First Take SA

Most will remember Ricardo Groenewald for his smash-hit, 'I love you Daddy' but many, will remember him for not only influencing his immediate community but a whole generation. The 43-year old succumbed to stage four lymphatic cancer midweek at Cape Town's Tygerberg hospital. The childhood star of the 1980's became a house hold name with his unique voice and moves on the stage. He also shared the stage with the likes of Stevie Wonder performing the song, Children of the World. On this week's OPEN MIC, our producer Asanda Ntame with the assistance of our reporter in Cape Town, Berenice Moss compiled this tribute for one of the country's icons.

Some of Pikitup's striking workers have returned to work with at least one depot fully operational again. However, striking workers are still blockading the company's landfill sites. Pikitup managing director Amanda Nair says armed security personnel is on its way to the landfill sites to make them accessible again.

While the National carrier SAA finds itself in yet another financial debacle, its leadership remains confident that all will be well. Treasury has warned SAA that the decision to restructure a previous deal with Airbus could result in financial instability. The SAA board argues that the restructured lease will save SAA money and reduce the currency risk. Despite the impasse, the board chairperson Dudu Myeni says the national carrier is in good hands.…

Striking members of trade union NEHAWU have left the Parliamentary precinct after riot police entered it. This as chief whips of political parties were earlier locked in a meeting to seek the way forward on how the National Assembly proceedings should continue. Striking members of trade union NEHAWU occupied the public gallery of the chamber. This is the second time that the union members are striking over bonuses after negotiations deadlocked. The workers also disrupted committee meetings by chasing parliamentarians out of the meetings.

The Food and Allied Workers Union, FAWU, has joined teachers union SADTU in endorsing Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa for the position of ANC president in 2017. The latest move points to a strong indication that the trade union federation COSATU will throw its weight behind Ramaphosa to succeed Jacob Zuma as the country's Head of State in 2018. The ANC Women's and Youth leagues have declared their support for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to be at the helm of the ruling party in two years time. Speaking on the sidelines of COSATU's national congress in Midrand north of Johannesburg, FAWU's General Secretary Katishi Masemola said they backed Ramaphosa to be the ANC's next President.

When people say a name is bigger than the face, Dj Ganyani believes this could not be more true than when referring to himself. Having been in the music industry for over 20 years, the house DJ says he still comes across people who don't believe him when he introduces himself at DJ Ganyani. Our producer Asanda Ntame caught with him and started by asking him whether he is aware of his footprint in the SADeC region

South African Airways has suspended its chief commercial officer Sylvain Bosc. It is reported that a forensic investigation by ENSafrica into various allegations were received through the Deloittes Tip Offs hotline. The airline says the tip-off allegation had enough substance to suggest that Bosc "doctored the numbers for Abu Dhabi to favour the opening of this route and sold SAA out". The goal was to use this new route as a gateway to the Far East for SAA passengers into China and India, and would operate at a substantial profit, as the current routes into those destinations were causing losses to SAA in excess of 400 million rand per annum.

The investigation into the Paris terror attacks is said to be focusing on a Belgian man of Moroccan decent as the possible master mind. He has been named as Abdelhamid Abaaoud. French authorities have identified two more of the attackers. Sami Amimour is said to have been one of the suicide bombers at the Bataclan concert hall.

Leadership from the trade union, Nehawu, are again locked in a closed meeting with Parliament's management. Last week, staff, affiliated to the trade union started striking over performance bonuses and better working conditions. On Friday, they announced that they are not interested in talking to management anymore, while the institution said it was time for an independent mediator to step in. Earlier today, staff declared that they will only enter into talks with management if the portion of their salaries that were docked, will be reversed. Parliament deduced three days' salaries from the affected staff, after a week-long wildcat strike on the premises.

Police are maintaining a strong presence at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) where three students have been arrested after a building was set alight this morning. Extensive damage at the Res Life building which was gutted as protests over fees continue. Today, a group of students gathered a few meters away while police kept a close watch. Another fire was started with furniture pulled into the flames.