First Take SA

It is still unclear how the self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, left the country. Members of Parliament's Home Affairs Committee called Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, to account. But Motsoaledi could not provide any more information than what is already in the public domain. The couple have violated their bail conditions and have fled to Malawi. They are charged with theft, fraud and money laundering involving over 100-million rand. Their bail has since been revoked and a warrant of arrest issued.

SABC Group Executive for News Phathiswa Magopeni says she will stop issuing retrenchment letters to her staff. She also committed to retracting letters already received by some workers. This after newsroom staff demanded a meeting with top management to address the retrenchment process. BUT...unions representing workers at the SABC have described the partial withdrawal of retrenchment letters by SABC News Group Executive, Phathiswa Magopeni, as a temporary victory. The unions have instead called for the removal of both the SABC management together with it's board. A Friday blackout has also NOT been ruled out.

The State Capture Commission yesterday heard arguments about what constitutes bias. The Commission was hearing the recusal application brought by former President Jacob Zuma against Deputy Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo. In his application, Zuma has claimed that he and Zondo are friends - a claim rejected by Zondo. Zuma has also claimed that he would not recieve a fair hearing given Zondo's statements and conduct with regards to earlier witnesses.

The Commission for the promotion and protection of the rights on Culture, Religion and Linguistic Communitities- the CRL has heard that some church leaders go to West Africa to get initiated in order to get supernatural powers. Apostle Makhado Ramabulana has told the Commission siting in Johannesburg, that he also did this and has now turned his back on the secret society that he was a part of. He has written two books exposing what he calls the occult. Ramabulana has given testimony during hearings on the Rivers of Living Waters Church, and it's leader Archbishop Stephen Zondo. He was called in to explain a number of practices and phenomena that form part of allegations against Zondo.

Supporters of ANC secretary-general, Ace Magashule, have vowed to stand by him. Magashule is among eight people and five companies that face multiple charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering which relates to the multimillion rand asbestos roofing audit contract. He's currently out on 200-thousand rand bail. Magashule's stay as Free State ANC chairperson and premier was not without controversy.

The Enlightened Christian Gathering church leader, Sheperd Bushiri has instructed his lawyers to urgently interdict the Pretoria Magistrates' Court from revoking his 200-thousand rand bail. Bushiri and his wife, Mary have contravened their bail condtitions, following their unlawful departure from SA. The couple was recently granted 200-thousand bail each in a theft, fraud and money laundering case. Among their bail conditions the couple had to hand in their passports and not leave the country. They were also expected to report to a police station on Mondays and Fridays.

Political parties have reacted with shock to the news that self-proclaimed prophet Shepard Bushiri has absconded from South Africa to his homeland Malawi. On Saturday, the country woke up to news that Bushiri and his wife Mary had left the country thereby contravening their bail conditions. The couple was recently granted bail of R200 000 by the Pretoria Magistrate court and stand accused with three other people on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to R102 million.

The country's official unemployment rate - which is a measure of active job seekers - has risen to a record high of 30.8 percent. The expanded definition of unemployment - which includes discouraged job seekers - has increased by 1 percent to 43 percent. This is one the highest unemployment rates in the world. Stats SA released the jobs numbers yesterday.

Tensions are simmering ahead of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule's court appearance this morning. Opposition parties and some concerned ANC members have welcomed Magashule's arrest. But Magashule's staunch supporters say his court case is politically-motivated. Magashule is to appear before the n the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court.

The issue of corruption featured strongly during the virtual oral questions to President Cyril Ramaphosa in the National Assembly yesterday. Some of the political parties accused him of not doing enough to deal with members of his own party implicated in corruption or wrong doing, while others felt that he's diverting from the commitments he made of rooting out corruption.