First Take SA

Investigations are underway into the exact cause of YESTERDAY's train collision that left over 100 people injured in Selby south of Johannesburg. Metrorail says a train travelling from Faraday towards New Canada collided head on with another train bound for Naledi in Soweto. All the injured were taken to various nearby hospitals. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Zanele Sabela, SATAWU spokesperson...

Thirty organisations and individuals will be making oral representations to Constitutional Review Committee at Parliament. This follows country wide public hearings. The committee is tasked with establishing whether Section 25 of the Constitution should be changed to allow for land expropriation without compensation. Zalene Merrington reports...

Stellenbosch University political analyst, Zwelinzima Ndevu says failure to deal with perceptions of racial conflict within any political party is dangerous. Ndevu was reacting to claims of discrimination against Khoisan activsts, during a recent ANC West Coast regional congress. ANC councillor Sammy Claassen says he has lodged a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission. Chris Mabuya reports....

Economists say South Africa might avoid a recession in the second quarter of the year. This as Statistics South Africa gears up to release the second quarter growth number in for 2018. Gross Domestic Product growth dropped by 2-point-2 per cent in the first quarter of the year. Naledi Ngcobo reports….

For our Women's Month Feature, the final one today, we speak to Kurisani Maswanganyi. She is Managing Director and Founderl of Kulani Engineering. Maswaganyi founded the company in a bid to do work that significantly contriubutes to the development of the country and its economy through home-grown engineering projects. She was this week recognised by the University of Johannesburg for her work in...

For our Women's Month Feature we speak to Lebo Motswenyane, an entrepreneur and owner of the company Lucky No 8, which is credited with organising Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture featuring Barack Obama as keynote speaker. She tells us how she quit her job with only a month's salary in the kitty, to a journey that has seen her as management of international acts at the Delicious Festival, SAMA Red Ca...

The restructuring project introduced by consulting agency Bain during suspended SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane's tenure at the revenue collector is said to have dismantled strategic departments which were responsible for collecting hundreds of billions in tax revenue. This is according to tax professionals appearing before the SARS commission of inquiry in Pretoria. Naledi Ngcobo reports....

National Treasury says it is a war they are fighting to make sure there is no abuse of the system - especially when it comes to procurement. Acting Treasury Chief Procurement Officer, Ndleleni Mathebula, revealed this during the State Capture inquiry in Parktown, Johannesburg. Mathebula was the first witness and gave evidence on procurement processes, and whether they were flouted in the departmen...

The SABC Board has avoided answering the question on who authorised the airing of a video by President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking in his capacity as ANC leader, on the expropriation of land without compensation. The DA laid a compliant against the SABC, following the airing of the video footage more than two weeks ago. The Public Broadcaster also told Parliament's Communication's Committee that it...

Convicted KZN FeesMustFall activist and student leader, Bonginkosi Khanyile, has vowed to camp on the lawns of the Union Buildings in Pretoria until President Cyril Ramaphosa receives his memorandum of demands. Khanyile will be sentenced on the 16 of October. Khanyile and a group of supporters from various student bodies want the presidency to pardon all students and activists who have been arrest...

The Land Bank's CEO, Tshokolo Nchocho, has asked Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene to ensure that the right of the bank as a creditor is protected when land is expropriated without compensation. About 60 percent of the bank's funding uses land as collateral which can be sold in the event of a default. Nene asked the Land Bank Board to prepare for land expropriation without compensation. Tshepo Mongoa...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reassured South Africa and the Agricultural Sector that Land Expropriation without Compensation will be done in a just manner - and so there shouldn't be fears. He says there is an urgent need for a clear and explicit policy around land reform in the country. He was addressing the African Farmers Association of South Africa, AFASA Presidential Gala Dinner in Kempton P...

The first witness in the Commission of Inquiry Into State Capture is expected to give testimony on Tuesday. National Treasury Chief Procurement officer Ndleleni Mathebula has been named as the first witness. Mathebula is expected to give evidence on procurement processes and if these were flouted in the department. The commission officially started proceedings on Monday The hearings and investigat...

Victor Kgomoesoana, Director at "Africa Is Open For Business" looks at this week's top African economic stories

High-profile witnesses will finally be able to state their cases in the state of capture inquiry which will start in Parktown, Johannesburg today. The highly-anticipated inquiry will bring various key witnesses including former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC member of Parliament Vytjie Mentor. Various people from a wide section of the society have largely welcomed the start o...

Police Minister , Bheki Cele , says security agencies are working ceaselessly to combat cross-border crime at the country's border posts. Cele has visited eManguzi, in far northern KwaZulu-Natal, to give residents feedback on efforts to fight cross border crime. The area has been ravaged by syndicates, who smuggle vehicles across the border to Mozambique. Nhlanhla Nxele reports.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says Gauteng Premier candidate Solly Msimanga will bring much-needed change for the people of Gauteng. Maimane has announced 38-year old Tshwane mayor, Msimanga, as the DA's Gauteng premier candidate in next year's general elections. SABC News reporter, Pearl Magubane reports..

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says Gauteng Premier candidate Solly Msimanga will bring much-needed change for the people of Gauteng. Maimane has announced 38-year old Tshwane mayor, Msimanga, as the DA's Gauteng premier candidate in next year's general elections. Tsepiso M\kwetla spoke to political analyst, Professor Tinyiko Maluleke

Today we begin our Women's Month feature. We'll be speaking to phenomenal women who are in and outside of the media glare; influential women; those who are bringing change to their communities. We start the conversation with Dr. Tshepo Motsepe, a medical doctor who champions maternal, child and neonatal healthcare, and early childhood development. She's also been a pioneer in reproductive healthca...

A group of Movement for Democratic Change supporters arrested on charges related to post election violence that broke out in Harare, Zimbabwe, are expected back in court on Monday. Zimbabwe President elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has called for unity following the announcement of the country's election results. Six people died in protests that saw the deployment of the army in the capital. Tsepiso Ma...

The Afrikaans Sunday Newspaper, Rapport is reporting that three former National Party ministers‚ including Magnus Malan‚ have been identified as central figures in a paedophilia ring that operated during apartheid. The investigations into Malan‚ a former defence minister who died in 2011‚ John Wiley‚ former apartheid minister of environmental affairs‚ and a third person who is still alive‚ were al...

While the country celebrates the legacy and resilience of women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in 1956 -- women in the LGBTI community say more still needs to be done. This includes making women's month more inclusive of the LGBTI community, and the challenges they face. Bafedile Moerane reports

July is South Africa's National Savings month and we have been running educational feautures on how you can make your rand stretch and also save enough for rainy days. Today, we are looking at household savings. According to analysis done by MyTreasury, South African's household savings rate comes last when ranked against the G20 countries. This means that too many South Africans are living in deb...

The Nelson Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners, meant to encourage the humane treatment of inmates around the world, have been officially launched. The rules were unveiled by Correctional Services minister, Mike Masutha, at a ceremony held on Tuesday at the Drakenstein Correctional facility in Paarl. The Mandela rules are a set of minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners to which...

The 10th Summit of Heads of State and Government of BRICS countries begins today in Johannesburg. This is the second time South Africa has hosted the summit, since 2013. The summit ends on Friday, and will discuss various strategies that can strengthen the BRICS economic partnerships. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Professor Ari Sitas is chairperson of the South African BRICS Think Tank