First Take SA

Gauteng is ready to relax lockdown regulations, but this must be done gradually. That's according to a member of the Premier's Advisory Committee, Professor Bruce Mellado. He had been speaking at the weekly briefing on the province's response to the corona virus pandemic. This comes amid reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has been advised to open up the economy and relax lockdown regulations f...

The ANC will have to overcome the waning public trust if it is to seek a new mandate from voters. Recently the governing party has been struggling to overcome allegations of corruption, unethical leadership and failure to provide basic services to township dwellers and the rural poor. This has prompted voter apathy among some of the party's traditional support base. Our Political Correspondent Nte...

Family, friends, fans and South Africans paid tribute to the radio and television legend, Bob Mabena, during his memorial service in Houghton in Johannesburg. Mabena died on Monday of a cardiac arrest. His career spanned more than three decades where he broke the mould several times. The celebrated rap singer, radio host and producer started his career at Radio Bop when he was 19. He worked at Met...

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has resolved to take measures to hold municipalities to account for poor performance. This after yet another damning report from the Auditor General on the state of local government. The committee is calling all involved, ranging from municipalities, councillors, national and provincial departments as well as all ot...

The legal team of the Public Protector has argued the unconstitutionality of Parliament's rules to remove the head of a Chapter Nine institution. The matter of the Public Protector challenging Parliament's rules on how to remove the head of a Chapter Nine institution, is currently under way on a virtual platform in the Cape Town High Court. Mkhwebane wants to interdict any further steps to be impl...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to update the nation soon on whether the country may move to a lower alert level of lockdown. This as the National state of Disaster legislation under which the country's lockdown has been premised,expires on Saturday. On Tuesday, the National Corona Virus Command Council which is headed by Ramaphosa met. Expectations are high that with the national rate of in...

The Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) says the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, hasadopted an untenable and far-reaching position on the banning of the sale of cigarette and tobacco products. This is contained in papers FITA filed before the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein in its application for leave to appeal a high c...

South Africa's unemployment challenge continues to worsen amid the economic disruption brought by covid-19. Some South Africans who have lost their jobs are finding hard to survive outside the labour market. Economists expect the unemployment rate to have risen to 37.9% in the second quarter from 30.1% in first quarter.

Former Finance Minister Des Van Rooyen has confirmed that he appointed his then special advisor Mohamed Bobat without verifying his qualifications. Van Rooyen was testifying at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday. Bobat was one of the advisors Van Rooyen came with after his brief appointment as Finance Minister in 2015. During his testimony last year, former Treasury DG Lungile Fuzi...

Government has sought to clarify the role of the Ministerial Committee appointed to deal with corruption in the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment. It says the committee chaired by Justice and Correctional Services Minister - Ronald Lamola - will not upstage or under-mine the powers of the law enforcement agencies. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a committee comprising six ministries...

Tributes are pouring in for veteran broadcaster, Bob Mabena who died of suspected cardiac arrest yesterday after a short stay in a Johannebsurg Hospital at the weekend. Mabena had been discharged earlier yesterday before his condition deteriorated after which he was rushed back to hospital before his passing. He was 51. Mabena celebrated over 30 years in the industry this year after hosting his fi...

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola says cabinet is concerned about allegations of corruption related to the procurement of personal protective equipment. Lamula is to lead a Ministerial committee appointed yesterday by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate the alleged corruption pertaining to the Covid 19 PPE tender processes. Other Cabinet Ministers in the committee include the Finance Minister, M...

Some political parties in Parliament have shot down a proposal by UDM's leader - Bantu Holomisa -for the national executive to be dissolved and replaced by unelected members of civil society and the judiciary to run the country until the 2024 national and provincial elections. They say such a proposal would not pass Constitutional muster.

The ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule says a legislation prohibiting family members of politicians from doing business with government must be formulated. Magashule was speaking during an interview with the SABC following the party's NEC meeting last weekend. Recent reports revealed that family members of several ANC leaders have been awarded covid-19 related tenders. These include President Cyr...

The Limpopo government has sought to provide further details on the 40 shacks it has handed to the Talana Hostel dwellers in Tzaneen, amid public outrage. The shacks are worth four-million-rand. Premier Stan Mathabata and National Department of Human Settlement Acting Director General, Joseph Leshabe reiterated that the shacks were a temporary measure aimed at relieving over-crowding at the hostel...

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni says there's a prima facie case to be made for probing the awarding of some tenders for Covid-19 personal protective equipment and law enforcement agencies must take action. Mboweni was addressing the joint meeting of committees of Finance of Parliament on the procurement of the equipment.

The National Consumer Commission has warned consumers against participating in pyramid schemes. The Commission briefed the media regarding its investigation into a pyramid scheme called Up Money. Acting Commissioner Thezi Mabuza says Up Money unlawfully exploited desperate South Africans during Covid-19. The scheme lured citizens by offering huge financial rewards and grocery packages if they part...

The State Capture Commission yesterday heard claims of corruption that took place during a 2014 Free State Human Settlements project. The department appointed a joint-venture between Gauteng-based Blackhead Consulting and the late Igo Mpambani's Diamond Hill Trading to identify and remove asbestos roofs from houses in the province. It has emerged that massive profiteering and price escalation took...

The ANC in North West has suspended membership of its 15 councillors at the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality in Zeerust. The party accuses them of defying the caucus' instructions by removing their mayor and the speaker and electing their preferred candidates.

Some parties in Parliament have expressed reservations about a call by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni for elected public representatives to consider a salary cut due to the prevailing economic situation. Mboweni made the call during the debate on the adjustment's appropriation bill in the National Council of Provinces last week.

The ANC in Mangaung region in the Free State has come out in defence of party secretary general, Ace Magashule. This follows reports that Magashule`s sons clinched COVID-19-related contracts in the province worth two-point-seven million Rand. Magashule`s sons are listed as directors of two companies, Motheko Projects and Marvel Deeds, which are among the companies that secured contracts with Free...

Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have issued summonses to recover close to 4-billion rand from former Eskom executives, board members, the Gupta brothers and their business associates. The matter relates to the acquisition of Optimum Coal Holdings - a mine which supplied coal to Eskom through the Guptas.

The General Secretary of the SACP, Blade Nzimande, has called for an end to what he calls the 'tenderisation of the state', in order to fight the continuing corruption in South Africa. He says following the reports of alleged corruption by ANC and government officials involving funds meant to be used in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 - the state must review the process of doing business....

Opposition parties have called for an investigation into the COVID-19 contracts awarded in the Free State. This comes after revelations that the sons of ANC secretary general, Ace Magashule, received COVID-19 contracts worth more than two-point-seven million rand. Both Motheko Projects and Marvel Deeds appear on the list of companies that secured contracts, and Magashule`s sons are listed as direc...

Tourism Minister, Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has announced that restaurants will be allowed to operate until 10 pm -- extending the lockdown curfew by an hour. This -- to enable restaurants to maximise their peak customer serving time. Kubayi-Ngubane was briefing the media on tourism-related activities and regulations under COVID-19 Risk Adjusted Level 3. Intra-provincial travel for leisure will also...