First Take SA

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

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says IntelliMali managers need to get to the bottom of a blunder that resulted in a NSFAS student receiving 14 million rand. The Walter Sisulu student went on a frivolous spending spree, spending more than 800-thousand rand of the amount. Nzimande says he has commissioned an investigation into the matter and wants IntelliMali to deal with the employees responsible for the grave error. Elvis Presslin spoke to Minister Blade Nzimande.

Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has ordered Eskom to sign the independent power producer (IPP) power purchase agreements (PPAs) by the end of October. Eskom refused to sign the agreements in 2016 because it said it had an over supply of electricity and would be paying for more electricity it did not need. Elvis Presslin spoke to Deputy Minister of Energy Thembi Majola...

As Highway Africa conference wraps up, one of the issues that have become topical in SA, the emergence of "black Twitter" was on the spotlight. In one of the plenary sessions this morning, Dr Shepherd Mpofu from the University of Johannesburg made a presentation titled, Jesus Comes to South Africa: Black Twitter and Politics. Black twitter is widely considered a community of users that tweet about issues that concern black people. It is at times in a coded language only they can relate to. Black twitter showcases cultural knowledge and insider access. Elvis Presslin spoke to Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg, Dr Shepherd Mpofu..

Kenya's Supreme Court has ordered the a re-run of presidential poll. The court found that the electoral board committed irregularities and illegalities during last month's presidential vote harming the integrity of the election that handed President Uhuru Kenyatta a second five-year term. Elvis Presslin spoke to our East Africa Correspondent, Sarah Kimani...