First Take SA

The Public Protector has approached the Constitutional Court seeking for the rescission of its ruling regarding the investigation into President Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential election campaign. Last month the ConCourt dismissed Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane's appeal against a High Court ruling that set aside her report into the CR17 funding campaign. Mkhwebane's dismissed report found that President Ramaphosa deliberately misled parliament about a 500-thousand rand donation from Bosasa Operations which is now known as African Global Operations. The PP's office warns that the dismissal of her appeal has serious implications for the work of her office when it comes to the Executive Code of Ethics. Spokesperson of the Public Protector's office Oupa Segalwe elaborates...

South Africa is this morning on Alert Level 3 of the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions, down from the previous Level 4. President Cyril Ramaphosa last night announced that despite growing infections in Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape provinces the country has passed the peak of new infections. The move to Alert Level 3 means a relaxation on gatherings and alcohol sales as well as the resumption of inter-provincial travel. For more on what this means for future infection rates here is retired epidemiologist Dr Jo Barnes...

The African Transformation Movement has written to the South African Human Rights Commission in KwaZulu-Natal requesting it to institute an inquest into what it calls a 'massacre' of black people in Phoenix by the Indian Community. This follows the massive lootings and destruction of property last week in both KwaZulu Natal and the Gauteng provinces. The party says vigilante movements cannot be a law onto themselves and all available forms of evidence, including social media videos, tip-offs and sworn affidavits should be used to bring justice to the affected families. ATM saysThe numbers presented are fewer than the figures presented by the ATM which maintains that more people have been killed in Phoenix alone... ATM national spokesperson, Sibusiso Mncwabe...

Former President Jacob Zuma has been granted compassionate leave to attend his brothers funeral in Nkandla today. Michael Zuma passed away a week ago after battling an undisclosed illness for almost seven years. Zuma is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court at the Estcourt Correctional Centre. For the latest on his application, correctional services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo...

Some experts have maintained that reports of people who were presumably healthy who suddenly died after taking the jab are not backed by facts. Some South Africans have taken to social media to express their fears of taking the vaccine, citing such incidents, and stirring vaccine hesitancy. This as the Health Products Regulatory Authority, SAHPRA, reported that 28 people have died after the administration of both the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. The organization however says there is no evidence yet whether the patients died directly as a result of taking the vaccines and studies are currently underway in this regard. We now speak to the convenor of Progressive Health Forum, Dr. Aslam Dasoo