First Take SA

The National Treasury has confirmed the resignation of the department's Deputy Director General, Michael Sachs. The department of Finance Spokesperson, Mayihlome Tshwete says Sachs had expressed an interest to move to other areas of government to continue serving the public in a different role. He is reported to have quit over the Presidency's alleged interference in the budget process. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Finance ministry spokesperson, Mayiholme Tshwete

President Jacob Zuma has finally released the Fees Commission report. The report recommends that South Africa increase spending on tertiary education - especially for poor students. The report says South Africa should hike spending on higher education to one per cent of GDP. However it says the country cannot at this stage afford the cost of such an increase. The report was first released to Zuma in August and he has been heavily criticized for not releasing its contents until now. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to presidential spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga and to the president of the South African Union of Students (SAUS), Avela Mjajubana

The parents of a fourteen month-old baby who was mauled to death by two dogs in Malmesbury, say they are still trying to come to terms with her death. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Chairperson of Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa, Shannon McKay

Time now for our weekly edition of TRENDSWATCH where we take a look at news that dominated social media this week. Our producer Molebogeng Sebidi has more

Two Emergency Medical Services crew members who came under attack from robbers on the N2 this week while transporting a seven-year-old boy to the Red Cross Children's Hospital, have recalled the traumatic night. They relived the ordeal at a press conference by the Western Cape Departments of Health and Community Safety where a plan was announced how to improve the safety of emergency workers. There has been 66 attacks on ambulance crews this year. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Western Cape Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo

As part of events to mark SADC Malaria Day, Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi together with a team of Health Ministers from other member states have conducted anti-malaria spraying missions at Giyani in Limpopo. The ministers were on site carrying canisters containing anti-malaria chemicals at Thomo village. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi

The State Security Agency (SSA) has laid charges against veteran journalist Jacques Pauw for contravening certain sections of the State Security Act. The charges stem from the publication of Pauw's book "the President's Keepers which alleges that millions of rands of tax payers' money flowed into the bank accounts of bogus spies among other revelations about government and dirty tricks in SA's law-enforcement agencies. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi and Professor James Grant‚ of the Wits University school of law.

A huge new leak of financial documents has revealed how the powerful and ultra-wealthy, including Britain Queen Elizabeth's private estate, secretly invest vast amounts of cash in offshore tax havens - based in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. US President, Donald Trump's commerce secretary - Wilbur Ross - is shown to have a stake in a firm dealing with Russians sanctioned by the US. The leak, dubbed the Paradise Papers, contains 13 million documents, mostly from one leading firm in offshore finance. Elvis Preslin spoke to Micah Reddy - Is an Investigative Journalist at the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has fired Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa, after Mugabe and his wife Grace repeatedly denounced him over the weekend. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our SABC foreign Desk Editor, Sophie Mokoena

The ANC in the Eastern Cape is confident that the party would be united in the province before the highly anticipated party's National Elective Conference in December. The newly elected Provincial Executive Committee met with its alliance partners and Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Executive Committee in Port Elizabeth. The aim of the meeting is to strengthen relations within party's structures. The provincial leadership is currently being challenged in a court by members supporting former Chairperson Phumulo Masualle following a chaotic provincial elective conference last month in East London. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC National Spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa.