First Take SA

ANC's The National Disciplinary Committee says it stands by its previous decision that Suspended Western Cape ANC leader Marius Fransman is guilty on two counts of misconduct and his membership of the ANC should be suspended for 5 years. Fransman failed to show up for his second disciplinary hearing yesterday. Acting NDC Chairperson Susan Shabangu in a statement said that by not attending the disc...

Civil society, political parties and religious groups have joined forces in a bid to safeguard South Africa's democracy by forming the Freedom Movement. Opposition parties including the DA and the UDM, labour movement Fedusa and Solidarity met in Soweto earlier today to map out their way forward. They have organised a gathering at Freedom Park to call for the President's removal. Tsepiso Makwetla...

Pastor Tim Omotoso who has been accused of raping young women at this church, Jesus Dominion International Ministry has been arrested in Port Elizabeth. At the church, the members are singing songs in defense of their leader, Pastor Omotoso. According to our colleagues in Port Elizabeth, the angry congregants are swearing and threatening the media contingent outside the building. Tsepiso Makwetla...

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Vuwani says the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to include parts of the area into the new Lim345 Municipality in Limpopo's Vhembe District, is final. The committee briefed the media on the matter in Polokwane on Thursday. Spokesperson for Pro-Makhado Demarcation Task Team Nsovo Sambo says the visit will yield no positive results. Pro-Makhado Demarcation Ta...

Tributes continue to pour in for former Pan Africanist Congress leader Philip Kgosana who died last night at the age of 80. President Jacob Zuma has extended his condolences to his family. In the 1960's, Kgosana led more than 30-thousand anti-Pass Laws protestors from Langa, Cape Town in a march to the apartheid parliament. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Bani Kgosana who is Philip Kgosana's son

The South African Medical Association's (SAMA) KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Branch is planning to embark on a protest action, this in an effort to raise awareness in what they call the the poor state of public health-care in the Kwa Zulu-Natal. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the SAMA's KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Branch Chairperson, Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba says there's no guarantee that the country will not be downgraded. However, Gigaba says a downgrade by ratings agency Moody's would have a devastating impact on the economy, especially the poor. The minister will travel to the United States to meet with Moody's and investors as part of his first international trip at the helm of Treasury. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Ch...

The ANC Youth League Regional Task Team in the Greater Johannesburg Region says The DA's Herman Mashaba is responsible for last night's bloodshed at an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) summit held in Midrand. However Mashaba says he is laying criminal charges against ANC members following the violence. Two people were injured after they were allegedly hit by a brick during last night's meeting. T...

Four universities are at risk of losing their accreditation of Bachelors of Laws - LLB - if the quality of their programmes does not improve. This after the Council on Higher Education issued the universities with a notice of withdrawal of the accreditation status. This means that students may not continue to be afforded to study law at the universities. The four universities, are the North West U...

The United Democratic Movement, UDM, has called for a national convention to seek solutions to the crisis confronting South Africa and to look beyond marching for the removal of President Jacob Zuma. The UDM says the National Summit, should ultimately culminate in a National Convention, where leaders of political parties and civil society can exchange ideas on how to take South Africa forward. Tse...

The Hawks are searching for a Prophet Timothy Omotoso who is the founder of the Jesus Dominion International Church. Omotoso allegedly sexually abused young women in the church. The crimes allegedly took place in various provinces in the country such as Mpumalanga, Kwa Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape. Sakina speaks to Special Assignment producer Lee McCabe

Former Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza should not report for duty tomorrow. The Democratic Alliance has called on the acting Hawks boss, Yolisa Matakata, to prevent Ntlemeza from reporting for work. This after Ntlemeza insisted that he was still the Hawks boss. He has vowed to petition the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein to get his job back, saying only Parliament can dismiss him. Can Ntlemeza...

Molebogeng Sebidi looks at news stories that dominated on social media this week

The MK Veterans' National Steering Committee says it is concerned about the current situation in the country, particularly within the ANC. The committee has called for an urgent National Consultative Conference to try and correct what they call the crisis within the governing party. The council steering committee held a a media briefing at Lilliesleaf Farm in Rivonia earlier today. Tsepiso Makwetl...

The SACP says it will be opening a charge with the police of attempted murder of its Second Deputy General Secretary Solly Mapaila. The party says it is in possession of a video taken at the Chris Hani memorial on Monday which shows an apparent attempt to kill Mapaila. The memorial was organised by government with President Jacob Zuma delivering the keynote address.

The South African Association for Jazz Education - SAJE- will host its 5th Jazz Festival from the 28 to 30 April 2017 where International Jazz Day will be observed on the 30th. The jazz festival is also culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month which draws public attention to jazz and its heritage throughout April.

The High court in Pretoria has dismissed Hawks Boss Bernard Ntlemeza's leave to appeal last month's high court decision that his appointment be set aside. This follows an application by Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law arguing that Ntlemeza should never have been appointed to head the elite crime-fighting unit. Meanwhile Police Minister Fikile Mbalula yesterday announced a decision to...

EFF leader Julius Malema says it does NOT matter how many people attend marches to the Union Buildings from Church square. Malema says the 12th of April March is part of rolling marches that will be organised to pressure the president to step down. he was speaking to Tsepiso Makwetla on PM Live

Cartoonist, Zapiro, has defended the use of rape as a theme in his latest cartoon about state capture. The cartoon depicts a rape scene where President Jacob Zuma is buckling up his trousers, as one of the Gupta brothers gets ready to "rape" a woman depicted wearing a South African flag, with State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and The New Age edito...

The spokesperson of Parliament, Moloto Mothapo, says the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete will attend to requests by some opposition parties to postpone a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma. It is scheduled to be held in the House next Tuesday. The DA, UDM and EFF who had requested the motion, are now asking for a postponement - in the light of a pending court case. The...

South Arican Renewable Energy Council says it is concerned that the deadline for financial closure of outstanding Power Purchase Agreements has not been met. The signing was postponed today after Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi moved the deadline that was set by the former energy minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson. The renewable energy industry has accused Eskom of dragging its feet on the conclusi...

EE Publishers Managing director, Chris Yelland says new minister has NO background in everything. Yelland says there is policy shambles with regards to energy in South Africa. He speaks to PM Live Anchor Tsepiso Makwetla

Parliament insists that neither the rules of the National Assembly or the Constitution make provision for a motion of no-confidence in the President of the country. Spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, says it is on this basis that Parliament will oppose an application for direct access to the Constitutional court earlier by the UDM, to enable a secret ballot in the National Assembly. The Assembly is set...

The Constitutional Court is considering whether to force parliament to hold a secret ballot during a no- confidence vote against President Jacob Zuma next week. The UDM approached the court after Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete refused to sanction a secret ballot. Tsepiso Makweta spoke to UDM leader Bantu Holomisa.

President Jacob Zuma says he has met with Finance Minsiter, Malusi Gigaba, SARS Commissioner, Tom Moyane and Reserse Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago to discuss the recent downgrades by Standard and Poor's and Fitch rating agencies. Last week, the two rating agencies downgraded South Africa to non-investment grade, this as result of the cabinet reshuffle. Earlier I Spoke of Senior Director & Head o...