First Take SA

One person has been arrested following a violent protest outside the Senekal magistrate's court on Tuesday (6 October). A group of farmers went on the rampage after two men appeared briefly in court in connection with the alleged murder of farm manager Brendin Horner last week. The police were overpowered by the group which stormed the building hours after the case was postponed.

Eighteen year old South African Climate Justice Activist Ayakha Melithafa says no one is going to survive climate change is actions is not taken now. Melithafa is one of the speakers who will participate in the 10th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture today. Today also marks the 89th Birthday of Tutu.

Court proceedings at the Senekal Magistrate's Court in the Free State were yesterday disrupted by angry farmers, who overturned and burnt a police vehicle. The group also stormed the court building and damaged some property. The farmers were baying for the blood of two suspects -- who appeared in court in connection with the murder of farm manager -- Brandon Horner

Former Independent Consultant at Eskom, Nicholas Linnell revealed that he was appointed by former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni to head an inquiry into challenges facing Eskom which also included loadshedding. Linnell says on the 8th of March 2015 Myeni invited him to former President Jacob Zuma's official residence in Durban to discuss the details of the investigation into Eskom's affairs. Linnell says Myeni was acting on Zuma's instructions who wanted an inquiry to be conducted at Eskom. Linnell was testifying at the state capture commission of inquiry.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has lauded the recent work done by different law enforcement agencies. Recently the Hawks embarked on a countrywide swoop arresting some of those involved in corruption including senior ANC members. Those arrested include among others former ANC MP Vincent Smith and former Mangaung Executive Mayor Olly Mlamleli as well as several business people. Speaking at the end of the virtual ANC Lekgotla last night, Ramaphosa said they will do everything to rid the country of crime and corruption.

ActionSA has announced that it will contest the local government elections in all parts of the country, next year. This is after the party had initially said it will only focus on Gauteng - in the hope of winning the Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Johannesburg Metro Municipalities. Party leader, Herman Mashaba, says the appointment of John Moodey as Gauteng Leader, Doctor Makhosi Khosa as KZN Leader, and Vytjie Mentor as Provincial Chairperson in the Western Cape - means the party is growing across South Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday launched one of the biggest residential infrastructure projects in the country's history. The 33-billion-rand Mooikloof Mega Residential City project in Pretoria will provide affordable housing through the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy programme that the Human Settlements Department has initiated. The project, one of 62 similar projects to be undertaken, is also projected to revive the economy due to the impact of the Coronavirus.

Free State residents have expressed their anger over the poor conditions they are living in after the provincial government spent 25- million rand on an asbestos roof audit project that did not benefit them. Last week, seven people accused of fraud, corruption and money laundering appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court after the Hawks arrested them in the Free State, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. They are facing charges relating to the multi-million rand asbestos housing project that dates back to 2014. Residents of Dark City in Bloemfontein say they are relieved the wheels of justice are turning for those who involved in the scandal.

Former ANC MP Vincent Smith will be back in court again in a fortnight, after he was granted 30-thousand rand bail in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court yesterday. He will be facing fraud and corruption charges emanating from his relations with executives of African Global Operations formerly BOSASA. At the heart of his charge sheet is an amount of over 600-thousand rand which was paid into his company, Euro-Blitz, and other benefits from now defunct BOSASA.

Public sector unions will today announce how they plan to tackle their wage impasse with the government. Government refuses to increase salaries of civil servants by seven per cent this year, in line with a three-year public sector wage agreement, signed in 2018.