First Take SA

Two of South Sudan's warring factions have signed a peace agreement in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, hours before the expiry of a deadline for them to do so. Lead mediator Seyoum Mesfin says only the rebels and the SPLM, part of South Sudan's opposition signed the agreement. The government declined to sign, citing reservations to some of the clauses, but said it would sign in the next 15 days. South Sudan's civil war, which began in 2013, is estimated to have cost between 50-thousand and 100-thousand lives, including many civilians.

At least 27 people, including foreigners, are reported to have died after a bomb exploded close to the Erawan shrine in the centre of Thailand's capital, Bangkok. Reports say a second bomb has been found in the area and made safe. The Thai government says the attack was aimed at foreigners due to the Hindu shrine being a popular tourist destination. One of the witnesses, Richard Srikurecha, was near the shrine when the blast happened...

The World Bank's report on South Africa's economy says the country should address its current power crisis and labour relations as a matter of urgency. The report has also warned that South Africa will need to do a lot more to achieve the five percent annual growth envisioned in the National Development Plan. The report recommends that the country train the majority of its unemployed working age population. For more on this we are joined on the line by the author of the World Bank's report on jobs and South Africa's growing working age population, Catriona Purfield.

ESKOM's profits fell from 7.1 billion Rands the previous year to 3.6 billion Rands this financial year. The company says the losses were as a result of debt owed by municipalities, loss of industrial customers and delays in commissioning of the power plants. The utility also plans to borrow 20-billion Rand from the domestic market and international bond markets.

Filling stations in Gauteng will continue to run dry in the next few days, while the rest of the country remains unaffected by the fuel shortage. Fuel Retailers Association CEO Reggie Sibiya says unleaded petrol and diesel are affected. He says over 100 service stations have reported running dry. Sibiya says over and above the planned shutdown at the Engen Refinery in Durban, disruptions have occurred on production at SA Petroleum Refineries, also in Durban, leading to product shortages via pipeline. Sibiya says the situation seems to be improving, but the's not sure when it will be resolved.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. Unicef has found that breastfed babies have a six times greater chance of survival in the early months than formula-fed children. However, many women around the world face prejudice and stigma in public and work places in a bid to exercise this right.

The government is meeting with labour unions and mining companies in Pretoria to find a way of saving jobs. Mining minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi says the meeting will carry on until something is committed on paper. Ramatlhodi says he hopes to lift the suspension imposed this week on Glencore's Optimum coalmine if the mining giant meets government directives over jobcuts. The talks come as the National of Mineworkers rejected the Chamber of Mine's final wage offer. Amcu rejected the offer on Sunday. Solidarity says it will likely accept the offer.

Economic Freedom Fighter leader Julius Malema is a free man for now. This after his fraud and corruption charges were struck off the roll in the high court in Polokwane. Judge Billy Motlhe ruled tha the case has dragged on for too long and rejected an application for another postponement by accused number five Kagiso Dichabe.

Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela has denied that she has allowed herself and her office to become a political football in the battle against the ANC and some opposition parties. She was responding to questions at a media briefing called to clarify what she says is the confusion regarding whether or not in her remedial action she requested President Zuma to ask Police Minister Nathi Nhleko to determine how much he should pay for non-security upgrades at his private residence.

Many people do not think that a verbal agreement is binding. However, the laws of our country state very clearly that both oral and written agreements are legally binding. Thembikhaya Zama from Lady Frere in the Eastern Cape found this out the hard way after he spoke to a sales consultant from Standard Bank.