First Take SA

United States will reimpose oil sanctions on Iran removed under the 2015 nuclear deal with effect from today (Monday). Iranians chanted ''death to America'' and burned the American flag yesterday (Sunday), as the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy coincided with the eve of reimposed sanctions. South Africa has strong trade relations with both countries, with the US being South Africa's third biggest trading partner. US threat threat extends to other nations trading with Iran should they not follow suit. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Chief Economist of the Efficient Group Dawie Roodt

TALKING POINTS
*** Rwanda has launched the first Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) in Africa, opening doors for small businesses in continent to take part in cross-border electronic
*** Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioners to hire independent forensic experts to look into the missing biometric voter registration kit
*** In Zimbabwe the price of bread is set to marginally rise to $1,40. Last week, bakers had proposed to increase the price of bread to $2,20 from $1,10 due to unsustainable operational costs

President Cyril Ramaphosa says part of the reasons for the immediate termination of the appointment of SARS Commissioner, Tom Moyane is his refusal to meaningfully participate in the Nugent Commission in order to assist with identifying the root causes of the systemic failures at the SARS. Ramaphosa says he accepts the recommendation of the chair of the commission, retired judge Robert Nugent, to axe Moyane. Moyane had made representations to challenge the recommendations of the commission but Ramaphosa says he believes Moyane failed to entirely to deal with the substantive issues the report raised. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to CEO of the South African Institute for Tax professionals, Professor Keith Engels

The ANC in Gauteng will today lead what they are calling a 'People's March' to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest against e-tolls, corruption, fuel hikes and VAT increases. The march will be joined by alliance partners COSATU, SACP and SANCO, civic society organisations as well as members of the public. The protest comes after finance minister Tito Mboweni‚ in his first medium-term budget policy statement last week emphasised that motorists needed to pay for tolls. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson, Tasneem Motara

Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, resigned as both mayor and a member of the DA, YESTERDAY (wednesday 31 October). De Lille is expected to announce her next career move in two weeks' time. Speculation was rife that she would defy an agreement reached with the party two months ago to step down as mayor. She signed her resignation letter on the steps of the Cape Town High Court and two more DA councilors also publicly resigned in support. Meanwhile, DA mayor-elect for Cape Town, Dan Plato, will be sworn in as a councillor today. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to DA Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela and author and political analyst, Sanusha Naidoo

The Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has recommended that President Cyril Ramaphosa take disciplinary action against Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba. This after Mkhwebane found that Gigaba had violated the Constitution and the Executive Ethics code by lying under oath when he said he had not approved a private air terminal for the Oppenheimer family in early 2016. Gigaba was afforded an opportunity to respond to the allegation, but he failed to do so. DA Member of Parliament, John Steenhuisen, had lodged the complaint. Mkhwebane has given Ramaphosa 20 days in which to act against Gigaba. Meanwhile minister Malusi Gigaba has confirmed that he has received the Public Protector's report and says he is studying it. In a short statement released last night Gigaba says he will advise on the next course of action. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to director at Accountability Now, Advocate Paul Hoffman

Over the last few weeks, the Angolan government has expelled over 300,000 Congolese citizens from the country. 50,000 people are currently stranded at Kamako Border Post in Kasai Region of the Democractic Republic of Congo without the means to return home. Many of them are now getting assistance from the Red Cross. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Tendayi Sengwe, Communication Manager for Southern Africa at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

TALKING POINT

*** Kenya Airways completes first Nairobi-New York direct flight

*** Tanzanian farmers stormed a meeting intending to find a solution to the stalemate over raw cashew nut prices

*** The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), which is owned by the Indian state, plans to invest up to 800 million US dollars in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in northern Mozambique

The SABC says it will approach the Labour Court to have irregular appointments and promotions declared invalid as first identified in the 2014 Public Protector's report. The public broadcaster says it has a legal obligation, in terms of the Constitution, to correct all these irregular appointments of certain employees, some of them no longer employed by the public broadcaster. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Communication Workers Union secretary general Aubrey Tshabalala

The Competition Commission has referred beef processing companies I&J and Karan Beef to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution for collusive conduct. The two companies have been charged with dividing markets in the supply of processed beef products such as beef burger patties, steak sizzlers, crumbed beef steaklet, viennas and boerewors. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Makgale Mohlala, Head of Cartels Division at the Competition Commission