First Take SA

The KhoiSan6 protest at the UNION BUILDING which was initiated by the KhoeSan Walkers from Port Elizabeth, has lost all moral direction and is now effectively leaderless and should be closed down immidiately. This is according to a leading KhoiSan Activist who says that the protest has sadly now become a cause for negative divisions, that it is no longer educating South Africa about the plight of the KhoiSan. The KhoiSan4 group made the arduous 1 200km trek to Pretoria from the Eastern Cape last year and have been camped outside the Union Buildings since November 30, 2018.Some of the groups demands included language, land and identity

African Global Operations, formerly known as Bosasa, has urged the public and the media to give Gavin Watson's family space and time to grieve after the politically-connected businessman's death. In a brief statement to the media, AGO confirmed the death of their Chief Executive, Gavin Watson. He died yesterday morning when his car hit a concrete barrier on the R21 at the entrance to OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg.

Four people have been killed in a cooking oil tank explosion in Roodekop, Germiston, on Gauteng's East Rand. Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesperson, William Ntladi says they responded to the incident, which happened afternoon, after reports of a blaze at the factory.

The leaked CR17 bank statements will once again come under the spotlight when President Cyril Ramaphosa appears before the National Assembly later today. This is the first time Ramaphosa will have to face oral questions in parliament since the details of the campaign funding became public. EFF leader Julius Malema is set to ask the president about details of people in the Office of the President and the Cabinet who were involved in his party fundraising campaign. DA Leader Mmusi Maimane has also written to speaker Thandi Modise requesting her to add a question over the alleged payments by the president to some cabinet members for their role in the campaign. Communications consultant Chris Vick has weighed in on the matter saying the presidency seems to be losing the public relations battle, as those with access to the bank statements consistently define the public narrative

Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba has hit back at ANC chairperson in the region, Geoff Makhubo, labelling him as one of the most corrupt public servants in the region. Mashaba will today face a motion of no confidence brought by the ANC but he maintains that this is a smoke-screen to prevent him from revealing evidence of alleged corruption that amounts to almost 34 Billion rands within the City of Johannesburg. Mashaba will need the support of the EFF in order to survive the motion but the ANC claims to have garnered enough votes to unseat him

GOOD party leader Patricia de Lille has welcomed Pretoria High Court judgement which set aside the findings of the Seriti Commission into the arms deal. Judge President Dunstan Mlambo found that the commission failed to probe certain pieces of crucial evidence. De Lille who blew the whistle on the controversial arms deal 20 years ago, says the ruling is important as it demonstrates that no one is above the law

SABC Board Chairperson, Bongumusa Makhathini, says the public broadcaster is preparing court papers, and will not comment further on the SIU Report until the papers have been lodged in court. The board says it will support the application by the Special Investigating Unit to have the contract between the public broadcaster and Mafoko Security Patrols reviewed and set aside. In a report released yesterday (Sunday -18/08/2019) the SIU found serious irregularities in the procurement and awarding of the 185-million rand tender by former members of the SABC's Interim board in 2017. Hannes Du Buisson, president of the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) weighs in on this....

DA leader Mmusi Maimane is threatening to go to court to halt the processing of the National Health Insurance Bill in Parliament. The Bill was tabled in Parliament last week and it has now been referred to the Health Portfolio Committee.

New mayors for eThekwini and uMsunduzi municipalities as well as other ANC political office bearers will be announced within seven days. This follows a decision by the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal to overhaul its entire political leadership in the two municipalities. Among those axed are embattled eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and Themba Njilo - mayor of KwaZulu-Natal's capital city, uMsunduzi. The ANC has attributed the decision to recall its members in the two municipal executive committees to poor performance, lack of accountability and declining service delivery.

Police Minister, Bheki Cele, together with International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr. Naledi Pandor, have urged people to stop confusing the fight against crime with xenophobia. This after more than 600 foreign nationals were arrested during police raids in the Johannesburg CBD - some, allegedly, for selling counterfeit goods.