First Take SA

The Western Cape has registered its first positive test for the Covid-19 virus in Cape Town. The patient, a man aged 36, is currently in self-isolation, after presenting himself to a private hospital.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the South African team travelling to Wuhan as heroes who carry the pride and hope of the nation. The president together Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mhkize and Miniister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula bid their goodbyes and well wishes to the team who will repatriate 121 South Africans from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the Corona Virus. The mission is a first of it's kind undertaken by the South African government.

One of the country's biggest mobile network operator, Vodacom has agreed to reduce its data prices by 30 per cent across all channels from the first of April this year. The move follows a scathing report published by the Competition Commission, which found that data prices in South Africa were too high and uncompetitive. Vodacom says the reduction will result in savings of over 2-point-7-billon-rand for customers.

The High Court in Pretoria has set aside the Public Protector's CR17 report, declaring it invalid and unlawful. The case was brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa, for a judicial review. Ramaphosa was challenging the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's report into the funding of his 2017 ANC presidential election campaign. The court found that Mkhwebane was reckless and exceeded her lawful limits by rushing to make adverse findings against the President on baseless evidence.

The Higher Education and Training Department is to investigate management of institutions of higher learning, student leadership and security companies for possible collusion in destabilising universities to procure more security services. That's according to Higher Educadtion Minister Blade Nzimande. Nzimande provided feedback on problems engulfing the Zululand University that has been ridden with student protests in the last two weeks.

Market analysts say the sharp decline in the oil price presents both challenges and opportunities for South Africa. Brent crude fell over 30 percent , after Saudi Arabia slashed prices amid rising Coronavirus concerns. Independent Analyst Liston Meintjes says lower oil price will help to reduce transport costs. But has warned that plunging oil prices are also having a negative impact on some local stocks.

The Limpopo Health Department has allayed fears of possible Coronavirus infections in the province. This follows reports that 16 Capricorn TVET college students, who returned from a two-year internship programme in China, had not been thoroughly tested for Covid-19. They were part of 29 interns from TVET colleges around the country, who returned last Friday from a Construction SETA internship.

South Africa has confirmed its third COVID-19 Coronavirus case. All three patients travelled as a group of 10 to Italy. Nine from the group returned to the country on March 1st. This latest patient is confirmed to be the wife of the country's first confirmed case, the Hilton man from KwaZulu-Natal. The second patient, a thirty-nine year old Gauteng woman, is being treated at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. Provincial health authorities say they are adding more beds to isolation units in Pietermaritzburg and Durban should the need arise.

MEC for Community Safety in Gauteng, Faith Mazibuko has given law enforcement agencies in Elsburg, on Gauteng's East Rand, seven days to compile a report on the issue of drugs in the area. This as community members say they're fed up with the use of drugs in their area and are demanding action. Residents say they have had continuous meetings dating up to three months ago with police but nothing has changed. They've accused the police of working with drug dealers in the area and have called for the removal of the station commander.

It still remains unclear whether the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, PRASA, has made arrangements to pay off its debt of approximately 114 Million rands to the City of Cape Town. This after Rail Agency was given a deadline of this past weekend to pay up or face disconnection of services by today. Last month thousands of commuters were left stranded in Cape Town after Eskom cut electricity supply to Prasa's train operations due to an unpaid electricity bill. The Mother City has maintained that it will cut off services to PRASA's offices and facilities while awaiting arrangements of payment