First Take SA

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has granted Eskom a total tariff increase of 13,8% for the 2019/20 financial year. Nersa officials made the announcement during a media briefing at Regulator's headquarters in Pretoria. Cash strapped power monoploy Eskom had requested a 15 percent increment. NERSA's decision follows Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's announcement in his budget speech that debt laden Eskom would be allocated 23 billion rand a year for each of the next three years

Neighbors and relatives of a family in Durban are still reeling in shock after a man allegedly shot dead his wife and their three children before turning the gun on himself. Police say the motive of the killing is not known. In another incident, three pupils were killed and a fourth critically injured after they were allegedly knocked over by a mini bus taxi on their way to school in KwaMashu, north of Durban

The latest election poll by the South African Institute of Race Relations puts the ANC at 55 percent of the national vote while the DA stands at 22 percent and the EFF at 12 percent. The poll shows that the ruling party has suffered a decline of 1.3 percent from the previous poll conducted in December. The DA has meanwhile improved by over three percent while the EFF has gained the largest growth percentage of almost six percent.

The Pinetown magistrates court west of Durban has granted Kwaito star Mandla Maphumulo, popularly known as Mampintsha, two thousand rand bail. He briefly appeared in court facing a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. This after his girlfriend Bongekile Simelane or Babes Wodumo released a video on Instagram, that shows a man believed to be Maphumulo hitting Simelane in a bedroom.

The Gauteng Health department says it has made some progress in tracing missing Life Esidimeni mental healthcare patients. Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa says in the past two weeks five more patients have been traced bringing the number of those still unaccounted for to sixteen.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride has filed an urgent review application in the High Court in Pretoria to have his contract extended. This after parliament's police committee on police decision that McBride's contract as the head of the Ipid, should not be renewed. The committee had set aside this week to determine whether they agree with the Police Minister, Bheki Cele's decision not to renew the contract. McBride took Cele to court - saying the decision on his contract must be taken by the portfolio committee.

Cries for better services by thousands of jobless young people within the Amahlathi Municipality in the Eastern Cape have finally been heard. The municipality has been placed under provincial administration following months of violent protests which led to the torching of municipal buildings and a clinic. Officials within the municipality are accused of providing jobs in exchange of sexual favours, nepotism, fraud and corruption. The municipality, based in Stutterheim is situated along the N6 connecting East London and Johannesburg.

India and Pakistan are on the brink of a major confrontation after Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian fighter jets in response to the bombing of alleged "terror" targets inside Pakistan. The incursion across the ceasefire line that divides Kashmir came after New Delhi threatened retaliation over the 14 February suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian troops.Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to negotiate an end to the current crisis.

Parliament's Communications Portfolio Committee has resolved to put on hold the shortlisting of candidates who were going to be interviewed to fill vacancies at the board of the SABC. This follows a heated discussion about whether or not to dissolve the current board as it does not form a quorum. The current board assumed office in 2017 but only four members are remaining, the other eight resigned. The committee has now decided to conduct exit interviews with the board members that resigned, raising concerns about when the cash-strapped public broadcaster will fill these vacancies.

Four people have now been arrested and one taken in for questioning in connection with the killing of a 28-year-old man in Polokwane. A video of the alleged killing surfaced on social media over the weekend. In the video a leaner from Capricorn High school is seen in his school uniform bragging about the brutal murder.