First Take SA

The Gauteng Department of Education has been accused of acting unlawfully by announcing late funding cuts for Quintile 5 schools. The Democratic Alliance says the move will cause financial pressure for parents and may lead to significant fee increases. The party is considering legal action to reverse the decision, which it claims is invalid and reckless. The department had previously topped up fun...

Hawks Section Head Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena faced tough questions yesterday over his unit's role in last December's raid on controversial figure Katiso "KT" Molefe's Sandhurst home in Johannesburg. Witnesses at the Madlanga Commission claim the Hawks disrupted the police operation. Mokoena insists the Hawks were there to prevent any impersonation of officers. Elvis Presslin spoke to Security Strat...

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has reserved judgment in a case between the Information Regulator and the Department of Basic Education over the publication of matric results. The Regulator is seeking clarity on whether the DBE's method of publishing results complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act. The court heard arguments from both sides and will deliver its judgment at...

ActionSA has tabled the Election Integrity Bill, aimed at regulating political opinion polling to protect the integrity of South Africa's electoral democracy. The proposed legislation seeks to prevent the dissemination of unverifiable or manipulated data and ensure transparency in political polling. Currently, South Africa lacks specific laws governing political opinion polling, unlike countries s...

The South African Weather Service has dismissed allegations of corruption and governance failure as "unfounded" and "misleading". The entity is currently engaged in a wage dispute with a labour union operating within the organisation, which SAWS says is behind some of the claims. The entity's Executive Management is accused of procurement manipulation, financial mismanagement, unchecked executive...

Members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) are staging a sit-in at the Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre in Pretoria. The action follows the alleged victimisation of union representatives, including the suspension of the POPCRU Chairperson and intimidation of shop stewards. The union is demanding the release of arrested members, an end to intimidation and the reinstatement of it...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to carry out immediate strikes in Gaza, citing a ceasefire violation by Hamas. Netanyahu's office says Hamas returned remains to Israel that did not belong to any of the 13 unaccounted hostages, constituting a "clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement. Elvis Presslin spoke to Naeem Jeenah, Researcher at the Mapungubwe Institute...

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng says it will not beg for support in its upcoming motion of no confidence against Premier Panyaza Lesufi. The motion stems from the failed Amapanyaza crime prevention programme in the province, which the DA says was poorly planned and unlawful. Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, Crezane Bosch

The Labour Court has ruled in favour of workers at ArcelorMittal South Africa, ordering the company to reinstate employees who were unfairly retrenched. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, NUMSA, took the company to court after ArcelorMittal proceeded with dismissals despite ongoing negotiations with the Industrial Development Corporation to purchase the company. The court has orde...

The Socio-Economic Right Institute of South Africa (SERI) is taking the City of Johannesburg to court today over the removal of informal traders in parts of the city. In recent weeks, the municipality has implemented its clean-up and by-law enforcement programme as part of reclaiming the city. The initiative has also seen City officials embarking on a new registration system aimed at regulating th...

The GOOD Party has laid criminal charges against Western Cape MECs and senior officials for allegedly tabling falsely balanced provincial budgets ahead of last year's general election. The party claims the MECs presented a rosy picture of the province's finances, only to later declare a R3.8 billion budget shortfall. A dossier of evidence has been submitted to the police and the party says this is...

NotInMyName International is calling for justice after two cousins, Tshiamo and Baleseng Moramaga were shot dead in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, on Sunday morning. The organisation is demanding a swift and transparent investigation into the brutal murder and is calling for increased police patrols and support for the affected community. This latest incident has reignited concerns about gender-based vio...

Elvis Presslin takes 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

Eight former ActionSA councillors in Johannesburg are heading to court to challenge their removal from the City council. They claim their dismissal was procedurally flawed and politically motivated. The matter will be heard in the High Court tomorrow (Tuesday). The councillors argue that ActionSA ignored their rights by proceeding with replacement processes despite receiving cease and desist lette...

The Gauteng Provincial Government will today launch "Tswa Daar!", a massive campaign to combat substance and alcohol abuse. The initiative aims to provide support to those affected and their families, while also addressing the root causes of the problem. Multidisciplinary teams will be deployed across the province to offer assistance and a central database will be created to track substance abuse...

The Activists and Citizens Forum is questioning the lack of arrests in the Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal, despite the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) identifying suspects and confiscating assets. Over R2 billion in corruption has been allegedly stolen at the hospital, with syndicates working with corrupt officials to manipulate the tender system. The Forum is calling on the Investigation Di...

The National Freedom Party says it has lost confidence in KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli. The party is citing financial mismanagement and lack of transparency in the Government of Provincial Unity. The party says the current administration has failed to deliver on its promises, and it's time for a new approach. The NFP suggests allowing the MK Party to take a leading role in future governance,...

South Africa has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list after a 32-month period. The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has welcomed the decision, citing a concerted effort by various role players to address identified deficiencies and implement necessary reforms. The country was placed on the list in February 2023 by the global terror-funding watchdog for failure to detect...

The Independent Financial Advisors Forum has rejected the Democratic Alliance's "Economic Inclusion for All Bill", calling it a attempt to erase the role of race in South Africa's history of exclusion. IFAF argues that B-BBEE has made measurable gains in dismantling apartheid's economic legacy, citing the growth of the black middle class and increased access to skills development. The Forum is cal...

Today is World Polio Day, marking global efforts to eradicate poliomyelitis. Despite progress, the fight against polio continues, with vaccination campaigns and community engagement playing a crucial role. The World Health Organization's European Region was declared polio-free in 2002 and has maintained this status since. Elvis Presslin will be discussing the importance of polio vaccination and th...

The United Democratic Movement, UDM has raised concern about the rapid growth of the online betting industry. The party warns that gambling has become a mechanism of mass economic extraction that drains households and deepens poverty. The UDM is particularly concerned about reports of students using their National Student Financial Aid Scheme allowances to gamble online. The UDM is demanding that...

Elvis Presslin takes 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

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts, SCOPA is pushing for changes to the Road Accident Fund Act to require visitors to have medical insurance, similar to European Union visa requirements. Currently, anyone injured in a non-fault accident can claim from the fund, regardless of nationality. A new Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament by the end of the yea...

The Judiciary has expressed concern over testimony at the Madlanga Commission, alleging a R2.5 million bribe was paid to Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba to secure bail for alleged criminal cartel member Katiso Molefe. Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba denies receiving any money and has declined special leave. Elvis Presslin spoke to Mbekezeli Benjamin, Researcher and Advocacy officer at...

ActionSA has condemned the recent Westbury shooting that claimed two lives, calling it part of an alarming wave of violence linked to gangsterism. The party is urging the South African Police Service to launch a specialised pilot operation in affected areas, including Westbury and surrounding communities in Johannesburg. ActionSA says urgent action is needed to address the exploitation of children...