antiX Linux: cannot add a apt repository using sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa

Question

I am in the process of setting up a VM with antiX Linux version 23.2 (I am new to antiX). The installation has Python version 3.11.2, but I would like to upgrade it to 3.12.3 (or maybe a later version). When I try to add the deadsnakes ppa with 'sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa' I get the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/add-apt-repository", line 362, in <module>
    sys.exit(0 if addaptrepo.main() else 1)
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/bin/add-apt-repository", line 345, in main
    shortcut = handler(source, **shortcut_params)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/shortcuts.py", line 40, in shortcut_handler
    return handler(shortcut, **kwargs)
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/ppa.py", line 86, in __init__
    if self.lpppa.publish_debug_symbols:
       ^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/ppa.py", line 126, in lpppa
    self._lpppa = self.lpteam.getPPAByName(name=self.ppaname)
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/ppa.py", line 113, in lpteam
    self._lpteam = self.lp.people(self.teamname)
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'people'

Is there a way to fix this? Another way to create the sources list? Is there much difference between 3.12.3 and 3.11.2? I have developed in 3.12.3 on a different machine but would like to run it on antiX Linux.

Regards, StuartM