First Take SA

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says valuable school records that cannot be easily replaced have been destroyed by protesters setting fire to at least 24 schools at Vuwani in Limpopo. She says it will cost more than half a billion rand to rebuild the schools that were burned down or vandalised by rampaging mobs at Vuwani in Limpopo. Motshekga says a full assessment on the extent of the da...

A month ago we reported on Frans Motupa’s story who said that the retail store Edgars had failed to update his information on the credit bureau after he fully paid his account. This, after he had made an arrangement with a debt collecting firm. He told us that even though it has been a while since he paid he has been unable to secure credit because of this. There are developments but let’s first r...

President Jacob Zuma says the behaviour of opposition MPs in parliament is embarrassing. He has called on the Speaker to bring order to the house in order to restore its dignity and for people to continue respecting it. Zuma was replying to the debate on the Presidency debate that took place in the National Assembly on Wednesday. He says some leaders are worried about what their people see in the...

The meeting between Limpopo MEC's and community structures in the Vhembe district, has agreed to create an environment for further engagements with the concerned traditional leaders and community representatives in Vuwani. 23 schools have been torched by protesting residents who don't want their area to be incorporated into the new municipality.

The probe into suspended national police commissioner Riah Phiyega's fitness to hold office has been adjourned to tomorrow morning. Legal teams at the board of inquiry are in dispute over the terms of reference. Evidence leaders have asked the board to widen the terms to call witnesses who didn't testify before the Marikana commission into the deaths of 44 people at Marikana. Phiyega's legal couns...

A six-month-old girl has been rescued from the debris of a building that collapsed four days ago in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The Kenyan Red Cross has since reunited the baby with her father. She has no physical injuries. The six-storey residence came down in heavy rain on Friday, killing at least 23 people. Dozens of others are still thought to be buried under the rubble, but hopes of finding...

Learning and teaching have been disrupted at about 50 schools in the volatile Vuwani area in Limpopo. Four schools, a post office and a tribal office have been set alight by the protesting residents. Commuters have been left stranded as a shutdown of services is continuing in the area. Residents are protesting against the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to include Vuwani in the new municipa...

Wits University says that flags are flying at half-mast after nine students died in an accident in Limpopo. The students were killed after a minibus taxi crashed on the N1 near the Nyl Plaza toll. University management has conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased. The students were travelling back to Johannesburg from a church summit in Limpopo. Wits Vice Chancellor, Adam Habib…

There is a vibrant mood in the small town of Giyani in Limpopo where the national Freedom Day will be celebrated. President Jacob Zuma will deliver the key note address. Mass mobilisation campaigns to get thousands of people to come and be part of the main celebrations are under way in the area. Some residents who spoke to the SABC in Giyani, say they are happy that the national event is being cel...

Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Sizwe Mabizela says the institution cannot summarily suspend or expel students whose names were posted on Facebook as alleged sex crime suspects without giving them a fair hearing. Mabizela has urged victims of sex crimes to report them. He has been briefing the media at the university in Grahamstown following a week of protest over rape allegations.

Mineral Resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane has assured the mining industry that he is willing to extend the 30-day over the Draft Mining Charter if it becomes necessary. This in an attempt to quell a stand-off that has been brewing after mining companies opposed a proposal by government that companies need to have at least 26 percent black ownership. The organisation has now taken to court in orde...

Activists who raised the alarm on the so-called arms deal have described as deeply disappointing a report by the Seriti Commission. President Jacob Zuma released a summary of the report earlier today which states that the Commission found no evidence of corruption or bribery during the multi billion rand acquisition process. The commission was appointed in 2011 and concluded its work by handing th...

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has defended his government's support of a deal between the European Union and Turkey to tackle the migrant crisis saying migrant flows to Greece have decreased markedly in recent months. Turkey and the EU last month sealed an accord which aims to end the chaotic arrival of migrants and refugees, most fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia,...

Protesting students have brought the academic programmes to a standstill at Rhodes University in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. They are protesting over the alleged failure of management to act against sex crime suspects. It's alleged some students sustained injuries after police allegedly fired rubber bullets while students were setting up barricades and disrupting classes. The students are dem...

Angry students have disrupted classes at Rhodes University in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. They are protesting over management's alleged failure to deal decisively with suspected rapists. This follows the publishing of a list of eleven names of former and current students on Facebook. They are accused of having raped fellow students and no action was taken against them.

Constitutional experts say Parliament has a duty and responsibility to take disciplinary action against the President. This follows demands from opposition parties in Parliament that disciplinary action should be taken against President Jacob Zuma for allegedly misleading the National Assembly. A meeting was held between Parliament's presiding officers and members of political parties, to discuss...

The Pretoria High Court has dismissed Justice Minister Michael Masutha's application for leave to appeal the release of Chris Hani's killer, Janusz Walus. Walus is serving a life sentence for killing the SACP leader in 1993. Masutha approached the court, arguing that it erred in law in it's judgement when it ruled that Walus should be released on parole. Earlier this year, Masutha set aside a deci...

The ANC's SEFAKO Makgatho branch in Johannesburg's inner city is the first ANC branch to call on the ruling party to remove Jacob Zuma as its president and as head of state. The branch has written a letter to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe raising its unhappiness about the Constitutional Court findings against President Zuma on the Nkandla upgrades issue. The branch wants Zuma replaced by hi...

Liziwe Ntshengulana is a public speaker and charismatic teacher, who touches many with her powerful message of empowerment, service, excellence and gratitude. A powerful life coach who comes with an inspiring story highlighting her own transformation from years as an educator in the schooling system, first as a high school teacher and subsequently as a Head of Department then principal. Ntshengula...

Passenger Rail Services of South Africa says it will deal effectively with members of SATAWU embarking on a strike action on Thursday in Cape town. PRASA Regional Manager, Richard Walker says the strike is a diversion from internal disciplinary processes against a small group of union members implicated on serious allegations. He says the union is being misused for selfish gain. The union has call...

The ANC in Parliament has once again thrown its weight behind president Jacob Zuma. This follows a failed bid by opposition parties to have the president impeached. This is light of the Constitutional court ruling that found that the president violated the constitution by failing to implement the remedial action contained in the Public Protector's report on the controversial Nkandla project.

The ANC National Working Committee meeting is still underway in Cape Town. The meeting comes amid growing calls from within and outside the ANC for President Jacob Zuma to resign. The meeting which is also open to the ruling party's National Executive Comittee members, is expected to reflect on the latest developments and challenges that the ANC is facing ahead of the local government elections. T...

Preliminary statistics show road fatalities decreased by 46% during the Easter period this year. Transport Ministers, Dipou Peters, says the huge decrease is due to rigorous public education campaigns to raise awareness about road safety, visible policing, the school holiday that fell over the two long weekends and the involvement of church and community leaders as well as celebrities.

President Jacob Zuma's son has described allegations of state capture by the Gupta family as part of an ongoing campaign to tarnish his father's image. Edward Zuma has questioned the timing of the allegations by ANC members that they were offered cabinet positions by the family on condition that they implemented government policies that benefitted their businesses. He has also defended his brother...

The ANC has denied reports that President Jacob Zuma offered to resign following mounting claims of political interference by the the Gupta family. The Mail & Guardian and Sowetan newspapers are reporting that Zuma offered to stand down at a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee last weekend. The NEC endorsed Zuma's leadership, but said it would meet the Guptas to discuss alleged state...