First Take SA

South Africa has issued a third formal demarche against US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell the Third in nine months over alleged undiplomatic conduct. Dirco says both sides remain committed to resolving outstanding issues. Washington however says it has no interest in further diplomatic maneuvering and the ball is in Pretoria's court to repair ties. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says access to South Africa's critical minerals remains a key driver of the friction. Sophie Mokoena reports.

Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has withdrawn the reservation of high-demand spectrum for the Wholesale Open Access Network, paving the way for ICASA to license this spectrum to operators. The move could have significant implications for competition, investment, network capacity, and digital connectivity in South Africa. To unpack what this means for the telecommunications sector and consumers, we spoke to Nomvuyiso Batyi, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Communications and Technology (ACT).

South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of gender-based violence and femicide, with recent killings in Ekurhuleni and other parts of the country once again highlighting the scale of the crisis. In response, the GBVF Sector of the National Dialogue of South Africa is convening a community dialogue in Kempton Park under the theme "From Silence to Safety: Strengthening Community Response to GBVF." The discussion will bring together community members, activists, and stakeholders to explore practical solutions to make communities safer. We spoke to Thembelihle Ntandane, a member of the National Dialogue Steering Committee.

The South African Law Reform Commission has proposed two new bills to radically change how the state handles massive medical negligence claims. The commission warns that an explosion of lawsuits over the last two decades is heavily draining public funds and crippling healthcare service delivery. The draft laws aim to set up an independent redress commission and enforce pre-litigation rules before patients can take the state to court. If passed, the health and justice departments will gain strict legal frameworks to establish provincial databases and manage payout guidelines. For more, we spoke to Ronel Van Zyl, a Senior State Law Advisor at the South African Law Reform Commission.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU, has expressed support for the Employment Services Amendment Bill, saying it supports efforts to regulate labour migration and protect jobs, but warns that workers must not be divided along nationality lines while employers continue to exploit cheap labour. The federation says the focus should be on enforcing labour laws, protecting both South African and migrant workers and addressing the root causes of unemployment through economic growth and job creation. We spoke to SAFTU'S General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.