First Take SA

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has in the past two years lost almost one-billion rand through train fires, vandalism, public disorder, train collisions and floods. This emerged during a media briefing by Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, to outline some challenges and progress made in turning around the struggling state-owned company.

Mineral Resources and Energy minister Gwede Mantashe says the board of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA) is being replenished to ensure good governance. Mantashe made the comments following the resignation of the parastatal's entire board. NECSA has reportedly been insolvent since 2016 and is asking government for a 500-million-rand bailout.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (saccawu) has expressed deep concern over plans by MASSMART to retrench workers. Saccawu has accused the retail giant of failing to adequately consult with unions on the matter. MASSMART has announced the possible closure of as many as 34 Dion Wired and Masscash stores, which could affect over one thousand 400 employees. Massmart owns...

A 48-year old man has made a brief appearance at the Wynberg Magistrates' Court in Cape Town on charges of kidnapping and murdering 12-year old Michaela Williams. Magistrate Goolam Bawa ruled that the identity of the accused not be revealed until further notice. Michaela was reported missing to the Grassy Park police station last Wednesday. Her body was found the next day.

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture will kick off the year with an application by the commission's legal team for an order authorising a summons for former president Jacob Zuma to appear from the 27th to 31st of January. Commission Chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will TODAY(14/01) hear how Zuma has failed on several occations to appear before the commission as planned due t...

Energy expert, Ted Blom, says government is lacking the political will to fix Eskom's power capacity woes. This follows bouts of loadshedding in the new year - and substation maintenance issues causing power disruptions. Eskom board chairperson, Jabu Mabuza, resigned on Friday after admitting his failure to keep a promise that there will be no load shedding before the 13th of this month. Blom says...

While some Matriculants choose to further their studies at higher education institutions, some will enter the job market. But as job seekers how do they build a distinctive personal brand to distinguish themselves from other job applicants.

Trade union Solidarity has served court papers on South African Airways (SAA) and ministers of Finance and Public Enterprises asking that the airline be placed on business rescue. The trade union says this is essential for SAA for the sake of taxpayers. Its Chief Operations Officer Dirk Hermann says the airline could be heading for liquidation and this would have far-reaching consequences for the...

In the past week there were reports of a 13-year old girl bludgeoning her grandmother to death, a learner stabbing and killing another learner, and a 17-year old caught in the act of raping an eight-year old girl. The rate of sexual violence in South Africa is among the highest in the world -- with rape ranked third -- after murder and housebreaking.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) has called on the Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize together with provincial Health MEC's to swiftly deal with issues of safety and security at health facilities in the country. This is after a patient was shot and killed inside a ward at the Witbank Hospital in Mpumalanga.

Last night, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive council confirmed that fourteen people have died from the heavy rains and natural disasters since OCTOBER. In a statement, the council says about seven hundred and ninety-eight houses were affected across the province. As the province enters day six of extremely inclement weather conditions, the end is not yet in sight, with weather authorities is...

South African Airways has advised its customers to contact its call centre or their travel agents to make alternate flight arrangements - or request a refund. This after the South African Cabin Crew Association and NUMSA announced that their members will embark on industrial action tomorrow morning over a wage dispute. SAA has cancelled all its domestic, regional and international flights schedule...

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter says the office of the Public Protector and SARS -- with an endorsement by the court -- have agreed to hold in abeyance the implementation of the subpoena -- which requested the revenue service to provide Busisiwe Mkhwebane with former president Jacob Zuma's confidential taxpayer information.

The South African Police Service has dismissed weekend reports which claim that the death of former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa was a murder cover up. Meyiwa was shot and killed back in 2014 at the house of Kelly Khumalo's mother in Vooslorus, Ekurhuleni. The Sunday Independent claims that Meyiwa was accidentally shot by one of the people present at the house of the...

The National House of Traditional Leaders has submitted its report to the Limpopo High Court declaring Toni Mphephu-Ramabulana ineligible as head of the Venda Kingdom in Limpopo and proclaiming Princess Masindi Mphephu as the rightful heir to the throne. The House of Traditional Leaders says it is now upto the High Court to decide on the matter.

he Gauteng Health Department is concerned by the high number of unnatural deaths in the province. This as close to five-thousand people have been killed in the 2018/19 financial year through gunshots, being stabbed and through motor vehicle accidents. Assault cases have also resulted in the death of over a thousand people while nine-hundred and seventy committed suicide. Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Ban...

The Black First Land First movement has officially been de-registered as a political party. This after the Electoral Court yesterday rejected the BLF's application to appeal its de-registration. In June, the Independent Electoral Commission ruled in favour of the Freedom Front Plus to have the movement officially scrapped from the list of the country's political parties. The IEC says this was base...

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) says it welcomes Mboweni's announcement that State owned Enterprises will no longer get bailouts, but loans repayable with interest. Outa has also reacted to government's decision to retain the e-tolling system in its current form.

The South African Growth outlook has been revised down by government. It now expects the economy to grow at 0-point-5 percent this year compared to 1-point-5 percent that was predicted in February this year. Growth is projected to slowly pick up to 1-point-7 percent in 2022. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has blamed weaker investment, lower business activity and declining global growth as some of t...

The City of Johannesburg has admitted that they have yet to ascertain what information cyber attackers have gained access to when they hacked their ICT systems. The attack is understood to have breached the city's network and resulted in authorised access to its systems. Those claming responsibility have demanded that the City of Johannesburg pays four bitcoins valued at approximately 500-thousand...

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's 2019 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement will be tabled on tomorrow. The minister is expected to outline government's revenue and expenditure plans for the next two years. The minister is experiencing huge challenges which are mainly political in a slow growing economy. Revenue collection has been very low and economists predict a revenue shortfall as South African...

Newly elected DA parliamentary leader, John Steenhuisen says there still remains hope for change in South Africa through the Democratic Alliance. Steenuhisen was elected unopposed to replace former party leader, Mmusi Maimane after he resigned from the party and all its political positions. Steenhuisen, who had also stepped down as party chief chip following Maimane's resignation says his main pri...

The South African National Editors Forum - SANEF - has implored Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe to reveal the names of the journalists he says he paid to make a story about an alleged relationship with a young woman disappear. In a story carried by Sunday World newspaper YESTRDAY, Mantashe, when contacted by the paper to comment on allegations that he was involved in an affair with a you...

Springboks have booked themselves a place in the finals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. This follows a nail biting win against Wales yesterday. The narrow win by the green and gold sent shockwaves across the country as Bok supporters now look ahead to a clash with England at the weekend. President Cyril Ramaphosa will also be making his way to Japan where he will be hoping to follow in the footsteps...

A number of opposition leaders say they are not surprised at the dramatic developments within the Democratic Alliance. Wednesday (23/10) witnessed the resignations of party leader Mmusi Maimane and Federal Executive Chairperson Athol Trollip. Earlier this week, Herman Mashaba announced his resignation as Johannesburg Mayor and his official exit from the party. While some party leaders believe this...