First Take SA

The founder of the People's Dialogue and former Joburg mayor, Herman Mashaba says their future political fortunes with Mmusi Maimane are not linked. He was speaking during a joint media briefing with the victim families of the Lily Mine disaster in Johannesburg yesterday ( Wednesday). Earlier Mashaba vowed to form his political party within the next two months. Former DA leader, Maimane said he st...

South Africa has a health crisis with overcrowded public healthcare facilities. The Treatment Action Campaign wants government to inject more money into building clinics and hospitals to reduce the overcrowding, improve infrastructure and ultimately stop deaths. This comes after 10 babies died of klebsiella at the Tembisa Hospital on the East Rand. Seven other babies are still critical.

The editor of SA Flyer Magazine, Guy Leitch, has warned that South African Airways could suffer a loss of public confidence in the long-term. This after the airline cancelled at least 30 domestic flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and ten return flights to the city of Munich in Germany. The airline says it cannot rule out further flight cancellations. SAA, which was placed under vo...

Corruption in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Police service came under the spotlight again at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on MONDAY . This emerged in the testimony of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Forensic Auditor, Trevor White. White highlighted how politically connected businessman, Toshan Panday, allegedly paid off KZN-police staff in supply -chain management with gifts and bribes.

Seven babies are still fighting for their lives in an isolated ward at the Tembisa Provincial Hospital on Gauteng's east rand. This follows the death of ten newborn babies at the hospital's neonatal ward in the past two months after an outbreak of klebsiella pneumonia. Overcrowding and a shortage of staff have been highlighted as the main reasons behind the infection.

The South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) together with the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) say government should urgently release the funds needed to save South African Airways. The airline is in urgent need of a two-billion rand government bailout in order to keep its aircrafts in the air. The airline has already exhausted two billion rands from private lenders. SAA...

Fifty two years after his assassination.. Dr. Martin Luther King's family says his legacy still lives. This amid a chapter of divisive American politics and undercurrents of racism. Today is Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. It's held annually on the third Monday of January. The late American civil rights leader championed justice and equality for black Americans from the 1950's,...

Two Johannesburg families are grieving the deaths of their sons, both of which occurred under school supervision, in two separate incidents. Both families are demanding answers from Laerskool Bekker and Parktown Boys High School. 13-year-old Enock Mpianzi's body was retrieved from the Crocodile River, near Brits, in the North West on Friday, where he was attending an orientation camp organised by...

Some economists say the decision by the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee to reduce the repo rate will not do much to boost the ailing economy. The central bank took most economists by surprise by lowering the repurchase rate by 25 basis points. The move will reduce the prime lending rate to 9.75 percent from 10 percent with effect from tomorrow

Trade union Solidarity has asked for a moratorium on retrenchments at Telkom. The telecoms giant has notified unions that up to 3000 workers could lose their jobs as it struggles with declining performance in fixed voice and data services.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has in the past two years lost almost one-billion rand through train fires, vandalism, public disorder, train collisions and floods. This emerged during a media briefing by Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, to outline some challenges and progress made in turning around the struggling state-owned company.

Mineral Resources and Energy minister Gwede Mantashe says the board of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA) is being replenished to ensure good governance. Mantashe made the comments following the resignation of the parastatal's entire board. NECSA has reportedly been insolvent since 2016 and is asking government for a 500-million-rand bailout.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (saccawu) has expressed deep concern over plans by MASSMART to retrench workers. Saccawu has accused the retail giant of failing to adequately consult with unions on the matter. MASSMART has announced the possible closure of as many as 34 Dion Wired and Masscash stores, which could affect over one thousand 400 employees. Massmart owns...

A 48-year old man has made a brief appearance at the Wynberg Magistrates' Court in Cape Town on charges of kidnapping and murdering 12-year old Michaela Williams. Magistrate Goolam Bawa ruled that the identity of the accused not be revealed until further notice. Michaela was reported missing to the Grassy Park police station last Wednesday. Her body was found the next day.

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture will kick off the year with an application by the commission's legal team for an order authorising a summons for former president Jacob Zuma to appear from the 27th to 31st of January. Commission Chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will TODAY(14/01) hear how Zuma has failed on several occations to appear before the commission as planned due t...

Energy expert, Ted Blom, says government is lacking the political will to fix Eskom's power capacity woes. This follows bouts of loadshedding in the new year - and substation maintenance issues causing power disruptions. Eskom board chairperson, Jabu Mabuza, resigned on Friday after admitting his failure to keep a promise that there will be no load shedding before the 13th of this month. Blom says...

While some Matriculants choose to further their studies at higher education institutions, some will enter the job market. But as job seekers how do they build a distinctive personal brand to distinguish themselves from other job applicants.

Trade union Solidarity has served court papers on South African Airways (SAA) and ministers of Finance and Public Enterprises asking that the airline be placed on business rescue. The trade union says this is essential for SAA for the sake of taxpayers. Its Chief Operations Officer Dirk Hermann says the airline could be heading for liquidation and this would have far-reaching consequences for the...

In the past week there were reports of a 13-year old girl bludgeoning her grandmother to death, a learner stabbing and killing another learner, and a 17-year old caught in the act of raping an eight-year old girl. The rate of sexual violence in South Africa is among the highest in the world -- with rape ranked third -- after murder and housebreaking.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) has called on the Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize together with provincial Health MEC's to swiftly deal with issues of safety and security at health facilities in the country. This is after a patient was shot and killed inside a ward at the Witbank Hospital in Mpumalanga.

Last night, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive council confirmed that fourteen people have died from the heavy rains and natural disasters since OCTOBER. In a statement, the council says about seven hundred and ninety-eight houses were affected across the province. As the province enters day six of extremely inclement weather conditions, the end is not yet in sight, with weather authorities is...

South African Airways has advised its customers to contact its call centre or their travel agents to make alternate flight arrangements - or request a refund. This after the South African Cabin Crew Association and NUMSA announced that their members will embark on industrial action tomorrow morning over a wage dispute. SAA has cancelled all its domestic, regional and international flights schedule...

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter says the office of the Public Protector and SARS -- with an endorsement by the court -- have agreed to hold in abeyance the implementation of the subpoena -- which requested the revenue service to provide Busisiwe Mkhwebane with former president Jacob Zuma's confidential taxpayer information.

The South African Police Service has dismissed weekend reports which claim that the death of former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa was a murder cover up. Meyiwa was shot and killed back in 2014 at the house of Kelly Khumalo's mother in Vooslorus, Ekurhuleni. The Sunday Independent claims that Meyiwa was accidentally shot by one of the people present at the house of the...

The National House of Traditional Leaders has submitted its report to the Limpopo High Court declaring Toni Mphephu-Ramabulana ineligible as head of the Venda Kingdom in Limpopo and proclaiming Princess Masindi Mphephu as the rightful heir to the throne. The House of Traditional Leaders says it is now upto the High Court to decide on the matter.