First Take SA

The Chairperson of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) will tomorrow update the media on the preliminary findings of the RSR's investigations into the cause of this morning's train crash in Germiston on the East Rand. More than 226 passengers were injured after a train failed to stop and hit a stationary at the Geldenhuys train station. The injured have been transported to various hospitals. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Metrorail spokesperson, Lillian Mofokeng..

Parents who send their children to the country's private schools, find themselves paying exorbitant amounts for school uniforms each year. This has prompted the Competition Commission to launch a year-long investigation into what it calls anti-competitive behaviour in the school uniform industry. Thabile Mbhele compiled this report

The uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association, MKMVA, says the ANC's newly-elected national executive committee must be given the opportunity to deal with growing calls for former party president, Jacob Zuma to resign. Addressing members of the media in Johannesburg, MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe has also called upon party members to desist from calls for Zuma to step down. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Kebby Maphatsoe

A letter written almost 30 years ago and attributed to one of six young girls, who disappeared without a trace in 1988 and 1989, could be a fake one. Anne-Mari Wapenaar and her friend Odette Boucher were kidnapped on the 22nd of September 1989. Their disappearance was later linked to the now deceased pedophile, Gert van Rooyen and his girlfriend Joey Haarhoff. The Afrikaans TV current affairs show Fokus has had the letter analysed and it appears Anne-Mari did not write the note. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Executive Producer, Alet van Rensburg Wright, who has this report

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa - PRASA says it's yet to account for four of the 19 deceased commuters in the deadly Free State train crash. PRASA today has held meetings with families of the deceased. Nineteen people were killed and over 200 others injured when a Shosholoza Meyl train travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg collided with a truck before bursting into flames between Kroonstad and Henneman in the Free State. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to PRASA spokesperson Sipho Sithole

The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) would like to warn all the CCMA users about a scam going around aimed at defrauding people of their money. CCMA Users are advised that there is a person targeting CCMA Users under the guise of helping them get their default awards, the same person is also targeting applicants for Commissioner positions requesting payment to be included in scheduled Commissioner interviews. In both instances, the targeted people are requested to pay a certain amount of money into an account. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Nersan Govender who is the General Manager of Information management at CCMA

Patricia De Lille has submitted reasons to the DA as to why she should not resign as Cape Town Mayor. De Lille was given a deadline until the end of Friday to make submissions. This follows her suspension from DA activities late last year, after a sub-committee of the party's federal executive found sufficient concerns about the management and governance of the city. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our reporter in Cape Town, Joseph Mosia

Some concerns have been raised following Eskom's reinstatement of two of its senior executives. According to a letter from the power utility's CEO Shaun Maritz, a disciplinary process has cleared Matshela Koko and Prish Govender of any wrongdoing. Koko will resume his position as Eskom head of generation, while Govender has been reinstated as head of group capital. Allegations against Koko related to him awarding contracts to a company linked to his step daughter. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Eskom Spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe

Messages of condolences are pouring in for National Poet Laureate and liberation struggle giant Professor Keorapetse Kgosietsile. The 80 year old Kgosietsile passed away earlier today in Johannesburg after a long illness. He is the former husband of Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete with whom he had three children. As an influential ANC cadre in the 1960's, he went into exile in the United States where he made an extensive study of African-American literature and culture. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to South African Poet Lebo Mashile

The Economic Freedom Front (EFF) has reiterated their call for academically deserving students to walk in at any university or college of their choice to apply for places. The call follows President Jacob Zuma's announcement of free university education. The EFF has also condemn statements by the Universities of South Africa, which announces that there will be no walk-ins allowed at universities. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to EFF National Spokesperson, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi