First Take SA

The ANC Women's League wants the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha, not to apply the general parole regulations to Oscar Pistorius, citing the sensitivity of the case. About 300 members of the ANC Women's League, from across the country, marched to the offices of the minister in Pretoria and handed over a memorandum to a representative of the minister. Aphiwe Honono speaks to commuters on their thoughts on the issue

Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya is to be dismissed. Three weeks ago a departmental hearing found him guilty of misconduct for his role in the arrest and rendition of a group of Zimbabwean murder suspects in 2010. However, he had denied the allegations saying he was targeted for leading the investigation and arrest of former crime intelligence head, Richard Mdluli. The Hawks national head, Anwar Dramat was given a golden hand shake to leave his post. Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi says it is believed his lawyers have informed him about his immediate dismissal.

The Go George bus service is expected to resume operations this afternoon on selected routes around George in the Southern Cape. Services were temporarily suspended on Wednesday, following widespread violence, which saw several Go George buses set alight. One person has been arrested after taxi owners tried to prevent a police roadblock at the entrance of Thembalethu earlier today.

The South African Council of Churches has just hosted a media briefing to air their views on the recent spates of church related incidents, in which church members were made to eat grass, drink petrol and eat human hair, snakes and mice. Meanwhile, a nationwide investigation has been launched into the commercialisation of religion, as well as the mushrooming of charismatic churches. The investigation has been initiated by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic communities. This follows various religious practices that have raised eyebrows in the country.

The Albinism Society of South Africa, ASSA, has expressed outrage over the brutal killing of a 20-year old albino woman in Kwazulu-Natal. Thandazile Mpunzi's body was found in a shallow grave on Sunday after she was reported missing by her family early this month. A preacher and a traditional healer are amongst the four men charged for Mpunzi's murder. The community refuses to allow her body to be buried in the village until the rest of her body is found. The burial was supposed to take place this weekend.

The NGOs Sonke Gender Justice, the TAC and Section 27 say they are confident that the South Gauteng High Court will accept their application to be friends of the court in the class action against the entire mining industry. The lawsuit pertains to the mine workers who are suffering from silicosis and tubercolosis as a result of working in the mines.

As a wise man once said, “Existing customers are a goldmine to your business.” This is the reason why Manneko Nkabinde from Gauteng felt disappointed when, after four years of loyalty to Altech Autopage, they wouldn’t resolve a query she had.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has defended its action of issuing some of its senior managers notices of suspension. The managers held a press conference yesterday calling for among others the reinstatement of former CEO Lucky Montana. The employees also protested outside Prasa's offices in Pretoria - claiming the company is in chaos since Montana's dismissal.

It seems there is no legal justification for the Justice and Correctional Services minister, Michael Masutha, to postpone the release of Oscar Pistorius on correctional supervision. Masutha indicated he will get legal opinion after the Progressive Women's Movement of South Africa handed a petition to him asking him to postpone Pistorius' release until the end of August, which is women's month. Pistorius served a tenth of his five year sentence for culpable homicide. The rest will be served under correctional supervision. Pistorius was jailed for shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp in 2013

At least 14 people have been killed in an accident involving a minibus taxi and a train at Shakaskraal near KwaDukuza on the Kwazulu-Natal north coast. It's believed that the taxi lost control and veered off the R102 onto the adjacent railway line, where it was hit by a moving train. EMRS spokesperson Robert Mackenzie says police are investigating