First Take SA

The Constitutional Court has set a strict deadline of next Wednesday for legal filings in the ongoing battle over the Phala Phala farm scandal. Chief Justice Mandisa Maya issued the directive following an appeal by a coalition of opposition parties, including the ATM, MK Party and the EFF. The parties are fighting a lower court order that froze Parliament's independent inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa. We spoke to MK Party MP, Andile Mngxitama.

South Africa continues to grapple with a deepening child hunger crisis, with nearly a quarter of children living in severe food poverty and many at risk of life-threatening malnutrition. Efforts to provide nutritious meals to vulnerable children and support Early Childhood Development centres remain a critical intervention in addressing these challenges, particularly in underserved communities where resources are limited. We spoke to Brian Nell, CEO of Rise Against Hunger Africa.

The City of Ekurhuleni has dismissed three senior officials following a council probe into deep-rooted financial negligence and fraud. Human resources chiefs Linda Gcasheka and Moloko Monyepao, alongside legal head Advocate Kemi Behari, were axed after being implicated in a series of corruption scandals. Investigators discovered the officials falsified security clearance documents to shield a suspended police chief and oversaw a mysterious two-billion-rand revenue drop. ActionSA have backed the firings. We spoke to Tumelo Tshabalala, ActionSA Ekurhuleni Spokesperson.

Trade union federation COSATU has welcomed the appointment of Deputy Minister Seiso Mohai as Chairperson of the Public Investment Corporation, PIC. The state-owned asset manager oversees more than three point six trillion rand in public servant pensions and social security funds. The Federation says Mohai brings stability and a strong anti-corruption record to the fund. COSATU is calling for urgent appointment of worker and depositor board members and full public disclosure of all PIC investments. We spoke to COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator, Matthew Parks.

Cabinet has approved the extension of driving licence card validity from five to ten years for certain vehicle categories. Government says the move is aimed at reducing backlogs at testing centres, cutting administrative burdens and aligning the country with international norms. However, the decision has sparked debate around road safety, enforcement and whether the system is equipped to handle such a transition. Importantly, the changes are not yet in effect, as legislative amendments still need to be finalised and gazetted. We spoke to Louis Boshoff, campaigns officer at AfriForum.