First Take SA

The South African Reserve Bank has gazetted the 4th Variation Notice, giving Postbank the green light to generate a new secure key and replace the remaining SASSA Gold Cards with upgraded Black Cards. The announcement came during a briefing to Parliament's Social Development Committee, where the Reserve Bank also highlighted the looming expiry of the SASSA–Postbank Master Service Agreement a...

The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences system or AARTO, will come into effect on the 1st of December this year. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the proclamation in August, officially gazetting the AARTO Act. The first phase will roll out across 69 municipalities. For more on what the AARTO Act entails for motorists, Elvis Presslin spoke to Monde Mkalipi, Spokesperson for the Roa...

Suspended Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, is facing off against National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola in the Pretoria High Court today. Sibiya is challenging his July suspension, which he claims was unlawful and is seeking reinstatement to his post. The suspension stemmed from allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkh...

The farmer, Dr Koos Troskie, who is the grandfather of a suspect accused of killing and burying a person in a shallow grave at a farm in Kroonstad, told the media he, himself, killed before and he will kill again, if he is attacked on his farm. Police discovered the decomposed body of an unknown man on 20 August 2025 on a farm next to the RZ Mahabane road near Kroonstad. Allegedly, the deceased wa...

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

A heated legal battle is underway as sex workers and activists push for the decriminalization of sex work in the Western Cape High Court. The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce, alongside the Sex Worker Movement of South Africa, are challenging laws that criminalize their trade. They argue these laws violate constitutional rights. Opponents, however, are resisting the move, citing moral...

The National Union of Mineworkers is calling on Glencore and Samancor to stop looming job cuts and negotiate constructively. This follows Glencore's confirmation that it has triggered a Section 189 retrenchment process under the Labour Relations Act, effective from September 1st. The move impacts Boshoek and Wonderkop Smelters in Rustenburg, Rhovan Vanadium near Bethanie and the Carbon Division in...

The DA in Gauteng has expressed concern over Alra Park Primary School in Nigel, Ekurhuleni, where learners have missed three weeks of school due to protests over unsafe conditions. The Gauteng Department of Education has been criticized for its slow response. The DA says the 130-year-old school which was declared unsafe in 2023, still has asbestos structures and hazardous mobile classrooms. Elvis...

Former Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha has stepped aside as ANC provincial chairperson, citing unethical behaviour, misconduct and a decline in ANC values as reasons for his decision. The move comes amid ongoing disputes over procedural issues in the Vhembe and Waterberg regional conferences. Elvis Presslin spoke to SABC Politics Reporter, Samkele Maseko

NotInMyName International has condemned the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old female learner by a male teacher at Prinshof School in Pretoria. The incident came to light after the victim's father raised concerns about her declining academic performance, leading her to disclose the assault. The organisation has criticized the school's leadership for failing to ensure a safe environment for st...

The South African Communist Party, SACP has removed ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe from its Central Committee, escalating tensions within the Tripartite Alliance. The decision follows the SACP's plan to contest the 2026 local elections independently, a move that has sparked sharp debate with the ANC. Mantashe, a long-time SACP member and current Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources...

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe has criticised incoherent and populist messaging within the party, saying it confuses supporters. Speaking at the OR Tambo Region's Special Regional General Council in the Eastern Cape, Mantashe urged the ANC to strengthen its ideological and intellectual capacity to remain a leading voice for progressive change. This follows the ANC's decision to take action against...

Operation Watershed is calling for the inclusion of South Africans living abroad in the National Dialogue's Steering Committee. The civil society initiative for South Africans abroad says over one million South Africans form the Diaspora, yet remain unrecognised as a key sector. The National Dialogue, launched earlier this month under the theme "Uniting Voices, Shaping the Nation," includes 22 sec...

The South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU has expressed alarm over a new settlement between the National Energy Regulator and Eskom. The agreement grants Eskom an extra R54 billion in revenue over the Sixth Multi-Year Price Determination period. SAFTU says, while the deal corrects technical errors, it places a heavy burden on workers and poor households already struggling with austerity,...

The Western Cape Mobility Department has approached the High Court for an urgent interdict to stop ongoing violence between rival taxi associations, CATA and CODETA

SAPS has confirmed that 121 case files, previously removed from the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team, will be returned

a look at the current top African economic stories.....We are joined on the line by Victor Kgomoesoana, 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

 Nyanga residents and community activists in Cape Town will today march to Parliament to demand justice for 25-year-old Zenande Tshazibane, who was brutally raped and murdered in her Nyanga home in June 

The journalism community is mourning the loss of Tshidi Madia, a respected political journalist at Primedia Broadcasting. Madia passed away in hospital yesterday after a short illness. She was 42. Known for her fearless reporting and sharp political insight, Madia served as Associate Editor at Eyewitness News and was a familiar voice on 702, Cape Talk and KFM. Colleagues describe her as a powerhou...

Afriforum has welcomed a Cape Town Equality Court ruling that found EFF leader Julius Malema guilty of hate speech. The decision relates to a 2022 speech tied to a 2020 incident at Brackenfell High School. Judge Mark Sher ruled Malema's remarks, calling for violence against white men were meant to incite hatred. The EFF was also held co-responsible for endorsing Malema's statements. Elvis Presslin...

The civil rights group ActionSociety has launched its Decade of Decline campaign, spotlighting South Africa's soaring murder rate. Official crime stats reveal 26,232 murders in 2024, surpassing global terrorism deaths. The group says the government saying it condemns violence abroad but ignores the crisis at home is not good enough. ActionSocirty says the loss of thousands of lives annually is a t...

Five men have been summoned to appear in the Jagersfontein Magistrates Court in September following the 2022 Jagersfontein dam wall collapse. The disaster claimed three lives and caused significant property damage. After an extensive investigation, the National Prosecuting Authority has charged the suspects; employees of an engineering firm, a compliance officer and an operations manager with murd...

The 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference enters its second day in South Africa today. Law enforcement says the summit highlights the country's dedication to tackling transnational organised crime, terrorism and emerging security threats through regional and international cooperation. The conference, running until Friday, is set to produce agreements to bolster regional responses and foster th...

Businessman Collen Mashawana will today face off in court against the Daily Maverick and journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh. Mashawana is seeking an urgent gag order to halt the outlet's reports on alleged corruption tied to him and his foundation. He claims the Daily Maverick's articles are defamatory and aimed at publicly shaming him. The hearing is set to take place in the Gauteng High Court this...

The Democratic Alliance, DA will today picket outside Premier Panyaza Lesufi's Johannesburg office over the escalating crime crisis in Gauteng. The DA claims South African Police Service stations are severely under-resourced and understaffed, despite Lesufi's pledge to prioritize crime-fighting. For the latest on today's demonstrations Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Gauteng Leader & Leader of the...