First Take SA

Only 204 MPs voted in favor of the Constitution 18th Amendment Bill.  The DA, EFF, GOOD, COPE, FF-PLUS, ACDP and IFP all voted against it.  The Bill seeks to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to make provision for land expropriation where compensation may be nil. Nkanyiso Gumede, a researcher at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the University of the Western Cape tells us how best to move forward with the land debate

The National Assembly has failed to pass the Constitution 18th Amendment as it could not achieve the two-thirds majority of 267 votes. Only 204 MPs voted in favor of the Bill. Head of Land and Legal at AgriSA, Annelize Crosby gives us her opinion of the outcome

The community of Ermelo in Mpumalanga says it is in shock after police arrested a 50-year-old woman for allegedly kidnapping a newborn baby girl, and raising her as her own for two decades. Police say the girl, who is now in her third year of tertiary studies, was born to a 16-year-old mother and stolen by the now 50-year-old, on the day that the mother and child were discharged from the Ermelo Provincial Hospital in 2001. The story has a striking resemblance to that of another woman who made headlines after it was discovered that she had been kidnapped as a newborn baby and raised by her kidnapper, Lavona Solomon, for nearly two decades. Lavon was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for her crime. Kidnap victim, who now goes by the name, Miché Solomon tells us what she went through.

In his address to the nation last Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the government is looking into making vaccines mandatory for certain activities. This comes as several universities and companies have announced mandatory vaccination for staff and students. Africa's largest wireless carrier, the MTN Group went a step further YESTERDAY when it announced that it is prepared to fire employees who don't comply with its mandatory vaccine policy unless they qualify for exemption. We discuss mandatory vaccines with labour organization, South African Federation of Trade Unions General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi 

Business rights group, Sakeliga, says it is opposed to mandatory Covid-19 vaccine policies, saying several organisations are against so-called social monitoring systems. Africa's largest wireless carrier, the MTN Group went a step further yesterday announced that it is prepared to fire employees who don't comply with its mandatory vaccine policy unless they qualify for an exemption. National Employers Association of SA CEO, Gerhard Papenfus explains why they are against mandatory vaccinations

Iconic award winning South African poet, author, wordsmith, journalist, public speaker, anti-apartheid activist, peace crusader and raconteur Dr. Donato Francisco Mattera, better known as Bra "Don" Mattera has been hospitalized at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The Don Mattera Legacy Foundation has called on South Africans to keep Don and his family in their prayers. Don's son and Deputy Chair of The Don Mattera Legacy Foundation Dr Teddy Mattera gives us an update...

Victor Kgomoesoana, author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back" gives us this Tuesday edition of Africa's top economic stories

The 12 truck drivers arrested on the N3 toll route near Van Reenen's Pass after blocking the major highway on Friday will appear in the Ladysmith Magistrate's Court in KwaZulu Natal. According to police, the drivers blocked the freeway and stopped other drivers forcing them to park their vehicles on the road and confiscating their keys. The important travel and trade route was only re-opened on Saturday. For the latest on the security situation on the N3 highway, here is KZN police spokesperson, Brig. Jay Naicker confirming the arrests

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy says calls for a change in the country's fuel pricing system are premature. This comes as motorists were up on arms this week following a hike in the price of fuel at midnight on Tuesday which initially placed petrol at over R20 per litre. In a statement, the department argued that the current pricing system had passed through the lower crude oil price impacts in the middle of the pandemic last year, adding that the system is highly predictable and ensures security of fuel supply countrywide. For a look at how the fuel pricing system works and what impact a change would have on the price of the commodity, Chief Economist at the Effecient Group, Dawie Roodt

The African Transformation Movement says it welcomes the decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal for the new speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to have a fresh look on the decision to use a secret ballot in the vote of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The ATM approached the SCA after the Western Cape High Court ruled in favour of then Speaker Thandi Modise's decision to decline their request for a secret ballot. ATM had tabled a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa alleging that the political environment under Ramaphosa's  watch had become too toxic. ATM president, Vuyolwethu Zungula