First Take SA

Limpopo police have urged motorists to be vigilant when travelling on the N1 between Polokwane and the Gauteng province. This follows reports of some motorists being attacked on the major highway. Two truck drivers were recently robbed of their personal belongings and assaulted by a group of criminals near the Kranskop tollgate. There have also been reports on social media of sharp objects being placed on the road raising fears of unsafe travel on the highway during the festive season

Power utility ESKOM says its power supply will remain constrained this week and is urging residents and businesses to use electricity sparingly. The utility has also urged consumers to check their planned load shedding schedule. A comprehensive "Stage 1" load shedding schedule was implemented on Sunday.

Sibanye-Stillwater has described the planned strike action for tomorrow* (Wednesday) by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) as unfortunate and irresponsible. AMCU, which represents forty-three percent of the 32-thousand two-hundred employees at the mining company is demanding higher wages following negotiations which started as early as June this year. Sibanye Stillwater has however struck a three-year agreement with other representative unions, namely the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Solidarity and UASA.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan will TODAY take the seat before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at the state capture commission of inquiry in Parktown, Johannesburg. His statement to the commission, which was leaked to the media 2 weeks ago, detailed behind-the-scenes plans to procure nuclear energy, with former President Jacob Zuma insisting the country needed to secure the deal. The commission has also invited former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe to attend TODAY'S proceedings as he will be implicated in some of the testimony.

Former Cape Town mayor, Patricia de Lille is expected to announce the name of her new political party soon. De Lille resigned as the city's executive mayor and from the DA last month, after an 18-month battle with the party.

The Automobile Association has announced that South Africans could expect a huge drop in fuel prices next month. The AA says based on current data, the price of petrol could drop by R1.54 a litre, the price of diesel by 92c and illuminating paraffin by 85c. However, Efficient Group chief ecnomist Dawie Roodt says motorists may not see the full benefits of the price cuts

Nine learners from Dlulukwana Senior Primary School suspected of food poisoning remain in a stable condition at the St Barnabas Hospital in Libode in the Eastern Cape. This after a total of sixty-nine lerners were rushed to the hospital after complaining of stomach cramps which they say started last week Friday. The province's health spokesperson, Lwandile Sicwetsha says some of the learners had also complained of abdominal pains and respiratory distress

Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair Themba Godi says the SABC must resolve its irregular expenditure behaviour and not use it as an excuse to retrench workers. The SABC met with SCOPA yesteraday and committed itself to ensuring that it curbs irregular expenditure. For the financial year under review the Corporation has received a disclaimer from the Auditor General and it says because of this audit opinion banks are reluctant to help it financially.

The Special Investigating Unit - SIU - has managed to set aside a contract which the SABC entered into irregularly with Vision View Production to the value of approximately R52 million. The contract, annulled last Friday, comes hot on the heels of another contract, which the SIU also managed to have set aside in May this year, which had been irregularly entered between SABC and Lornavision (PTY) Ltd to the value of over R62 million. Both cases have been referred to the NPA for possible prosecution

Explosive evidence is expected to be submitted to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture , which will resume in Parktown, Johannesburg this morning. Former and current ministers of Public Enterprises Barbara Hogan and Pravin Gordhan are expected to testify today and Thursday respectively.