First Take SA

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered widespread fraud by unscrupulous lawyers who have siphoned billions from the state through bogus medico-legal claims. In a recent media briefing Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi highlighted shocking cases, including duplicate claims for the same incident, inflated damages for non-existent procedures, and fraudulent claims on behalf of deceased ind...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back". Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the North West province has expressed its support for the resignation of Tshepo Khoza, the former deputy speaker of the provincial legislature. Khoza stepped down amidst allegations of falsifying his matriculation certificate just shy of three months into his tenure. COSATU is now calling on the ANC to pursue criminal charges against Khoza sho...

Newly-appointed Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has sparked controversy with a proposal to recruit documented foreign nationals into the city's metropolitan police department, JMPD. Speaking at the ANC's regional Lekgotla, Mayor Morero proposed employing foreign nationals who speak various languages to help combat crime in the city. His comments have been met with backlash, with many questioning th...

The National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union, NEHAWU, is suing the ANC and its KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, Bheki Mtolo, for R2 million. The lawsuit follows public accusations made by Mtolo in Kokstad, where he blamed NEHAWU for poor service delivery in government departments such as Home Affairs and SASSA. The union has filed the lawsuit at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Elv...

Municipal workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union, SAMWU have vowed to continue striking until their demands are met. A large-scale protest took place in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, as thousands of City of Johannesburg employees, including Pikitup workers and city administrators, gathered in the streets, blocking several roads. The demonstrators are seeking payment of outst...

Mthatha West Traditional Leader, Dalinzolo Mareke, has denied involvement in the extortion of businesses in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. He was implicated by Abathembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, who accused Mareke of masterminding the extortion scheme. The king's statement came during a meeting convened after schools in the area were closed due to alleged demands for protection fees. For more on this,...

Former EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu has been named as the new national organiser of the Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) party. The appointment comes after Shivambu's resignation from the EFF last week. MK has also announced its National High Command, which will be responsible for making key decisions for the party. The High Command consists of eight senior officials and 45 additional members. For mo...

Acting President Paul Mashatile, giving an address at the Union Buildings during the signing of the Second Presidential Health Compact, says the government's responsibility is to ensure that the compact effectively addresses the challenges facing the health system. Mashatile says that the nation's health is vital to development and cannot be compromised by issues like mismanagement and funding cri...

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation will today commemorate the life of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, marking the third anniversary of her assassination in 2021. Deokaran, who was serving as the acting chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health, was murdered after exposing fraud and corruption within the department. In a statement, the foundation says the event will hono...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back". Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

Former President Jacob Zuma is set to hold a media briefing today, where he is expected to share his thoughts on the current political landscape in South Africa. This comes as 10 MPs, recently expelled from the MK Party, have also announced a press conference to share their perspective. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Thami Khuzwayo, former UmkhontoWesizwe party student command leader an...

South Africans continue to pay tribute to renowned Science and Maths teacher William Smith. He died aged 85 after a short battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by family in Perth, Australia. Mr. Smith was best known for presenting Math and Science lessons on television, inspiring generations of students across the country. For more on the legend, Elvis Presslin spoke to Senamile Masango, N...

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has boosted police presence in the Eastern Cape to combat rising gang violence and extortion. The province has seen a surge in criminal activities, with gangs and mafias terrorizing communities, intimidating local businesses, and demanding protection fees from schools. While the police focus on cracking...

ActionSA's Nobuhle Mthembu has been elected as the new speaker of the Johannesburg Council. She replaces Margaret Arnolds who has now been appointed Finance MMC. Mthembu won the seat against the DA's Nonhlanhla Sifumba. The new speaker says she aims to address critical issues like the city's billing crisis and inner-city rejuvenation. For more on this, Nobuhle Mthembu, the new speaker of Joburg co...

A looming wage strike by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) workers could severely disrupt air travel across South Africa. The South African Transport Allied Workers Union (Satawu) is demanding a 6.5% wage increase, but negotiations have stalled as ATNS offers 2% less. If workers strike, it could paralyze the aviation sector, causing massive delays and financial losses. For more on this El...

The South African Human Rights Commission has responded to a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling on the binding nature of its recommendations. The case involved a complaint by farm occupiers who were denied access to water. The Commission found rights violations and directed the farm owners to restore water access, but the owners refused. The Court ruled that the Commission's directives are not legally...

Civic organization, Save South Africa Civic Movement is calling on the government to abolish the age limit for recruitment in the police and defence forces. The group claims that the current age restriction of 35 is exacerbating unemployment and contributing to higher crime rates. In a statement, the movement argued that the age limit is discriminatory and neglects individuals between 36 and 59 ye...

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) in Gauteng is sounding the alarm on a growing mental health crisis within the province's security cluster, following a recent tragic incident where two Gauteng Traffic Provincial Inspectors died in a suspected murder-suicide. The union is speaking out against the lack of effective mental wellness programs and is calling for proactive strategies to...

Qatar Airways Group has announced a significant acquisition. The global aviation giant has acquired a 25% stake in Airlink, which currently operates in 15 countries across Africa. In a statement the regional airline based in Johannesburg, says this investment will strengthen the existing partnership between the two airlines. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Guy Leitch, Aviation Expert

A group of fired uMkhonto WeSizwe Party members are set to challenge their removal from Parliament in court today. Ten former MK MPs have filed an urgent application with the Western Cape High Court, seeking to overturn their dismissal as Members of Parliament. For the latest Elvis Presslin spoke to Legal expert, Abigail Ngobeni

The Hawks are investigating Chidimma Adetshina's mother for alleged identity theft. Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has been informed that two department officials are also under investigation in connection with the case, which has sparked widespread controversy. Adetshina, who withdrew from the Miss SA pageant, had claimed to be born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Zulu moth...

The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube's, decision to halt the issuing of a R9.8 billion tender that would have centralized procurement for the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) under a single provider. Currently, each province manages its own School Nutrition Programme, which delivers at least one meal daily to over 9.6 million learners. Last ye...

EFF leader Julius Malema has criticized party members who are threatening to leave if they are not chosen for leadership positions. This comes after the departure of former deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who joined the MK Party. In a speech to hundreds of EFF supporters at the Orlando Community Hall in Soweto, Malema stressed the need for loyalty and commitment to the party's goals. For more on...

The National Assembly is set to debate Eskom's proposed 36% electricity tariff increase, following a request by the Democratic Alliance (DA). National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has approved the DA's proposal, which highlights concerns over Eskom's "make-up tariff" that could add R8 billion to consumers' bills next year. The DA argues that this increase would severely burden South Africans, alr...