First Take SA

Kwazulu Natal police say there have been two shootings at the Glebelands hostel at Umlazi, south of Durban. A man has been shot dead near a small shop that he operates near the hostel. This as the recent Moerane commission investigating political kilings in the province heard that there'd been a number of murders at Glebelands and that hitmen were hired from the hostel. In another incident police say a woman was shot last night. Elvis Presslin spoke to KZN, Colonel Thembeka Mbhele...

Mental health spend has increased by more than 80% in the past five years, reaching R2bn in 2016. Discovery Health data shows that depression contributed over 40% of the overall mental health disease burden. Other conditions include anxiety disorder, non-specific neuroses and bipolar mood disorder. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Dr Noluthando Nematswerani Head of the Centre For Clinical Excellence at Discovery Health...

Proposed changes to South Africa's immigration laws may prevent refugees and asylum seekers from living in the country permanently. That is according to the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town. The policies are outlined in a new Green Paper on International Migration, the Refugees Amendment Bill, and the Border Management Authority Bill. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Miranda Madikane, Director of the Scalabrini Centre...

The national carrier, South African Airways, has asked for a ten-billion rand bailout. Finance minister Malusi Gigaba revealed this in a reply to parliamentary questions. He declined to say if the request had been granted. SAA was provided with state funds this month to help it repay loans of more than two billion rand to British bank, Standard Chartered. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the University of Johannesburg's Department of Economics and Econometrics' Associate Professor, Nicholas Ngepah...

The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union, Nehawu, is preparing for a nationwide strike at the National Health Laboratory Service. The looming strike stems from failed wage negotiations between the employer and organised labour. The indefinite strike is set to start on Wednesday (tomorrow). For more on this we are now joined on the line by Nehawu's deputy general secretary, December Mavuso

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says management at the Windsor House Academy in Kempton Park on the East Rand have agreed to suspend their controversial hair policy for three months. This is to allow for a consultative process. Lesufi visited the school today. The MEC says he received numerous complaints. Black pupils were allegedly kicked out of school because their hairstyles were deemed unacceptable by the principal. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Gushwell Brooks, Communications Co-ordinator at the Human Rights Commission and Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) says any patient-related information within the doctor-patient relationship is sacrosanct and must be respected, even after death. SAMA was responding to the book, 'Mandela's Last Years', which details the last days of former president Nelson Mandela. The book was written by former South African National Defence Force Surgeon-General Dr Vejay Ramlakan, who was part of the medical team treating Madiba in the months before his death. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to chairperson of the South African Medical Association Dr Mzukisi Grootboom

The Democratic Alliance says the Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has agreed to investigate former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, for a 30 million rand payout he received from the power utility. The DA requested the investigation after it emerged that the Eskom board approved the payout to Molefe after 18 months as CEO of Eskom. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to spokesperson for the Public Protector Cleopatra Mosana

A Clinical trial has found that a nine-year-old child, who contracted HIV at birth, is showing no symptoms of the disease. The child was given anti-retroviral drugs for the first few months as part of a clinical trial, but has received no treatment since. Researchers believe aggressive treatment soon after infection could enable long-term remission of the disease. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Dr James McIntyre CEO of Anova Health Institute and he is one of the investigators of the study...

Talk radio station 702 has apologised unreservedly for an offensive tweet published on Sunday. The post which has caused uproar on Twitter compares two black children with dogs. The radio station posted pictures of people who took part in its hashtag MTN702Walk on its social media platforms. In one of its tweets they ask who is cuter between dogs and kids. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Professor Puleng Lenka-Bula, who formerly served as the Dean of Students at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and an Associate Professor of Ethics...