First Take SA

A large group of paramedics took part in a demonstration in Philippi on the Cape Flats calling for an end to violent attacks on rescue workers and ambulances in townships. In terms of a memorandum read during a gathering at a local stadium there's been more than 80 attacks on paramedics and ambulances in the Cape Metro this year.

In our Arts and Culture feature today we speak to Bukhosi Nyathi, a young artist whose work speaks about issues affecting humanity such as: child abuse, female hygiene as well celebrating successful women. Nyathi is among other young artists showcasing their artwork at the Dancing with the Devil Exhibition taking place at the Jo Anke Gallery in Bramley; Johannesburg

The managing director of the waste management company PIKITUP of the City of Johannesburg Amanda Nair has been relieved of her duties. Nair says she has no intention of taking legal action against her former employers. She was placed on special leave in July after trade union SAMWU accused her of maladministration.

Highlights of this week's top stories and social media trending topics

Learning at Lawson Brown High School in Port Elizabeth has been disrupted after protesting learners demanded an amendment to the Code of Conduct regarding hair restrictions. Earlier this week, four learners were allegedly told they would not be allowed to write their matric trail examinations if they did not relax and trim their hair in accordance with strict hairstyle policy. Several learners inc...

.Government has finally spoken out over the spat between Eskom and treasury. The power utility has been given orders to comply with treasury's investigation on coal contracts. It now has to submit a 172 page document to treasury on its coal related contracts. Treasury earlier accused Eskom for failing to comply with its investigations of coal contracts particularly those concluded between Eskom an...

A group of student organisations from the University of Pretoria have pledged solidarity with leaners from Pretoria High School for Girls who have allegedly been forced to straighten their hair. Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi earlier met with the school's learners. He will meet with the school's Governing Body at 6 o'clock tonight.

The situation outside the Pretoria High School for Girls is calm but tense as members of various student organizations are picketing outside the school in solidarity with the learners who accused some teachers of racism. The learners claim they are forced to straighten their hair. All gates leading into the premises have been locked and there is a high police presence in and outside the school. Ga...

Former Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils will donate the money he won in his defamation case against the deputy defence minister to the woman who had accused President Jacob Zuma of rape in 2005. The high court in Pretoria has ordered Kebby Maphatsoe to pay Kasrils half a million rand after he labelled him as a traitor and accused him of trumping up the rape charge. Maphatsoe has been ordered t...

The ANC seems to have managed to retain the Ekurhuleni metro on the East Rand with the party's Patricia Khumalo narrowly winning another term as speaker. She defeated the DA's Shadow Shabangu by 117 to 106 votes. All 224 Ekurhuleni councillors will now nominate and vote for a mayor.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says if the members call for the current leadership to step down following its dismal peformance in the local government election it must be ready to do so. Mantashe was speaking to the media after it was relegated to opposition benches for the first time in the rich metros of Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay metro. Mantashe says the party's structu...

Voting for the new mayor of Johannesburg is expected to get underway shortly after the DA's Vasco Da Gama was elected speaker. The DA's Herman Mashaba is widely expected to win that vote. Earlier Da Gama secured 145 votes against 126 for ANC's Constance Bapela. The counting process was delayed following scuffles between an EFF observer and an IEC official.

Coming "FROM ALEX WITH LOVE".On our regular Open Mic slot today we feature South African Hip Hop artist and producer Sean Pages. The Alex born rapper recently dropped his latest album titled From Alex With Love. SAfm Producer Ronald Phiri spoke to Sean about his latest offering....

KwaZulu Natal MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlungwane has met with the stakeholders at Ekucabangeni High School in Nquthu after a video showing a teacher and a learner at the school having sex in one of the cottages. Outraged learners went on the rampage and burnt the cottage where the sexual act allegedly happened. It is also being reported that another learner was inside the cottage when the pupil...

The DA's Athol Trollip has vowed to stop corruption, create jobs and deliver better service delivery in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. He was speaking after being elected mayor of the Metro. It's the first time a member of the ANC has not held the post since 1994. Councillors for the ANC, which suffered heavy defeats in recent local government elections, walked out after Trollip was voted in...

The Democratic Alliance says it has entered into coalition agreements with COPE, the ACDP, FF-Plus, UDM and the IFP. The DA won the most votes in Tshwane and a number of other municipalities without securing an outright majority. The DA and ANC then embarked on coalition talks with a number of parties including the EFF - which had been touted as a possible kingmaker in Tshwane and Joburg. DA leade...

Residents of the Marikana mining town near Rustenburg in North West say little has been done to better living conditions in the area. It is here were exactly four years ago 34 mineworkers were killed during a confrontation with police. Thousands of mineworkers at Lonmin had embarked on an unprotected industrial action, demanding a monthly salary of 12-thousand 500 rand. Ten more people including m...

The latest Amnesty international report suggests that Lonmin platinum mine has failed to deliver adequate housing for its workforce in Marikana, in the North West. Today marks exactly four years since 34 mineworkers were killed by the police in Marikana during a strike where workers were demanding a basic monthly salary of 12-thousand 500 Rand. Ten other people including security guards and police...

Zambia's President Edgar Lungu has defeated his main rival Hakainde Hichilema in the country's presidential election. Zambia's electoral commission says Lungu, leader of the Patriotic Front, won 50.35 percent of the vote against 47.67 per cent for Hichilema of the United Party for National Development. The opposition party has already cried foul. It says it will petition the country's Constitution...

Condolences are continuing to pour in for the late Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile, who passed on earlier today. President Jacob Zuma is the latest to offer words of comfort to the family. He has described Stofile as a distinguished freedom fighter and a servant of the people. Stofile was the current Chancellor of Fort Hare university, where he had studied and lectured. He previously served as a Chief...

The South African National Defence Force - SANDF - will provide logistical support to the police at 650 identified hot spots in the country during Wednesday's municipal elections. This emerged during a media briefing conducted by the security cluster in Vuwani. Vuwani has been identified as one of the hot spots. Residents embarked on a three months long boycott of services that has seen at least t...

The major political parties have gone all out in campaigning for this year's municipal elections. Expenditure by parties on poll campaigns has come under the spotlight after ANC elections head of campaign Nomvula Mokonyane revealed that the ruling party spent R1-billion on its campaign. EFF leader Julius Malema also disclosed that his party spent less than R10-million on its election campaign. Ove...

The Independant Electoral Commission says it's satisfied with the start of the special voting today. IEC Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya, says the vast majority of voting stations opened on time and home visit teams deployed as planned.

The Pro-Makhado Forum says it does not support an agreement signed by community leaders with Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen has signed a peace deal with community leaders in Vuwani Limpopo. Tsepiso Makwetla speaks to the Pro-Makhodo Forum spokesperson Nsovo Sambo.

Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen has signed a peace deal with community leaders in Vuwani. This in the build up to local government elections which will be help on August 3. Some members of Vuwani have voewed that no voting will take place in Vuwani. PM Live anchor Tsepiso Makwetla speaks to Minister van Rooyen.