First Take SA

Efforts are underway to save the Cango Caves - in Oudtshoorn, in the Western Cape. This national treasure in the Klein Karoo suffered huge financial losses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Oudtshoorn Municipality is in the process of developing an economic recovery plan to try and save the caves.

COSATU says it's strongly opposed to another hard lock down to curb the spread of the Covid- 19 pandemic in the country. This as talk of a third wave of Covid infections is gaining momentum following the rapid increase in new positive cases recently.

Two senior police officers have been arrested in the Vaal in Gauteng on charges of human trafficking. Hawks spokesperson, Ndivhuwo Mulamu says a police brigadier and captain were arrested YESTERDAY. The two policemen were nabbed after a woman escaped from a brothel and reported the pair to the police. Mulamu says the lawmen allegedly knew the woman was being held against her will at a brothel. The...

Violence in Gaza and Israel shows no sign of abating amid continued rocket fire and air strikes. Dozens of people have so far died in the conflict. The Israeli army is believed to have put forward plans for a possible ground offensive in Gaza, which needs to be approved by army chiefs and various levels of government before any operation begins. This has been described as worst violence since 2014...

The United Nations Security Council has again failed to reach agreement in response to the escalating conflict between Israelis and Palestinians that has now left dozens dead and hundreds injured. It was the Council's second emergency session on the same issue in three days. Israel has targeted sites belonging to armed groups and Hamas-controlled security and police buildings in the Gaza strip aft...

Inspector General of Intelligence, Setlhomamaru Dintwe, has painted a picture of intelligence services ravaged by corruption, nepotism and lack of accountability. Dintwe - whose office is mandated to conduct oversight over civilian state security, crime and defence intelligence, was testifying at the State Capture Commission for a second time on Wednesday.

The number of new Covid-19 cases is increasing at an alarming rate in Emfuleni on the Vaal. Health experts are worried the cases numbers approaching the third-wave threshold. Non-adherence to Covid-19 safety protocols, family and religious gatherings are some of the reasons for the spike.

Metrobus commuters are still urged to find alternate modes of transport as employees forge ahead with their strike action. All three Metrobus terminals in Johannesburg are still closed as a result of deadlocked salary negotiations. Workers are demanding an 18-percent salary increase

The ANC has given its suspended secretary general, Ace Magashule, 48 hours to publically apologize for the suspension letter he sent to ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, last week. Deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte says there's no legal basis for that, but the party hopes to hear from Magashule this week. She was briefing the media at the party headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg YES...

Violent clashes over the status of Jerusalem escalated dramatically over the last 24 hours with Hamas-fired rockets from Gaza into Israel and retaliatory airstrikes leading to international calls for the violence to stop. At the United Nations in New York, the Secretary General urged maximum restraint while the US called for the violence to cease and for parties to take proactive steps to calm the...

Consumers are finding it hard to get by due to the high cost of goods and services. The price of food and other essentials has gone up with taxi fares also expected to increase from next month. A survey has found that the cost of living among South Africans has significantly increased -- especially since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last month, the 350 Rand social relief grant came to an...

The ANC NEC meeting has ordered its suspended Secretary General Ace Magashule to apologise publicly to President Cyril Ramaphosa, for slapping him with a suspension letter. This is one of the resolutions taken at the end of the governing party's three day Special NEC meeting which ended YESTERDAY.

AmaZulu Traditional Prime Minister, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi has confirmed that King Misuzulu kaZwelithini ascended the throne amid support from the royal family. There was commotion on Friday night at the KwaKhangelamankengane palace at Nongoma, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, after a will of the late Regent Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu's will was read.

The ANC Special NEC meeting enters its third and final day with mounting calls for NEC members to go on a retreat or to hold a special conference in a bid to find ways to save the party from imploding. For the first time in over 100 years, the governing party is holding its NEC meeting with its Secretary General suspended. And as if this is not enough, its Secretary Ace Magashule was kicked out of...

Commuters in Johannesburg have once again been urged to make alternative transport arrangements. This as Metrobus drivers affiliated to the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Demawusa) resume their strike action this morning. The union continues to be at loggerheads with Metrobus over a number of grievances including wage disparities.

The ANC is TODAY expected to conclude what has been described as a watershed National Executive Committee meeting this past weekend. The meeting was preceeded by the suspension of Secretary General, Ace Magashule who had earlier counter-suspended party President, Cyril Ramaphosa, a move since declared null and void. Once again, the virtual NEC meeting saw audio leaks surfacing while Magashule is r...

The crucial Eskom wage negotiations are teetering on the brink of collapse. The talks have been suspended after unions walked out. The unions are insisting that Eskom Chief Executive Officer Andre De Ruyter must come and address them. Eskom, on the other hand, is resisting the move saying the CEO is not part of the company's negotiating team

Battle lines have been drawn in the ANC as rival party factions gear up for the fiercest fight in years over the contentiuos step-aside resolution. Ace Magashule's suspension is in line with the party's step aside resolution which states that office bearers facing criminal charges step aside or be suspended. The ANC KZN Provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, says the party's decision to push Magash...

Twelve Republican lawmakers have written to US President Joe Biden urging him not to support a proposal by South Africa and India to temporarily waive from intellectual property rules amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The two BRICS countries with the support of more than 90 others have since October last year sought to lead negotiations at the World Trade Organisation to waive certain IP rights in or...

Some supporters of the suspended Secretary General of the ANC, Ace Magashule, have described the move to push him aside as unfortunate. The South African National Civic Organisation-SANCO in the Free State province, says this is just a temporary setback that is going to be challenged in a court of law. The ANC's National Working Committee YESTERDAY officially temporarily suspended Magashule's memb...

Transnet National Ports Authority has confirmed that fourteen Filipino crew members onboard a ship at the Durban harbour have tested positive for Covid-19. The vessel - Eaubonne - arrived from India on Sunday. This comes on the heels of concerns of another traveller from India entering South Africa, testing positive for the virus. The case has sparked concerns about the possible spread of the B.1....

Thousands of impoverished households throughout South Africa face a bleak future. The R350 Covid-19 relief grant will not be paid out from the end of May. The demand for the grant remains huge, people continued to queue to apply for it last month. For many it was their only source of income. Nkululeko Nyembezi paid a visit to the Soweto informal settlement in Mthatha to find how resident plan to m...

Deputy Finance Minister, David Masondo says one way to tackle problems such as corruption and maladministration is for parliamentarians to vigorously hold the Executive to account. Masonda was keynote speaker at a workshop hosted by the National Council of Provinces, titled "Accountability in Public Expenditure Through Effective Parliamentary Oversight". He says Parliament can improve its processe...

It remains unclear if whether an ANC member that voluntarily steps aside from a party position may also need to vacate their position as party deployee in government. This as the ruling party has reaffirmed that all its members facing serious criminal charges should voluntarily step aside or face being suspended from the party. The ANC is set to hold a special NEC meeting this coming weekend in or...

The ANC has concluded its much anticipated National Working Committee meeting. The meeting of the NWC, responsible for the day-to-day running of the governing party, was called among others to consider reports from provinces of the names of members who are affected by the step-aside resolution. The NWC will compile a consolidated report that now been sent to the NEC which is expected to hold its r...