First Take SA

Residents of Alexandra north of Johannesburg, say they are fed up with lawlessness, illegal land invasions and poor service delivery in the township. They took to the streets YESTERDAY (wednesday) to protest. They say illegal structures are being erected close to the river banks and under electricity pylons posing a danger to communities. They say the illegal buildings also have illegal electricity and water supply connections

Accountability Now director, Advocate Paul Hoffman, is concerned that populating parliament with questionable characters will not advance that which the constitution requires of politicians. Advocate Hoffman spoke to Elvis Presslin about this....

The ANC has referred its entire list of candidates for parliament and the provincial legislatures to its Integrity Commission for review. This emerged at a media briefing in Johannesburg yesterday (Tuesday 2 April ) The governing party has reminded its prospective parliamentarians that representing South Africa and the ANC in parliament and the nine legislatures is an honour not a right. Ntebo Mokobo has more...

The ANC has defended its secretary general Ace Magashule following media reports of his alleged involvement in illegal dealings during his tenure as the Free State premier. The reports are based on a book tiltled " Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule's web of capture" by investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh, which alleges that Magashule was the head of a well-organised state-capture network. The ANC says the book is a ploy to tarnish the name of the party.

South Africa is hosting the 4th Annual Meeting of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) for the first time. The meeting in Cape Town started YESTERDAY (sunday) and will run till Tuesday. The BRICS New Development Bank is tasked with mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

The Africa Solidarity Network says President Cyril Ramaphosa is to blame for fresh attacks on foreign nationals in the KwaZulu Natal province. Meanwhile International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is expected to meet with African ambassadors today following last week's violence against foreign nationals in various parts of Durban.

The South African National Defence Force has rescued 525 people in Beira, Mozambique. The city is grappling with the after-effects of the Cyclone Idai which made landfall over a week ago. Latest estimates have put the death toll in Mozambique at over 450 people. Most survivors have been left in desperate need of help, many on rooftops and trees. Some are digging through rubble to search for victims while others are scrambling for shelter, food and water. Our reporter in Beira, Siphosethu Stuurman has the details....

Workers at the South African Revenue Service (SARS) could embark on a nationwide strike as early as this Thursday. Trade unions National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) are expected to meet with SARS management TODAY (Monday) in an effort to avert the imminent strike action over salary increases. Deputy general manager of the Public Servants Association Tahir Moepa has more...

The Small Business Institute has called on the government to intensify efforts to resolve the rolling power blackouts which are having a crippling effect on small businesses. The organization says smaller firms are more vulnerable as they do not have alternative sources of energy during load shedding. For more on this spokesperson for the Small Business Institute, John Dludlu speaks to Elvis Presslin...

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) says motorists should not ignore summons issued by SANRAL for the non-payment of E-Tolls. Earlier this week, the Electronic Toll Collection, acting on behalf of SANRAL had warned defaulting toll users not to ignore summons to settle their accounts as this may lead to them being blacklisted. The Credit Bureau Association has however dismissed this saying the current legislation excludes the levying and collection of e-tolls from the provisions of the National Credit Act