First Take SA

South Africa will hold it's sixth national and provincial elections on the 8th of May 2019. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement LAST NIGHT while was addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Cape Town, his second State of the Nation Address. He says he has consulted with the IEC and all premiers of provinces about the selected date of the elections. President Ramaphosa however reminded all eligible South Africans who have not yet registered as voters that they still have until the proclamation of the election date to register.

The historic Khoi-San 6 Leadership Conference held in Pretoria last week to support the list of demands that the Khoi-San handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2017 was hailed a success. The National Conference unanimously reiterated support for the KS6 that are still peacefully protesting at the Union Buildings as an expression of the Khoi-San people. The focus off the conference was to strategies on the way forward regarding Unity, Self-governance and Leadership.

It's almost a year since Cyril Ramaphosa replaced Jacob Zuma as the country's president. TONIGHT Ramaphosa will deliver his second State Of the Nation Address. He is expected to outline his achievements in the past year as well as his plans for the coming year. Some have argued that the president is facing a difficult path forward with the economy in turbulence.

Former Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has launched the manifesto of her new party -- GOOD -- in Cape Town. She described Good as a plan to fix South Africa. De Lille told a media briefing that her party will tackle the issue of racism to realise the dream of a united country. She also says the party will have a zero tolerance approach to racism, gender discrimination, corruption and poverty

Labour federation COSATU has demanded that the State of the Nation Address to be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament tomorrow (Thursday) includes interventions needed to restructure the economy. Cosatu was briefing the media yesterday (Tuesday) on the outcomes of its Central Executive Committee meeting. It has also come out against a proposal by a task team appointed by Ramaphosa to split up Eskom into three different entities.

TODAY (tuesday) marks three years since three mine workers were trapped at Lily Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga. Yvonne Mnisi, Pretty Nkambule and Solomon Nyirenda were on duty in a container used as a lamp room on the morning of February 5th 2016 when the ground below them suddenly collapsed, trapping 75 other mine workers. All were rescued except for the three. Attempts to rescue them were not successful as rescue operations were deemed too dangerous due to unstable rockfalls. The families of the three mine workers say they will not rest until they get some form of closure

Preparations for the official opening of parliament are at an advanced stage as both the SANDF and the South African Police Service will undertake their rehearsals TODAY* and tomorrow. The National Assembly maintains that the only agenda item on Thursday will be the State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Several roads in the Cape Town CDB will continue to be temporarily closed leading to Thursday with the bulk of closures taking place from 6 am on Thursday morning until midnight. National Council of Provinces chairperson, Thandi Modise says there is no Question and Answer session scheduled on the day.

The Congress of the People is expected to lay charges of hate speech against the Black First Land First. The party has also indicated that it will lay a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission. This after the BLF spokesperson, Lindsay Maasdorp tweeted that the deaths of four school children who were killed when a walkway collapsed at the Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijlpark should be celebrated. The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and other political parties have also condemned Maasdorp's sentiments.

International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has instructed the department to approach diplomatic representatives of five countries following their direct correspondence with the Presidency. The US, UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, through their embassies, wrote to the Presidency warning South Africa to act against corruption.

Former Bosasa COO - Angelo Agrizzi - has admitted to being a racist during his testimony before the State Capture Inquiry. This emerged after a recording was played at the Zondo Commission in which he can be heard making racist remarks and using the 'k-word'. Agrizzi also conceded that he lied when he said he was never granted an opportunity to respond by the Sunday Times before it published an article about him.