First Take SA

Emmerson Mnangagwa has been declared President-elect in Zimbabwe. He has trounced his main rival Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change. The opposition alleges that election was rigged. ZANU-PF has been in power for more than four decades. Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Kealeboga Maphunye, a Professor of African Politics at the University of South Africa, UNISA and Peter Ndoro, our...

In continuing to remember Uyinene Mrwetyana and many others who lost their lives due to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), the University of Cape Town (UCT) will gather in support of a unity walk organised by the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation tomorrow, Saturday 26 August. Uyinene  a UCT first-year student, went to the post office in Clemont, Cape Town to pick up a parcel and ended up being br...

Six countries will be joining the BRICS group of nations next year. The annual BRICS summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg announced the admission of Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates into the bloc. The membership of the new countries will come into effect in January next year. So what does this new BRICS expansion entail? To answer this and more, Elvis Pre...

Time to take 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

At least 41 independent election monitors have been arrested for allegedly trying to disrupt Zimbabwe's general election. The monitors are from civil society groups trying to verify the ballot counting. Zimbabwe's main opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change is concerned that the ruling ZANU-PF may try to rig the results. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to our reporter Khayalihle Khum...

ActionSA has brought a motion of no confidence against Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda. The motion will be tabled at the next Ordinary Council meeting set to take place on 31st August. The party says with a budget close to R80 billion, the City needs a credible leader at its helm. Gwamanda faces serious accusations of running a Ponzi scheme which stole from residents in Soweto. His educational...

Leaders of the BRICS group of nations are discussing the possible expansion of the five-nation bloc. The Brics countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa who are currently meeting at the 15th BRICS Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg have also initiated talks to create their own currency, economic and trade systems within the bloc. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Chr...

Angry parents of learners from Dr. Mathole Motshekga Primary School in Rabie Ridge, Johannesburg have shut down the school in protest over its poor infrastructure. Yesterday parents and members of the school governing body (SGB) resorted to shutting down the school after the Basic Education Department failed to meet their demands of building a new school. The primary school has been teaching learn...

Voting in Zimbabwe's general election was marred by delays with opposition parties already crying foul about vote rigging. Yesterday Zimbabweans went to the polls to elect a president, legislators and local authorities in a contest in which incumbent president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is seeking a second term. Most urban polling stations in Harare and Bulawayo, where opposition leader of the Citizens...

Professor of African Politics at the University of South Africa, Professor Kealeboga Maphunye speaks to Elvis Presslin on delays with polls opening for Zimbabwe's election. Opposition parties are already crying foul about vote rigging

Today is the last day of the South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU's National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting. The NEC meeting has been discussing domestic and international socio-economic issues and political developments including the current BRICS Summit. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to SAFTU National spokesperson Trevor Shaku

Zimbabweans will cast their votes today in the country's general election, which will determine the future of Zimbabwe amid an economic crisis. A total of 11 candidates are vying for the presidency, but the main contest is between the incumbent President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF, and Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). To look into the Zimbabwe General Elections we are j...

Zimbabweans are gearing up to vote for a President in the country's general elections today. A total of 11 candidates are vying for the presidency, but the main contest is between the incumbent President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF, and Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Zanu-PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, is confident it will retain power....

Tributes continue to pour in for veteran investigative journalist and broadcaster Derek Watts who passed away yesterday after a battle with Sepsis and skin cancer. Watts was 74. He detailed his health battles on social media. He worked at investigative program Carte Blanche since its inception 35 years ago. For more on this, Tshamano Makhadi, Treasurer-General for the South African National Editor...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says BRICS leaders will consider other countries' requests to join the bloc. He was addressing delegates at the official opening of the 15th BRICS Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg yesterday. Ramaphosa says BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa will consider over 20 countries' applications for entry into the bloc. For more more on this Elvis Presslin spok...

Today marks exactly two years since the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran. Deokaran was a senior Gauteng Department of Health Financial official and a key witness in several investigations looking into claims of corruption at the department during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was gunned down in the driveway of her home, south of Johannesburg. Yesterday,  all six men accused of her killing hav...

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Blade Nzimande faces four court actions that seek to stop him from putting UNISA under administration. Nzimande intends to disband the university council and put the university under administration after findings of financial mal-administration by an independent audit. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Higher Education, Science and...

Chinese President Xi Jinping will today pay President Cyril Ramaphosa a state ahead of the BRICS Summit, in Sandton, Johannesburg. Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are meeting at the  15th BRICS Summit from today until Thursday to debate expansion, enchance diplomatic and economic ties. More than 60 heads of state and government have also been invited to the Summit. For mo...

The United Democratic Movement, UDM has rejected the South African Reserve Bank report, which cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing in its investigation into undisclosed foreign currency stolen from his Phala Phala farm in 2020. UDM Leader General Bantu Holomisa says the findings are a whitewash on the same scale as acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka's report - which equally cle...

Time to take 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.

Zimbabweans will go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president and government. The country's ruling ZANU-PF party which has been in power for the last 43 years says it is ready for electoral victory. A dozen candidates are vying to be the country's next president but the main contest seems to be between incumbent, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is seeking a second term and and Nelson Chamisa, of the...

South Africa's agricultural sector is expected to gain new export markets from some of the agreements to be concluded during the Brics Summit. China and Brazil have shown big interest in South Africa's agricultural commodities in recent months. The BRICS summit which starts tomorrow will see over 40 heads of state and 500 delegates attend this event. For more on this Jaco Minnaar, Agri SA Presiden...

The BRICS group of major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will begin its 15th heads of state and government summit in Sandton, Johannesburg tomorrow. Over 40 countries are expected to attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend in person due to an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine...

A Cape Town Advocate has served the Speaker of Parliament with a letter of demand to remove the chairperson of suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment inquiry. Advocate Winston Erasmus is demanding Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to remove Richard Dyantyi after his recusal application against him was declined. Erasmus says Dyantyi was too compromised to officiate over the inqui...

As we continue to commemorate Women's Month this August, the National Debt Advisors says the dire economic situation in the country has directly translated to a significant increase of 68% in women seeking debt help at the organisation. The organisation says it has seen notable spikes in single women applicants and women who applied jointly with spouses, both this year and 2022.  For more on this...