First Take SA

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has urged mayoral candidates running for the City of Jo'burg's top post, to serve the people first, should they be elected.  The Jo'burg Crisis Alliance, or JCA made up of civic organizations and advocacy groups like OUTA, the Kathrada Foundation and WATER CAN, engaged with political parties' representatives and mayoral candidates in Johannesburg to communicate the views and priorities of residents to the candidates. Thabiso Radebe reports.

South Africa has taken an important step towards making Olympic Games history, with Durban announced as its host city of choice for the 2036 or 2040 Sumer Olympics and Paralympics. If successful, South Africa would become the first African country to host the world's biggest multi-sports event, opening the door to new opportunities for sport and the continent. With the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee and sporting federations looking ahead to the planning and preparations, the journey towards bringing the Games to Africa starts now. Lenay Booysen has more.

The South African Social Security Agency, SASSA, has announced the precautionary suspension of its KwaZulu-Natal Regional Executive Manager, Thamo Mzobe, with immediate effect. According to the agency, the suspension relates to matters dating back to Mzobe's tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the National Development Agency and follows a request from the NDA and the Department of Social Development to institute disciplinary proceedings. SASSA maintains that the suspension is a precautionary administrative measure and not a finding of guilt, while emphasizing that due process will be followed. To unpack the reasons behind the decision and its implications for the agency's operations, we spoke to SASSA spokesperson, Dr. Paseka Letsatsi.  

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has asked Cabinet to approve the appointment of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as head of the Hawks. A formal memorandum has been submitted and will be tabled at an upcoming Cabinet sitting. Lieutenant-General Siphesihle Nkosi has been acting in the position since Godfrey Lebeya retired in May last year. Mkhwanazi made headlines in July last year when he exposed alleged criminal and political infiltration in the country's security and justice systems. For reaction we're joined by Specialist Investigator, Mike Bolhuis.

The EFF have launched an urgent Gauteng High Court application to uncover an alleged covert state intelligence operation targeting their parliamentary caucus. The party is demanding immediate access to official trial records, transcripts and exhibits from the high-profile criminal case involving Patrick Mshothola and Thulani Dlomo. This legal move follows recent courtroom testimony revealing that the State Security Agency allegedly used a contract with Korolo Investment Holdings to fund the infiltration. We spoke to  EFF Deputy President Godrich Gardee