First Take SA

The high usage of consultants and lack of Chartered Accountants has been pointed as some of the issues that contributed to Limpopo province being one of the worst three financially run municipalities in the AG's report.

EFF Leader Julius Malema has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to come clean about the allegations of money laundering which Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is reportedly investigating. Malema was taking part in a debate on the state of the nation address which President Ramaphosa delivered last week. Meanwhile, political analyst Ralph Mathekga says Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's decisions to probe Ramaphosa campaign donations will fuel calls for an inquiry into her fitness to hold office and she is in the path of a perfect storm brewing in Parliament

Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan says Denel employees will receive their full salaries. He was speaking in the National Assembly during the debate on the State of the Nation Address. Earlier reports indicated that the arms manufacturer notified its employees that they would receive 85 percent of their salaries yesterday ( Tuesday) and the balance will be paid in a week's time. Gordhan says a good samaritan came to the rescue of Denel. However the Liberated Metalworkers Union of South Africa (LIMUSA) is concerned with the ongoing crisis in Denel.

COSATU says it expects President Cyril Ramaphosa to show bold leadership and take decisive actions to deal with the challenges that South Africa is facing. Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address today. The labour federation says the president needs to act speedily to execute policies to save the ailing economy. Cosatu's Parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks speaks to us about what they are hoping for....

Today (Thursday) is World Refugee Day. Aid organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says there are now over 70 million people forced out of their homes around the world-more than at any time in modern history. The organisation says these are people who have fled extreme danger including relentless bombing, gang violence and other life-threatening circumstances. Liesbeth Schockaert, Southern Africa co-ordinator of migration at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) gives us more....

The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools has called for a CODESA type of forum in decisively dealing with social ills plaguing our school. Its CEO, Paul Colditz...

The North Gauteng high court has ordered Gupta-linked consultancy Firm Trillian to repay almost 600 million rands to power utility Eskom. Executive Director at Corruption Watch, David Lewis gives us his reaction...

The Alexandra Shutdown Committee says it is going ahead with its total shutdown of the township today. This, following Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba's promise to rebuild illegal structures which were demolished in the township earlier this month. The committee has indicated that it is against the City of Johannesburg's decision. The mushrooming of illegal dwellings in Alexandra, sparked what has become known as the Total Shutdown Movement. Organiser of the Alex Shutdown Committee Sandile Mavundla elaborates.....

In his testimony yesterday at the Zondo Commission, former NPA boss Mxolisi Nxasana, said he was forced out of his job in 2015. Nxasana told the commission he had recordings of former head of NPA Nomgcobo Jiba running a campaign to dig-up dirt on him to get him removed from office. However Jiba's lawyer expressed concern about evidence being heard at the commission that she had not seen and not in the public domain.

Former president, Kgalema montlanthe, together with former speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Frene Ginwala will form part of an independent team which will probe whether ANC members were involved in the setting up of smaller parties ahead of the 2019 general election. The decision to establish the team was taken by the ANC's National Working Committee on Monday after allegations that the party's Secretary General, Ace Magashule was involved in the formation of the African Transformation Movement (ATM)