First Take SA

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...

The King of Eswatini, Mswati the 3rd,  is today (Friday) scheduled to hold talks following last month's deadly pro-democracy protests. All citizens of the kingdom have been invited to the forum known as 'iSibaya' at the Ludzidzini Royal Palace. This is the first time the king will address the unrest in which at least 50 people died.  Activists and opposition groups have however vowed not...

Some residents from Soweto in Johannesburg have taken it upon themselves to start a clean-up campaign in all their areas which saw looting and destruction in recent days. Various malls and small businesses have been looted with many properties set alight. Pimville and Klipspruit residents have since called on all men and young people to come out and shield Maponya Mall from being looted and destro...

Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says a total of 5000 members of the SANDF and other law enforcement agencies will be deployed in different provinces across the country. David Ansara, Chief Operating Officer at the Centre for Risk Analysis shares the risks of the current violent and politically charged environment and the trends likely to come...

Claims by the police and state security ministers that the current wave of looting and violence gripping parts of the country could have been worse have been met with skepticism. During government's security cluster briefing, Police minister Bheki Cele and State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo commended law enforcement, saying a lot more damage was averted. This despite lawlessness and mayhem cont...

Firefighters in Durban tried to extinguish a fire at a building that had been set alight by a group of people in the CBD. Protesters took to the streets at the weekend, demanding the release of former president, Jacob Zuma. The demonstrations have morphed into mass looting and vandalism, mostly in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng. KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala has called for calm as racial tensions amongst...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the violence that has engulfed Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal over the past few days, could lead to serious food and medicine shortages in the country in the coming weeks. In an address to the nation, the president also confirmed that he had authorised the deployment of members of the Defence Force to the two provinces. He reiterated that those involved in the violence wi...

President Cyril Ramaphosa last night announced that the country will remain on adjusted alert level four for another fourteen days in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Gatherings also remain prohibited and the curfew is still from 9 pm to 4 am. He said schools will remain closed until the 26th of this month. Rampahosa also said the sale of alcohol is still not permitted, although...

In Johannesburg violent attacks including the looting of shops took place. To look at the situation overnight, JMPD spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar...

The Democratic Transport Logistics and Allied Worker's Union has also echoed concerns over the potential for the attacks on the industry to spread beyond the province of KwaZulu-Natal. DETAWU General Secretary, Vusi Ntshangase...

The Road Freight Association has warned of the dire consequences of the torching of at least 33 trucks transporting goods and cargo across various parts of KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend. Most of these attacks were concentrated on the N3 in Mooi River following demonstrations in support for the calls of the release of jailed former president, Jacob Zuma. RFA CEO Gavin Kelly says small businesses i...

CATA and CODETA, the two taxi associations in Cape Town that are at the centre of a deadly feud that has cost many lives, yesterday held talks facilitated by the Western Cape Transport Department. Seven people were gunned down on Wednesday, in the ongoing taxi war between the two taxi associations. Taxi ranks have been deserted in several parts of the Cape Flats - including Khayelitsha - as operat...

Judgment in former President Jacob Zuma's application to stay his 15-month jail sentence before the Pietermaritzburg High Court is expected to be delivered TODAY (Friday). Zuma, who started serving the jail term YESTERDAY, approached the court after the Constitutional Court found him guilty of being in contempt of a ruling that said he must appear and participate at the state capture commission. H...

Suspended ANC member and Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus was arrested for gathering a crowd and breaking Covid-19 regulations outside the Estcourt Correctional Services yesterday, The arrest was effected during a live interview. Political analyst from the Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast....

The police and commissioner, Kehla Sitole, had until midnight to enforce a Constitutional Court order to arrest former president Jacob Zuma. However, shortly before midnight, Jacob Zuma handed himself over to law enforcement. Last week, the Concourt found Zuma guilty of contempt - sentencing him to 15 months in jail for flouting an order to obey summonses and testify at the State Capture Inquiry....

Today - Thursday the 8th of July - is the deadline set by the department of basic education to vaccinate over half a million teachers and other school support staff against the coronavirus. When the vaccination rollout was started 15 days ago, the Department of Basic Education set a target to vaccinate 582 564 teachers and support staff from public and private schools across the country. To help u...

The Constitutional Court judgement sentencing former President Jacob Zuma to 15 months imprinsonment has been met with mixed reaction. The court found Zuma of being in contempt of the constitutional court and disrespecting the rule of law for refusing to obey its directive that he appear before the State Capture Commission. Zuma has 5 days to hand himself over to a correctional facility.

The government of Eswatini has expressed concern about the on-going pro-democracy protests. The kingdom has also dismissed as false reports that King Mswati III has fled the country. It re-assured the nation that the king was in the country and working with government to advance the kingdom's goals. Protesters are demanding electoral reforms. And, schools and government institutions have been clos...

Former ANC Youth League leader and former member of the Nelson Mandela Bay Council in Gqeberha, Andile Lungisa says he will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to grant his predecessor and former president Jacob Zuma a presidential pardon. Lungisa was reacting to the constitutional court judgement which found president Zuma in contempt of court and sentenced him tofifteen months imprison...

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture has heard that Zizi Kodwa, Deputy Minister of State Security and former ANC spokesperson, is a friend of former EOH Executive, Jehan Mackay, from 2013. Kodwa made an appearance before Commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo YESTERDAY. He says he received loans from Mackay at a time when he had financial difficulties.