First Take SA

Non- governmental organisations, Black Sash and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies have welcomed the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng to prosecute ANC Women's League President and former Social Development minister, Bathabile Dlamini for perjury. The charges relate to her testimony during an inquiry into the social grant crisis by the Constitutional Court in 2018. The organisations say this sends the message that everyone is equal before the law and public officials must be held accountable for their actions. For more on this we are joined on the line by attorney at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Anesu Dera

The Unemployed People's Movement has described the latest unemployment figures as the next ticking time bomb following the COVID-19 pandemic. This follows the announcement by Stats SA which reveals that the number of employed persons decreased by 54-thousand people in the second quarter of 2021 while the number of unemployed people further increased by 584-thousand people to a total of 7.8 million people compared to the first quarter of the same year. The official unemployment rate therefore now stands at a record high of 34.4 percent while the expanded definition of unemployment sits at 44.4 percent of the working population. Representative of the Unemployed People's Movement, Ayanda Kota says COVID-19 has simply exposed the government's failures with regards to unemployment in the country...

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has promised to do away with cadre-deployment during his term in office. Delivering his inaugural speech in Lusaka as the republic's seventh President - he promised an effective executive and a service-driven government. Zambia is a highly indebted country, with high unemployment and high inflation rates. Hichilema's campaign was centered around running an administration on meritocracy and rescuing the fledgling economy. Thousands filled the Heroes Stadium for the inauguration ceremony including heads of states and opposition leaders from Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Noma Bolani compiled a report and we spoke to a founding member of the African Diaspora Forum and Zambian activist, Rhoda Msama.....

The IEC has closed the door on political parties and independent candidates after an extended 9 pm deadline to submit their payments and nominations for the upcoming Local Government Elections. This is despite the fact that it still remains unclear when the elections will be held as the promulgated date of October the 27th is being considered for postponement at the Constitutional Court. The IEC is seeking to move the elections following recommendations of an inquiry which suggested that because of the Covid 19 pandemic, the elections be held before February next year, in order to ensure that they are free, fair, and credible. IEC's Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo...

DA's mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis has promised to bring better service delivery to each and every resident of the City despite their geographical location. Hill-Lewis was announced by party leader, John Steenhuisen as the Mayoral candidate for the Mother City,  set to replace current mayor Dan Plato. His ascension as mayoral candidate was also bolstered by the resignation of former DA leader in the Western Cape, Bonginkosi Madikizela, who left following a scandal over his qualifications.  Geordin Hill-Lewis gives us further details...

Victor Kgomoesoana, Director at "Africa Is Open For Business" who has also authored a new book "Africa Bounces Back", looks at this week's top African economic stories......

* MALAWI: Israeli Company in Malawi for Possible Industrial Hemp Investment

* NIGERIA: Freight Forwarders Say Terminal Operators Lack Capacity, Efficiency 

* KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Records an Increase in Visitor Arrivals in June 

For the first time in the history of South Africa, independent candidates will be able to stand for election. Political parties and independent candidates had until last night to register for the local government elections. To date, more than 350 independent candidates have either captured their nominations or submitted nominations. Organisation, One South Africa Movement, has been supporting and equipping independents in wards and municipalities throughout the country. To find out how the registration process went for independent candidates leader of One South Arica Movement,  Mmusi Maimane elaborates....

A Johannesburg health worker is expected to appear before the Booysens Magistrate's Court for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to travelers for five hundred rands. The suspect, based at the Parkhurst Clinic in Johannesburg, was arrested over the weekend following a week-long sting operation that was led by the Group Forensic and Investigative Services within the Johannesburg Metro Police Department. It's alleged the suspect sold fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to people wishing to travel abroad without conducting the actual test nor taking blood samples. Spokesperson of the JMPD's Group Forensic and Investigation Services, Lucky Sindane....

A 25-year-old male suspect is expected to appear before the East London Regional Magistrate's Court following the gruesome murder of 23-year-old Law student at the University of Fort Hare, Nosicelo Mtebeni. Mtebeni's murder has sent shockwaves across the country as her dismembered body was discovered inside a suitcase and plastic bags on the streets of Quigney in East London on Thursday last week. A church service was held at her hometown of Matitiele yesterday (Sunday) ahead of a visit by her family to the crime scene and place of residence. An online petition advocating for no bail for the suspect has meanwhile been gaining momentum as messages of support continue to stream in for her family and friends. Convenor of the movement #NotInMyName, Roger Fama says they will also march to court in support of the call for no bail for the suspect...

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has confirmed that law enforcement agencies are on high alert following unconfirmed reports of a national shutdown today ( Monday 23rd Aug). The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change at the University of Cape Town has studied social media campaigns geared to misinform. They say they are again seeing calls for a shutdown and for violence from a sophisticated network of Twitter accounts promoting the ideas of radical economic transformation. Meanwhile, the SACP has distanced itself from the use of its logo. SACP KZN secretary, Themba Mthembu says the use of the logo has been done so illegally....