First Take SA

In Reiger Park on the East Rand, young people are turning to sport to escape gangsterism and build a better future. One of them is local athlete Jadin Norman, who is using athletics to stay off the streets and inspire his peers. Elvis Presslin spoke to him about the challenges facing youth in Reiger Park and the power of sport as an alternative..

The battle for Johannesburg is intensifying ahead of the 4 November local government elections, with Al Jama-ah fielding Ashley Mama as its mayoral candidate. Mama's campaign is focusing on some of the city's most pressing concerns, including service delivery, accountability, economic development, job creation and community safety. With Johannesburg also facing pressure on infrastructure and declining public confidence in local government, the question is what Al Jama-ah believes it can do differently. we spoke to Ashley Mama

This year's local government elections have attracted unlikely characters which are energising the political landscape. Unlike traditional politicians, these individuals originate from the cultural entertainment and business sectors amongst others. Over five hundred and forty political parties will be contesting the local government elections which are less than forty days away. SABC Senior politics reporter, Busi Bopela tracked down three of these these individuals, Ntsiki Mazwai, Rali Mampuele and Sello Mashula.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) began voting for its top six leadership positions at its 15th National Congress in Kempton Park. This follows a chaotic start to the congress in September, which collapsed due to fierce leadership factions and eligibility disputes. The votng process was managed by an independent electoral instititute, EISA (Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy). The outcome of the vote on who will be the national office bearers at Cosatu will be announced on the final day of the congress today. Nothando Magudulela reports...

The Madlanga Commission says it will obtain a statement from Serge Cabonge. This follows voice recordings attributed to him that were played in the Randburg Magistrate's Court during the bail hearing of Shadrack Sibiya. The Commission says Cabonge has been mentioned in its hearings before and his claims will now form part of its broader investigation. It says it will not comment further for now. For more we spoke to Legal Analyst, Mpumelelo Zikalala.