First Take SA

Mobile network operator Telkom says it will begin a formal retrenchment process that could affect 15 percent of its workforce as it looks to restructure some of its operations. The group indicated that it would initiate cost-cutting measures across the group as a result of the difficult trading environment in South Africa. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Communications Workers Union's Ge...

Trade union Solidarity is taking the government to court over the new state of emergency with regard to the country's electricity crisis. Solidarity says if the state of disaster is allowed to continue, a dangerous precedent will be set. To elaborate further on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Solidarity's deputy chief executive for legal matters, Anton van der Bijl

The Government has declared a national state of disaster to respond to widespread flooding in various parts of the country. Higher than normal rainfall has caused severe flooding in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and the North West provinces. The South African Weather Service predicts that current heavy rains will persist. For more on this, Elvis...

Five people have reportedly been shot dead in Marianhill, west of Durban in KwaZulu Natal. The incident took place at two separate car workshops yesterday. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda

The Communication Workers Union, CWU says plans are underway to challenge the looming retrenchments at the South African Post Office. SAPO has issued a Section 189 notice, which will see around 6000 workers lose their jobs. The Post Office turnaround strategy will also see it cutting staff salaries by as much as 40%. The Post Office recently incurred a loss of R2.3 billion in the past financial ye...

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

City of Tshwane mayor, Randall Williams, says he is resigning as mayor for the continued stability of the multi-party coalition. However, opposition parties in the City of Tshwane council have lambasted Williams for failure to deliver services to residents, especially those living in townships. Elvis Presslin spoke to Elections Analyst Wayne Sussman and asked him about the reasons why Randall Will...

The South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC will join the rest of the world in commemorating the 12th edition of World Radio Day today. This year's World radio day is celebrated under the UNESCO theme 'Radio and Peace'. Our senior producer Ronald Phiri spoke to the SABC's Head of PBS Siphelele Sixaso about Radio Day and some of the thought-provoking content the SABC has lined up to celebrate...

The R30-million fraud trial of former Eskom Senior Manager, France Hlakudi resumes today. Hlakudi is expected to appear in the Pretoria regional court on various charges amounting to an estimated 30 million rand. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Sindisiwe Seboka, Spokesperson for the NPA's Investigating Directorate.

Fans of the late South African rap star - Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA - continue to flock to the place where he and his friend were gunned down outside a Durban restaurant Friday night. Sharing a bond in their love for AKA's music, people have laid bunches of flowers on the sidewalk where the shooting took place. In a symbolic rejection of the violence that claimed the two men's lives - two white...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a National State of Disaster over South Africa's energy crisis. Ramaphosa was delivering his state of the nation address last night. He says the national State of Disaster which comes into immediate effect has already been gazetted by COGTA Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. President Ramaphosa says a Minister of Electricity in the Presidency will be appoi...

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

Parliament says it's all systems go for President Cyril Ramaphosa to deliver his State of the Nation Address this evening. Presiding officers say they expect all Members of Parliament to conduct themselves according to the rules of the house during the joint sitting of the two houses. They have sent a stern warning against those who may want to disrupt the president's speech, saying any disruption...

Eastern Cape Disaster management teams are assessing the extent of structural damage in Komani after severe floods in the area. Scores of people have been displaced, a local private hospital submerged in water and many properties damaged. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Noncedo September Caba, Deputy Mayor of Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape

Using racial criteria in the allocation of the Covid-19 tourism relief fund has been ruled unlawful. Yesterday the Constitutional Court dismissed, with costs, the Department of Tourism's efforts to appeal a Supreme Court ruling on the disbursement of Covid funds that required businesses to meet B-BBEE requirements. AfriForum and Solidarity took the department to court citing that the allocation of...

Community Organization, Abahlali Baahi will be marching to the Nigerian embassy in Pretoria this morning to protest against drug activities by alleged foreign nationals. The marchers are expected to hand over a memorandum to the embassy. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Abahlali Baahi Media liaison officer, Nokuthula Nemaguvhuni

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Thandi Mahambehlala says the proposed deal between South African Tourism and UK Football Club Tottenham Hotspur is off. The Committee met with the Tourism Board following public outrage over the deal. Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was called to appear before the Committee to answer questions on whether she knew about the proposal. Sisulu says sh...

African Transformation Movement, ATM leader Vuyolwethu Zungula has blamed the country's energy crisis on President Cyril Ramaphosa's tenure in office. In a scathing open letter about President Cyril Ramaphosa's tenure, Zungula says the words "Loadshedding" and "Energy" never featured in Ramaphosa's State of the nation address since he took office in 2018 as head of state - Because the country was...

Four ANC members were sworn in as Members of Parliament yesterday. The members are ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Second Deputy Secretary General Maropene Ramokgopa, and NEC members Parks Tau and Sihle Zikala. The new MPs replace Tshilidzi Munyai, Mervyn Dirks, Masefako Dikgale, and Matshidiso Mfikoe who resigned as MPs recently. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to Governance Spe...

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

More than two-thousand-900 people have died and over 15-thousand others injured after two consecutive earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria. The 7.8 magnitude devastating earthquake struck on Monday reducing several buildings to debris in both countries. The death toll from the earthquakes is expected to rise. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Turkish journalist Türkmen Terzi, whose home town...

Pressure is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce a reshuffle of his cabinet this week following Deputy President David Mabuza's resignation. David  Mabuza confirmed his resignation during a family funeral in Mpumalanga citing that he wanted to make way for Paul Mashatile, who was elected ANC deputy president at the ANC's conference in December. Ramaphosa has asked Mabuza, to remain in...

London football club Tottenham Hotspur has remained mum on the controversial proposed sponsorship deal with South African Tourism. The deal worth about R900m is aimed at promoting South Africa as a travel destination. However, citizens feel the money should instead be used to address domestic matters such as crime, load shedding, and economic issues. Our Senior Producer Ronald Phiri spoke to our U...

The ANC has 5 days to hand over all its cadre deployment committee records to the DA. This follows a ruling by the Gauteng High Court stating the ANC's decision to refuse DA MP Leon Schreiber's request for access to information was unlawful and invalid. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration, Dr. Leon Schreiber 

PetroSA has denied taking advantage of South Africa's energy crisis by charging Eskom exorbitant prices for diesel. The state-owned oil and gas company was responding to allegations made by energy analyst Chris Yelland, who says PetroSA is charging Eskom significantly higher prices for diesel than the basic fuel price. The struggling power utility is supplied diesel by PetroSA to power its two ope...