First Take SA

The Labour Court in Johannesburg has made a precedent-setting ruling which will affect officials in public institutions. The court has ruled that the SABC, its former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and former News Executive Simon Tebele must each pay a portion of the SABC 8's legal costs for their wrongful dismissal. The costs are estimated at 3 million Rand. Unions Solidarity and Bemawu say the judgement will dissuade managers from abusing state resources. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Chaiperson of the The Save Our SABC Coalition, Thandi Smith.

The Limpopo provincial government's spokesperson, Phuti Seloba, says the decision to have some areas of Vuwani serviced by the Vhembe District Municipality and other provincial departments is not aimed at disempowering the new LIM345 Local Municipality, but at improving service delivery in the area. Residents of Vuwani have been protesting against the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to incorporate some parts of Vuwani into the newly-established municipality. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Limpopo MEC for cooperative governance Makoma Makhurupetja

Police in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro say they suspect that the killing of an ANC local official is related to tenders. Thando Xakaxa, the party's deputy branch chairperson for Ward 25 in Zwide in Port Elizabeth, was shot dead last night. Police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu says it's alleged the 41 year old was gunned down inside the yard of his home while returning from a prayer meeting. Tsepiso spoke to the ANC's Regional Spokesperson, Gift Ngqondi and Ongama Mtimka, a political analyst at Nelson Mandela University.

The ANC in the Ethekwini Region in a statement says they have noted with grave concern reports that there is a circulating video of body guards allegedly assigned to oversee security detail involving its Regional Secretary Bheki Ntuli. The party in the province, says it will study the video, if proven to be true and authentic, strong action must be taken. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC KZN provincial Spokesperson, Mdumiseni Ntuli.

A number of babies are born with deformities as a result of radiation exposure, caused by excessive levels of quartz-rich inhalable dust . This according to the Benchmarks Foundation report titled Policy Gap 12 - Soweto Report: "Waiting to Inhale .The study has also makes critical findings with regard to the health of households who live in the communities of Riverlea, Diepkloof, Meadowlands and Snakepark in Soweto. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Lead Researcher at Bench Marks Foundation David Van Wyk...

Seven people have been wounded, two of them critically, following a shooting outside a block of flats in Braamfontein in the Johannesburg CBD. Details around the shooting are not yet clear, but authorities are investigating. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Police Spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubele..

A Johannesburg based news agency has become the latest to be fingered in the GuptaLeaks saga. According to the Citizen newspaper, the Centre for African Journalists is alleged to have sent an email to the Guptas, offering to do news articles countering the local negative media reports aimed at tarnishing the family's name and their business. The email indicates that the Gupta family is being unfairly reported to portray them negatively. This comes at the back of British based PR firm Bell Bottinger being found to have contravened the ethics code of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) in the work it did for the Gupta family. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Editor-in-Chief Mr Savious-Parker Kwinika and Prof Franz Kruger Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Wits University

South African editorial cartoonists will deliberate on the challenges they face, opportunities and the purpose of their art during a convention in Cape Town this coming weekend. The event will also be open to the public and the media at large. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to cartoonist and organizer of the event, John Curtis

Former SABC acting CEO Jimmy Matthews was responsible for the sacking of eight journalists in July 2016. This is according to Former SABC COO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng's legal representative Thabani Masuku. Masuku argued in the Labour Court in Johannesburg today that his client should not be held be personally liable for the wrongful dismissal of eight journalists. Masuku made reference to the SABC's former acting group executive for News and Current Affairs‚ Simon Tebele's affidavit that the journalists were fired under Matthew's directive. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our reporter Angela Bolowana

There are unconfirmed reports that Lesotho's army commander has been killed in a gunfight with two rival military officers who also died. It is reported that Defense Minister Sentje Lebona confirmed the death this morning. Witnesses say the gunfight happened after the two officers forced their way into Motsomotso's office at a military barracks. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our reporter in Lesotho, Rapelang Hadebe