First Take SA

The SEAexpo is a one-of-a-kind meeting ground for people in the Showbiz, Entertainment and Arts industries. Leading businesses in these industries will have set up stalls around the expo venue where attendees will be able to find them and discuss opportunities for future business. Simultaneously a conference is held each day where industry leaders impart wisdom to attendees with themed conversation focuses

An sms sent by a pupil who died after the North West Secondary School for the Deaf in Leeudoringstad caught fire yesterday, will assist police in establishing the cause of the tragedy. Three learners died on the blaze, while over 50 others were injured. Chairperson for the portfolio committee on education in the provincial legislature, Kelebogile Moiloa believes the sms can prove the cause of the fire.

One in five learners surveyed in Gauteng and Limpopo say they feel pressured by teachers to have sex with them. These are some of the findings of a survey done by NGO Action Aid South Africa. They also found that 55-percent of respondents are sexually active with their partners, 15 percent with older men and 3 percent with their teachers.

SARS Customs officials have confiscated one of the biggest consignments of drugs worth R37.6 million at O.R. International Airport. This happened during an operation last night after a baggage handler's trolley with unclaimed bags was scanned and a detector dog's reaction indicated that there couls be narcotics in the bag. A serach of the bags revealed that there was the drug known as meth in liquid form. Viagra tablets and branded sneakers worth R7.25 million were confiscted during a weekend bust. For more on this we are now joined on the line by SARS Spokesperson Luther Lebelo.

All the eight former policemen accused of the murder of Mozambican taxi driver, Mido Macia in 2013 have been found GUILTY in the High court in Pretoria. Macia died after he was dragged behind a police van two years ago. A footage showing the incident went viral, sparking international outrage. The eight former policemen have maintained their innocence throughout trial. They have been sent to custody. Judge Bert Bam has rejected their version of events, saying their evidence was improbable.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found evidence of widespread maladministration and impropriety in the awarding of tenders worth almost three billion rand at the Passenger Rail Agency. Releasing her report in Pretoria, Madonsela found that 19 of 32 complaints against Prasa were substantiated. She says transactions revealed a culture of systematic failure to comply with Prasa's supply chain management policies. Madonsela says she has found a culture of hiding information at Prasa. The complaints were brought by unions Satawu and the National Transport Movement. Prasa CEO Lucky Montana is under suspension because of alleged tender irregularities. Here is what she had to say with regards to Millions of rands lost by PRASA due to the unlawful suspension of its employees... the renting of premises by Prasa in Braamfontein...

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found evidence of widespread maladministration and impropriety in the awarding of tenders worth almost three billion rand at the Passenger Rail Agency. Releasing her report in Pretoria, Madonsela found that 19 of 32 complaints against Prasa were substantiated. She says transactions revealed a culture of systematic failure to comply with Prasa's supply chain management policies. Madonsela says she has found a culture of hiding information at Prasa. The complaints were brought by unions Satawu and the National Transport Movement. Prasa CEO Lucky Montana is under suspension because of alleged tender irregularities. Here is what she had to say with regards to Millions of rands lost by PRASA due to the unlawful suspension of its employees... the renting of premises by Prasa in Braamfontein...

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found evidence of widespread maladministration and impropriety in the awarding of tenders worth almost three billion rand at the Passenger Rail Agency. Releasing her report in Pretoria, Madonsela found that 19 of 32 complaints against Prasa were substantiated. She says transactions revealed a culture of systematic failure to comply with Prasa's supply chain management policies. Madonsela says she has found a culture of hiding information at Prasa. The complaints were brought by unions Satawu and the National Transport Movement. Prasa CEO Lucky Montana is under suspension because of alleged tender irregularities. Here is what she had to say with regards to Millions of rands lost by PRASA due to the unlawful suspension of its employees... the renting of premises by Prasa in Braamfontein...

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has urged Transport minister Dipuo Peters to take cognisance of damning findings against the Passenger Rail Agency. Madonsela has found evidence of widespread maladministration and impropriety in the awarding of tenders worth almost three billion rand at Prasa. Releasing her report in Pretoria, Madonsela said transactions revealed a culture of systematic failure to comply with supply chain policies. Prasa CEO Lucky Montana, who has since resigned, was painted by Madonsela as corrupt, saying his friends and business associates benefited from the irregular awarding of tenders. She has asked the Prasa board to act against those implicated.

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA, PRASA, has suspendend seven staff members who organised, what it considered , an unauthorised gathering in support of the reinstatement of former CEO Lucky Montana. PRASA's Acting CEO, Nathi Khena says the affected staff members have been peddling a number of untruths which have become matters of public discourse. Khena says they intend to provide the actual facts to try and put an end to such misbehaviours. He says PRASA has about 18 000 staff members of which only 70 participated in the unauthorized gathering.