fair and peaceful elections. For more news, visit and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.