First Take SA

Mmusi Maimane's future as leader of the Democratic Alliance remains uncertain, days after the party cleared him of financial wrongdoing. An investigation was conducted following allegations that Maimane's Toyota fortuner was a donation from controversial Steinhoff former CEO Markus Jooste. Weekly newspaper, Sunday Times YESTERDAY ( Sunday) reported that a delegation of senior party figures, includ...

Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape have expressed disappointment in the delay by President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce on the release of jailed King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. Ramaphosa had visited the Abathembu nation ahead of the May national elections to garner votes and it was hoped that King Dalindyebo would receive a presidential pardon from the new administration after the elections. Some...

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is in South Africa on a State Visit amidst strained relations between the two nations following the recent spate of attacks on foreign nationals including Nigerians. Buhari will co-chair the 9th SA-Nigeria Bi-national Commission -BNC- with President Cyril Ramaphosa later this morning. Today's BNC seeks to strengthen political and economic relations between the t...

DA chief whip, John Steenhuisen has invited the Institute for Race Relations to join its party membership or form its own political party instead of meddling in the leadership of the official opposition. This follows an opinion piece which argued that current Western Cape premier, Alan Winde should replace Mmusi Maimane as party leader. The IRR endorsed the article claiming that it promotes robust...

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) says it will seek a minimum wage of 17-thousand Rand per month for its workers, up from 12-thousand-500 Rand. The union lashed out against what they call greedy CEOs within the platinum sector, who benefit at the expense of poor miners. AMCU has taken Sibanye-Gold and Anglo American Platinum to the CCMA over wage negotiations and planned...

The Eastern Cape government has sent its condolences to the families of five victims who died when a storm hit Manzimdaka village at Cala on Sunday night. Three children including a two year-old toddler and two elderly men died after walls fell on them. Scores of other houses have been flattened,

The Competition Commisson's Health Market Inquiry has found that the private health market has failed consumers by overcharging them with no clear outcomes. The commission also found among other things, that healthcare practitioners are subjected to little regulation. The inquiry, which was initiated in 2013, released its findings with recommendations, yesterday. .

HAWKS' captain Lloyd Ramovha says fifty thousand rands per child was the ransom demanded by the kidnappers of three teenagers of Ethiopian origin over the weekend. The five suspects were arrested by the HAWKS around Brixton and Mayfair areas in Johannesburg YESTERDAY (thursday). The parents of the teenagers had reportedly been contacted with ransom demands.

COSATU and its affiliate the South African Society of Banking Officials has encouraged workers in the banking sector to report for work today. This follows yesterday's decision by the Labour Court's to interdict their protest that was planned for this morning. COSATU's deputy secretary-general Solly Phetoe says they are now seeking leave to appeal the ruling. He says the union will also resubmit a...

The Department of Basic Education is working on formalising Grade 9 as one of the exit points of schooling. That means learners will be able to finish school at Grade 9 and attain The General Education Certificate. This has been revealed by the minster of Basic Education, Angie Motshega at SADTU's elective conference held in Nazrec, Johannesburg. Ditaba Tsotetsi reports

Banking union; The South African Society of Bank Officials says they are redy to embark on a nationwide strike this Friday by banking employees. Around 40-thousand members are expected to take part in the strike - which is against the retrenchment of workers and digitalisation of banking systems. SASBO says the union will ensure that ATM's and banking operations are not functional. In Gauteng.

The presidency has welcomed a Constitutional Court judgment that dismissed its application for leave to appeal a High Court ruling regarding the hiring and firing of cabinet ministers. Ramaphosa took the matter to the ConCourt seeking clarity on the powers of the President on the matter. In 2017, the High Court ruled that then President Jacob Zuma must give reasons for his controversial cabinet re...

Social media has been abuzz since YESTERDAY when Limpopo-based Ndlovu Youth Choir had been preparing for its final performance at the finals of America's Got Talent. The group took to its facebook page moments before their performance to thank all South Africans and the world for the support they have received in the competition. Veteran television talk show host, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle had also pa...

Labour union DEMAWUSA says it will forge ahead with the strike action until Johannesburg's Metrobus management meets its demands. Metrobus workers belonging to DEMAWUSA embarked on an indefinite strike yesterday over salary progression issues. The union also wants to be given office space and resources at all three Metrobus depots in Johannesburg. Meanwhile Metrobus says their bus that was reporte...

Suspended Secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana says he has already started consulting his lawyers to challenge his dismissal. National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise recently announced that they have accepted recommendations that Mgidlana be summarily dismissed. He was found guilty on seven of the 13 charges laid against him - of which four were very serious. It follows the outcome of an inves...

The 2 month deployment of the army in some crime hotspots in Cape Town comes to an end today. In July Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that soldiers would be deployed to the streets of townships in the mother city following a series of gang related murders. It still remains unclear if an extension will be granted to allow the SANDF to stay longer.

Nigeria's consul general, Adama Godwin, has confirmed that his government will soon start the process of repatriating more than six hundred of it's citizens back to Nigeria. This follows the announcement by the African Diaspora Forum's that it too had received over 400 requests from foreign nationals who hail from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi who wish to be assisted with returning to their home...

Today) is International Gynaecological Awareness Day and health NGO, Right to Care, has called on communities to continue sharing knowledge and raising awareness about cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccinations. The organisation says only half of South African women are screened for cervical cancer at the recommended intervals, with Pap Smear screening lower amongst the poor and those living w...

Some foreign nationals in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, say they are ready to abandon their pursuit of a better life in South Africa and go back to their countries of origin. About 800 foreign nationals have been displaced by last week's xenophobic attacks in Katlehong, and are being sheltered at community halls in the township. They were uprooted from their homes at the Mandela informal settle...

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) says it hopes to meet with Minister of Police Bheki Cele to discuss a coordinated response to the wave of attacks on businesses in Gauteng. Busa has condemned the violent protests across the province where foreign-owned businesses were vandalised and looted.

South Africa has avoided a recession. The country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 3.1 percent in the second quarter of 2019. The first quarter GDP numbers recorded a decline of 3.2 percent. GDP data released by Stats SA showed that mining, manufacturing, finance and real estate showed positive growth, while agriculture, forestry and fishing continued to shrink

Police continue to monitor hot spots across Johannesburg and Pretoria. This follows the widespread looting of foreign-owned shops in Tembisa, Pretoria, Germiston, Malvern, Turfontein and the Johannesburg CBD. Police fired teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades and arrested more than 90 people. Meanwhile, the ANC has condemned the violence and classified it as mere 'acts of criminality'. ANC Sec...

The 42 year old man arrested following the disappearance of a University of Cape Town student has been charged with murder rape and defeating the ends of justice. 19 year old Uyinene Mrwetyana disappeared more than a week ago. Meanwhile, boxing champion Leighandre "Baby Lee" Jegels was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend in the Eastern Cape. This as a six-year-old Amy-Lee de Jager is still missing aft...

Members belonging to the National Truck Drivers' Foundation have called for a nationwide strike today in response to trucking companies taking them to court for allegedly burning trucks. The foundation is also lobbying against the alleged employment of foreign nationals.

Business owners whose shops were looted in Malvern east of Johannesburg this morning are counting their loses. An estimated 50 shops have been looted and over 50 vehicles burnt after a group of people went on the rampage. Some of the shops were also burned. Over 30 people have now been arrested. The motive for the looting is not yet known. The looting incidents started in nearby Jeppestown yesterd...