First Take SA

A 23-year-old woman has become the latest victim of gender-based violence in Gauteng. Boitumelo Gift Mashita was brutally murdered in Tembisa yesterday, just as police continue to investigate the discovery of 11 women's bodies in Ekurhuleni. The Tembisa Tracking Team launched a manhunt for her estranged husband, who was wanted as a person of interest in the case. Hours later, he was found dead ins...

Zimbabwe's second-largest city Bulawayo is facing another severe water crisis. More than a million residents are under acute water stress as reservoirs deplete, with usable water now reported to be below 50 percent of capacity. The city says years of poor rainfall, a growing population, and ageing infrastructure are putting supply under pressure. Bulawayo has relied on strict water-shedding for ov...

A look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of Africa Is Open For Business  and Africa Bounces Back

The Afrika Mayibuye Movement says it is ready to contest this year's local government elections. The party, led by former EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu, has fielded over 400 councillor candidates in 240 municipalities across all nine provinces. Shivambu says Mayibuye is positioning itself as an alternative to established parties. He was speaking to SAfm's Elvis Presslin about the party's vis...

The United Nations General Assembly convenes a high level meeting in New York today to mark 25 years since the Durban Declaration. Adopted in South Africa in 2001, the Programme of Action remains the global blueprint against racism and discrimination. The meeting comes amid continued debate over the framework's legacy and implementation. UN Human Rights Regional Representative for Southern Africa...

Fear is growing in Ekurhuleni after the discovery of several women's bodies across the region in recent weeks. The African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association, AUBBTA says the killings have created panic among passengers, especially women using public transport. AUBTA is now calling for lockdowns, gated communities and tighter controls at highways and off-ramps in hotspots like Kempton Park and T...

The Special Investigating Unit, SIU has secured 42.4 million rand in cash, properties, pension benefits and investments linked to alleged bribery at Tembisa Hospital. The assets are connected to businessman Stefan Joel Govindraju, who allegedly paid 100 million rand in bribes to officials to secure procurement deals worth 600 million rand. The SIU says the preservation orders form part of its ongo...

Three Chapter Nine institutions begin a joint national inquiry into gender based violence in Braamfontein, Johannesburg today. The Commission for Gender Equality, the South African Human Rights Commission and the CRL Rights Commission will probe why reporting, victim support and pre-trial investigations continue to fail women despite government commitments. The five-day sitting at Braampark follow...

The National Liquor Traders says it is deeply shocked by the killings in Wedela in Gauteng and Lwandle in the Western Cape. The organisation has sent condolences to families and says places where people gather must never become scenes of terror. Convenor Lucky Ntimane has called for illegal firearms and organized violence to be confronted and cautioned against blaming lawful tavern operators. We s...

South African teenagers say they enjoy reading but want more books in their own languages that reflect their daily lives. That is according to the Teen Reading Pilot Survey launched at the National Library in Pretoria. The pilot interviewed 302 teens and 261 caregivers directly, testing inclusion of 10 to 17 year-olds in the National Reading Barometer. Organisers say it paves the way for the full...

The Afrikaners for South Africa network has condemned plans by Lex Libertas to display 3 000 white crosses in Washington to highlight farm killings. The network says the campaign uses victims as political props and presents a misleading picture of racial persecution to Americans. The group says farm attacks affect all communities and are largely driven by criminal motives. It warns the display ris...

The African Transformation Movement, ATM wants Buffalo City investigated for allegedly using municipal jobs, EPWP posts and even a water tank for ANC electioneering. The party cites wards 12, 22, 23 and 39, claiming sitting councillors were bypassed while candidates and branch officials influenced beneficiary lists. It says municipal resources belong to residents not parties and has called on the...

The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape has hit back at Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, releasing a timeline to expose the chaotic planning behind the national Heritage Day venue shifts. DA provincial leader, Tertuis Simmers claims George Municipality was only given a three-day notice to host the massive event, making statutory safety compliance and budgeting impossible. The national celebrat...

A look at the current top African economic stories. We are joined on the line by 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

Bishop Azwihangwi Maumela claims Sibiya ’s case is linked to a succession battle and the general is being targeted. Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on charges of rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl. The 59-year-old was arrested by the SAPS Commissions Recommendations Task Team following an...

The Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF has welcomed a search and seizure operation conducted by the Special Investigating Unit at PSIRA's offices in Pretoria yesterday. The raid follows a Special Tribunal order and forms part of a probe into a 130-million-rand UIF-funded training contract. The contract was meant to train over 7000 people across all provinces, but only a small number reportedly recei...

South Africa is moving to bring private companies into the large-scale production of the Agricultural Research Council's Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine. The move follows concerns over the ARC's limited manufacturing capacity, with government saying private-sector licensing could help increase vaccine availability and strengthen the country's livestock sector and food security. But with farmers und...

Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on charges of rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl. The 59-year-old was arrested by the SAPS Commissions Recommendations Task Team following an investigation into exploitation allegations. The state alleges he used electronic communications to groom the minor and r...

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board is warning learners against pens down parties involving alcohol as Matric exams approach. The Board says these celebrations often turn achievement into tragedy through injury, violence and loss of life. The Board is calling on parents, schools and liquor traders to help prevent underage drinking. For more we spoke to Dr. Mgwebi Msiya, Eastern Cape Liquor Board Spokesp...

The DA has approached the Electoral Court accusing ActionSA, the EFF, MK Party and GOOD of deliberately avoiding naming their PR candidates ahead of elections. The parties allegedly submitted single-name PR lists in many municipalities saying they will supplement the lists after the election if they win more seats. ActionSA says it wants to assess candidates based on election outcomes before filli...

Trade union federation SAFTU says South Africa must defend its sovereignty as Washington imposes new visa restrictions on some South Africans. It comes after the US issued five demands relating to farmer violence, the Kill the Boer chant, expropriation and B-BBEE. SAFTU says no foreign government can dictate South Africa's laws or foreign policy. But it argues sovereignty must also apply at home,...

Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Angie Motshekga has welcomed more than 2,500 new soldiers, who have completed their basic military training at 3 SAI in the Northern Cape. They are joining an SANDF under increase pressure to assist the police stem the tide of crime, including in hotspots in the Western Cape, where gang violence remains a major challenge, despite the deployment of soldiers....

A fatal shooting at a school in Inanda, north of Durban has put the spotlight on growing violence and criminality in schools across KwaZulu-Natal. A security guard was killed during a robbery at Inanda Comprehensive High School on Friday(18/9) night, after four guards were overpowered by armed suspects. The attack comes amid several other violent incidents at schools across the province. Gcinokuhl...

A 59-year-old Lieutenant General is appearing in the Randburg Magistrates Court today on charges of rape and sexual grooming. He was arrested yesterday by the Commissions Recommendations Task Team for the alleged grooming of a 16-year-old girl between July and August and the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman at a hotel in Sandton in May. Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Di...

Mpumalanga taxi boss and businessman Joe Sibanyoni repeatedly invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination at the Madlanga Commission on Monday. Sibanyoni returned to the Commission to read his supplementary statement. He invoked his right in relation to communications with taxi figure Bafana Sindane, WhatsApp records, alleged monthly payments and matters linked to the Edwin Constru...