First Take SA

Gauteng Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development MEC Lebogang Maile has today visited the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg for a site-inspection in preparation for the first ever AFROPUNK Festival to be staged on the African Continent. The event is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday. This despite one of the main international performers Solange Knowles pulling out...

The South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) says they are shocked with disappointment by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA's) Intentions to increases councillors perks. According to a circular by SALGA, which informs municipal management of the new perks which Councilors, Speakers and Mayors would be getting, will be Gazetted by the minister of Cooperative Governance and...

The Constitutional Court will tomorrow hand down judgment on President Jacob Zuma impeachment. This after, the judgment was reserved in September after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) approached the court in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution seeking an order to direct Parliament to consider whether the president is impeachable following a ruling that he had broken his oath of office. Elv...

The leader of Incredible Happenings Ministries, Prophet Paseka Motsoeneng says he has assisted the mother of a deceased child to open a case against the Ekurhuleni Emergency Services. This comes after paramedics allegedly failed to attend to Nontombi Gwame's sickly three-year-old daughter. Emergency Services say the child was dead by the time they arrived at the church in Katlehong, an allegation...

The late pop-legend and veteran music producer, Robbie Malinga, will be laid to rest next week Tuesday at Rhema Bible Church in Randburg north of Johannesburg. His family released funeral arrangement details in a press briefing earlier today. Malinga passed away on Christmas day, due to pancreatic cancer. . For many of us Cancer is the last thing on our minds but coping with this problems is often...

Vote counting is underway in Liberia in a run-off presidential election between Vice-President Joseph Boakai and former international footballer George Weah. The winner of this vote, will replace Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female president after 12-years in office. Elvis Presslin spoke to our Correspondent in Liberia, Cholo Brooks

People in Liberia are voting today in the run-off election for a new president. The current Vice President Joseph Boakai and former international football star George Weah are running to succeed Africa's first female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Legal challenges delayed the vote. More than two million people are eligible to cast their ballot. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our correspondent in Libe...

Tributes continue to pour in for the late Robbie Malinga. The veteran musician, who passed away on Christmas Day, had been ill for a number of months and was admitted to hospital in June after being diagnosed with anaemia. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Advocate Nhlanhla Sibisi, the CEO of the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) and Robbie Malinga's label manager, Kenny Tlale, from Universal Musi...

Traffic volumes are increasing on KwaZulu-Natal roads as holiday makers make their way to various destinations ahead of the Christmas weekend. Earlier the province's Road Traffic Inspectorate spokesperson, Zinhle Mngomezulu-Mali reported that over a thousand vehicles an hour are passing through the toll plazas on national roads. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Zinhle Mngomezulu-Mali

President Jacob Zuma has embarked on another legal bid challenging the State Capture Report's recommendations and remedial action. This time - Zuma is seeking leave to appeal last week's High Court ruling which uphold's the report's recommendations. The scathing judgment delivered by Judge Dunstan Mlambo found that the President was reckless and ill-advised by continuing with litigation on this ma...

Albert Falls Dam has reached its lowest level in 20-years at 19-point-two per cent. Albert Falls feeds the Mayville Dam, which supplies water to at least 60 per cent of residents in the Ethekwini region. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Umgeni Water spokesperson Shami Harichunder

The ANC's conference resolution to amend the Constitution in order to expropriate land without compensation has been criticized in some quarters. Agri SA says that will be disastrous for the economy while the DA has vowed to defend the property clause in the Constitution. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Agri SA President Dan Kriek

Today we profile, a multi-talented house music producer, from Pietermaritzberg, in Kwa Zulu Natal, Ayanda Mabaso, fondly known by his fans as 'Aionic'. Ronald Phiri spoke to 'Aionic'...

Google today announced the results of its 2017 Year in Search, offering a unique perspective on the year's major moments and top trends based on searches conducted in South Africa. This year's trending searches show growing interest in local celebrities and events, with seven of the top 10 trending search terms being local, in contrast to fewer than half last year. Bongi Gwala spoke to Russel Luck...

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has reportedly incurred refreshment expenditure of R36,000, for the procurement of 240 bottles of water (500ml each) at a unit price of R150 each. This is the same Metro that owes millions for water provision which is in arrears. Elvis Presslin spoke to the Municipal spokesperson, Qondile Khedama...

The High Court in Pretoria has ruled that President Jacob Zuma must set up a judicial inquiry into the so-called state capture within 30 days. A judge that the Chief Justice will solely select, is to head the judicial inquiry, which has to complete its task and present a report in 180-days. The full bench of the court led by Judge President Dunstan Mlambo unanimously dismissed Zuma's application t...

As the City of Cape Town continues to appeal to residents to save water, photographer Simon Sephton is running an exhibition, set out to raise awareness of the beauty this resource. Titled 'Water Light' his photographs are themed around water - its necessity and its interplay with life and light. The Water Light will run until 21 December at The Forge in Kalk Bay in Cape Town. Elvis Presslin spoke...

The High Court in Pretoria has comprehensively ruled, with costs, against President Jacob Zuma's review application regarding the Public Protector's State of Capture report - saying Zuma must allow the Chief Justice to appoint the head of a judicial commission of inquiry into the matter. Thuli Madonsela, who was Public Protector at the time and compiled the State of Capture report, was in court to...

The Gauteng provincial government has started the work of assessing the extent of the damage caused by a tornado that hit the area. Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi visited the area earlier today. Displaced residents have been temporarily housed at shelters and local community centres. Elvis Preslinn spoke to Midvaal executive mayor Bongani Baloyi

The Presidency says it has not given instruction to the Sandf to draft regulations for a state of emergency in the country. The Rapport newspaper, says according to a copy of the proposed laws seen by them the national defense force held a workshop in October, for an urgent input into the regulations which were first drafted in 2016.The proposed regulations give security officers the authority to...

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, say they will be launching an investigation into Steinhoff to determine if it has breached the Company's Act. In a statement, the DTI says it will further suggest that the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors also consider the circumstances, with regard to the role of Auditors in this instance. Steinh...

Services on the central railway line and sections of the northern line, in the city of Cape Town have been suspended, leaving thousands of passengers to seek alternative transport. Metrorail in the Western Cape says it's unclear at this stage when operations on it's central line and part of its northern line will be operational. Elvis Preslinn spoke to Western Cape Metrorail Spokesperson, Riana Sc...

The mayor of UmZimkhulu in southern KwaZulu-Natal, Mphuthumi Mpabanga is appearing before the Moerane Commission, tasked with looking into the political killing in Kwa Zulu Natal. The mayor says the allegations that the killing of councillors including Sindiso Magaqa are as a result of corruption related to the incomplete local town hall, are not true. The commission resumed its work today after t...

The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and its affiliates have joined hands with Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) to reassure members that the investment process at the PIC is sound and they will do all in their power to drive stronger and more transparent corporate governance in the listed investments. Elvis Preslinn spoke to Fedusa's...

The Democratic Alliance has expressed its disappointed following a decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to grant President Jacob Zuma an extension to submit fresh representations on why he should not face corruption charges. NPA boss Shaun Abrahams has given Zuma until January the 31st to file the representations. This comes less than a week after the High Court in Pretoria ruled that Zu...