First Take SA

The stage is set for government to lock horns with public sector unions over wages. This as the new round of public sector wage negotiations is scheduled to begin today.

National student body -- SASCO and the EFF Student Command -- have threatened to shut down all institutions of higher learning TODAY (Monday). This is part of the student's ongoing protest to demand free education and for students to be allowed to register for the 2021 academic year even if they have historical debt. Tshepo Phagane spoke to Karabo Damane -- a Wits student -- who was not allowed to register because of the historical debt she owes the university.

The family of Mthokozisi Ntumba, the innocent by-stander fatally shot by police during the Wits university student protest in Braamfontein on Wednesday - says his death has left them shocked and devastated. The 35-year-old was hit by rubber bullets as he left a clinic in Braamfontein. Police minister Bheki Cele visited Ntumba's family in Kempton Park YESTERDAY. He's described the police action that led to the man's death as inexcusable.

Government has announced an additional funding for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to address the funding shortfall for the 2021 academic year. Wits University students went on the rampage this week, protesting against what they call financial exclusion of poor students. They have also threatened to shut down all campuses until their demands are met. Police clashed with students and shot rubber bullets leaving one person dead. Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande says they have agreed to prioritise funding for all deserving first year students.

Another seven people arrested for the alleged looting and collapse of the VBS Mutual Bank will appear in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court in Gauteng TODAY (friday 12 March). They're facing combined 188 counts which include theft, corruption, money laundering and racketeering or organised crime.

Political parties have angrily reacted to the ongoing students protest at Wits University, where a bystander was killed YESTERDAY. Students have engaged in a protracted action accusing government of failing to fund fees for poor first year students for the 2021 academic year. Earlier government said the National Student Financial Aids Scheme is unable to finalise funding for new university students as the scheme is facing a funding shortfall for 2021. But students have vowed to shutdown campuses on Thursday, if government doesn't respond to their demands.

A protest by Wits University students in Johannesburg over financial exclusion due to outstanding fees, YESTERDAY claimed the life of a 35-year-old man. He was shot dead, allegedly by police just after he walked out of a clinic in Braamfontein. Eyewitnesses say police shot the man despite him showing them proof that he was not part of the protest, and had just gone to the doctor. Police watchdog IPID has dispatched investigators to the scene.

The situation remains tense in Mashishing formerly Lydenburg in Mpumalanga, as residents continue with their violent protest action. Since the beginning of the protest last week, residents have burnt a recreational centre, a SAPS contact point and a municipal building. They are calling on the municipality not to cut power for residents who fail to settle electricity bills. The municipality is also accused of failing to provide residents with adequate clean drinking water.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has put forward the close coordination of African countries in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic as an example of multilateral best practice in dealing with the challenges facing the world today. He was speaking in an informal virtual United Nations Leaders Networking session to take stock of the global challenges that confront the multilateral system while setting out priorities for the future. Ramaphosa warned that COVID-19 was a major challenge for multilateralism and that the truest measure of success would be how the international collective rises to it.

The South African economy shrank by 7 per cent last year, the biggest decline in 75 years. This comes as hard lockdown measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic took their toll on various industries. New figures released by Statistics South Africa show all major sectors recorded declines for the full year.