First Take SA

To help us understand why a state-owned enterprise such as Transnet could be a target of cyber-attacks, here is Dr Jaco du Toit, the deputy director at the Centre for Cyber Security at the University of Johannesburg....

South Africa's citrus fruit sector is facing more losses as state-owned Transnet continues to battle a cyber-attack that has caused major backlogs at all the country's port terminals.  Transnet says their systems will be brought back in a staggered manner to minimize any further risks and interruptions. It is expected that some applications may continue to run slowly over the next few days. T...

Schooling in Kwazulu Natal, especially in Phoenix got off to a slow start this week as parents have been reluctant to send their children back to the classroom. SADTU's provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza has called on learners to get back to class and be agents of social cohesion and tolerance in their communities...

Civic groups which have mobilised themselves under the banner 'Justice For Phoenix Massacre Victims' are expected to march to the Durban City Hall in KwaZulu-Natal. They are calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the deaths of more than 20 people in Phoenix, north of Durban. Some bodies are yet to be identified at a Phoenix mortuary and over 120 people were killed in KZN dur...

The funeral and burial industry has raised concerns about the high number of people that gather at funerals, calling for greater regulation of funeral events. This as the industry continues to struggle with securing coffins for burial and space for corpses at mortuaries. The health department has recorded between 200 and 400 COVID-19 related deaths over the last 48-hour period bringing the total n...

The Road Freight Association has raised concerns about ships starting to bypass South African ports. Transnet says significant progress has been made to restore its IT systems after a cyber-attack last week. Transnet declared force majeure as the IT breach crippled its port operations. Group Manager for Corporate Affairs at Transnet, Ayanda Shezi, says it is expected that some applications may con...

A peace accord between the two Western Cape warring taxi associations, CODETA and CATA could soon be signed. This follows separate meetings with the two associations, facilitated by the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader, General Bantu Holomisa and the general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Zwelinzima Vavi in an effort to find a solution to the  violen...

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union has rejected government's wage offer of 1.5 percent pay progression hike and monthly cash allowances of over a thousand rands for public servants. The new wage agreement was signed by the majority of unions represented in the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council on Monday with Public Service and Administration Minister, Senzo Mchunu describing th...

While communities have welcomed the reinstatement of the R350 social relief grant, many say it is too little and does not go far enough to cover their basic needs. During his address to the nation on government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the grant will be paid out till March next year and will now include unemployed caregivers.  The...

Judgment in the bail application of Bruce Nimmerhoudt, one of the alleged instigators of the violent unrest that took place in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal earlier this month, will be handed down in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court, west of Johannesburg, on Friday. Nimmerhoudt, who is a mayoral candidate for the Patriotic Alliance in the West Rand Municipality, was arrested on the 16th of J...

In its fresh bid to unseal the much talked about CR17 documents, the EFF has vowed to approach the Constitutional Court directly to hear the matter. The EFF lost the case with cost at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria earlier this month.  But addressing his party's virtual 8th anniversary on Monday, Malema said his deputy Floyd Shivambu advised them to approach the apex court after all...

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has weighed in on the response by the police to the recent unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, saying it was sluggish and resulted in the loss of faith in the structures meant to protect and serve the public at large. The foundation has also rejected what it calls the insidious efforts of the Indian ultra-nationalist party, the BJP, which wants to present...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that businesses impacted by looting and violence will get relief support including insurance payments and tax breaks. He also announced the reinstatement of the R350 Social Relief of Disaster Grant which will run until March 2022. He said government insurance SASRIA will expedite assessments and honour payments. He also said in order to assist economic recov...

The sale of alcohol for off-site consumption is once again allowed starting from 10 am to 6 pm from Monday to Thursday. On-site sales and consumption are allowed "as per license conditions", but must end by 8pm. Tax breaks for the alcohol industry were also put in place. This must be welcome news for the alcohol sector as the industry had warned that the four-week ban on alcohol sales could result...

The Public Protector has approached the Constitutional Court seeking for the rescission of its ruling regarding the investigation into President Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential election campaign. Last month the ConCourt dismissed Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane's appeal against a High Court ruling that set aside her report into the CR17 funding campaign. Mkhwebane's dismissed report found that Presiden...

South Africa is this morning on Alert Level 3 of the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions, down from the previous Level 4. President Cyril Ramaphosa last night announced that despite growing infections in Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape provinces the country has passed the peak of new infections. The move to Alert Level 3 means a relaxation on gatherings and alcohol sales as well as the re...

The African Transformation Movement has written to the South African Human Rights Commission in KwaZulu-Natal requesting it to institute an inquest into what it calls a 'massacre' of black people in Phoenix by the Indian Community. This follows the massive lootings and destruction of property last week in both KwaZulu Natal and the Gauteng provinces. The party says vigilante movements cannot be a...

Former President Jacob Zuma has been granted compassionate leave to attend his brothers funeral in Nkandla today. Michael Zuma passed away a week ago after battling an undisclosed illness for almost seven years. Zuma is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court at the Estcourt Correctional Centre. For the latest on his application, correctional services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo...

Some experts have maintained that reports of people who were presumably healthy who suddenly died after taking the jab are not backed by facts. Some South Africans have taken to social media to express their fears of taking the vaccine, citing such incidents, and stirring vaccine hesitancy. This as the Health Products Regulatory Authority, SAHPRA, reported that 28 people have died after the admini...

ActionSA  has expressed disappointment at the outcome of the report by  Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke which has recommended that free and fair elections will not be possible on October 27. The party says the consequence of such a delay is the prolonged misgovernance by political parties and councils based on the votes of South Africans more than 5 five years ago. ActionSA...

With the postponement of the Local Government elections, many communities now fear they will be saddled for much longer with unaccountable, inept, and corrupt municipal and council leadership. For more on this is the Director of the Public Service Accountability Monitor, Jay Kruuse...

The South African Social Security Fund - SASSA - will today resume the previously suspended Cash in Transit services at its cash pay-points except in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. SASSA suspended its operations last week amid the violent lootings and destruction of properties. The move comes after cash-in-transit companies announced that they would not be providing services to SASSA's cash paypoi...

Health alliance, Business for South Africa, has raised concerns over the re-selling of stolen drugs in communities following the recent looting at pharmacies, distributors and wholesalers. The organisation says more than one hundred and twenty pharmacies were targeted in the violence in KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces and has warned of the dangers these medicines pose to the genera...

The community of Hammarsdale near Durban continues to help themselves to whatever they can find in a meat factory that continues to burn since the violent riots broke out in parts of KwaZulu Natal. This as most areas affected by the looting and destruction of property continue with the process of rebuilding and cleaning of debris from last week. Thousands of people were seen at the weekend forming...

A political analyst from the North West University, Dr. Thandolwethu Nomarwayi believes the unrest in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal is a manifestation of racial tensions between Black Africans and the Indian community. Dr. Nomarwayi adds that this is particularly true amongst those who are in business in the province. This comes at the back of the announcement by Police Minister, Bheki Cele, confirm...