First Take SA

President Jacob Zuma's son has described allegations of state capture by the Gupta family as part of an ongoing campaign to tarnish his father's image. Edward Zuma has questioned the timing of the allegations by ANC members that they were offered cabinet positions by the family on condition that they implemented government policies that benefitted their businesses. He has also defended his brother Duduzane's business ties with the family and says the familly is fully behind him. The young Zuma says they are business men in their own right. He says the probe into state capture by capital should be broadened.

The ANC has denied reports that President Jacob Zuma offered to resign following mounting claims of political interference by the the Gupta family. The Mail & Guardian and Sowetan newspapers are reporting that Zuma offered to stand down at a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee last weekend. The NEC endorsed Zuma's leadership, but said it would meet the Guptas to discuss alleged state capture.

A victory for democracy. This is how the two largest opposition parties, the DA and EFF have lauded today's Constitutional Court ruling. The Court has struck down as unconstitutional section 11 of the Powers and Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act (Act). The ruling means the Speaker of Parliament will no longer be able to direct the arrest or use of the police to eject members of parliament from debates. The ruling upholds the finding of the Cape Town High Court in an application brought by the Democratic Alliance in May last year against the Speaker and parliament. The Constitutional Court has ruled that while parliament is empowered to manage its affairs, the use of the police and threat of arrest of members limit MPs rights of immunity against arrest and prvilege protecting free speech entrenched in the constitution

The Public Protector has been approached to investigate the alleged influence of the Gupta family in the state. The Dominican Order, a group of Catholic priests and brothers in Southern Africa have requested the Public Protector to investigate allegations that the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mcebisi Jonas, and a former Member of Parliament, Vytjie Mentor, were offered cabinet positions by members of the Gupta family in exchange for favourable executive decisions and beneficial business interests. This comes as the ANC NEC is due to meet to discuss what has been termed state capture.

The issue of the Guptas' alleged influence on government, especially cabinet appointments, is set to dominate the ANC's National Executive Committee meeting starting in Irene outside Pretoria today. The business family's influence is reported to be causing divisions within the ruling party. There've been allegations that the Guptasy offered senior ANC members cabinet posts and pressured ministers on key policy decisions to suit their business ventures.

Deputy finance minister, Mcebisi Jonas has confirmed to the SABC that he was offered finance minister post by the Gupta family. The family had previously denied that they made the offer to Jonas on condition that he clears the way for the much mooted nuclear deal. It was first reported that the job was offered to Jonas just weeks before finance minister Nhlanhla Nene was fired. Jonas says he rejected the position

Deputy finance minsiter Mcebisi Jonas has confirmed to the SABC that he was offered finance minister post. And he rejected it out hand.

Government says it may take the Supreme Court of Appeals ruling on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to the Constitutional court. It was reacting to the SCA's dismissal of government's appeal against the Pretoria High Court ruling that al-Bashir should have been arrested when he attended the African Union (AU) Summit in Johannesburg in June last year. The SCA ruled that government as a signatory to the Rome Statute, was obliged to arrest Al-Bashir and hand him over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague and that it had acted unlawfully by allowing him to leave the country

he executive director of the International Bar Association Mark Ellis supports the decision by South Africa's supreme court helps to uphold the principal of universal jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. The supreme court said the South African government should have handed over ICC indicted Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir when he attended an African Union summit in Johannesburg last June - the governement says he had diplomatic immunity and are considering challenging the ruling in the constitutional court. Mark Ellis says all countries signed up the the ICC have the responsibility to hand over wanted war criminals including heads of state. The International Criminal Court was set up over 10 years ago to fight impunity at the highest level and is undergoing a process of requesting an explanation from South Africa about why they didn't arrest president Al-Bashir.

The South African filmic scene will add another classic to its repertoire of great cinematic productions with the nationwide release of Safe Bet on 11 March. The film which stars Wandile Molebatsi, Luthuli Dlamini, Godfrey Thobejane and features surprise guest appearances from the likes of David Kau and Metro FM's top DJ, T-Bo Touch.