First Take SA

The Department of Electricity and Energy has intervened in the ongoing debt dispute between Eskom and the City of Johannesburg, bringing in an independent mediator to resolve the issue. The debt has ballooned to billions, according to Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) will compile a technical report on the debt crisis t...

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

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko has expressed deep concern regarding Minister Solly Malatsi's decision to withdraw the SABC Bill from Parliament. Minister Malatsi reportedly cites flaws in the bill's funding model and excessive powers granted to him in board appointments as reasons for withdrawal. Elvis Presslin spoke to Diko...

Disgruntled truck drivers will embark on a nationwide shutdown today. South African truck drivers are raising concern about the continuous employment of foreign drivers. The All Truck Drivers Forum Alliance South Africa is accusing trucking companies of sidestepping local workers by employing foreign nationals at lower wages to boost profits. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Sifundiso Beja...

South African municipalities are set to enforce by-laws governing spaza shops following a surge in food-borne illnesses that has claimed 23 lives and affected 441 people since January. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi met with municipal officials over the weekend to discuss the implementation of new by-laws to regulate informal food retailers. Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson, Vuyo Mhaga spoke to Elv...

ActionSA is intensifying its push for a comprehensive investigation into the tenure of former Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, following his dismissal as MMC for Community Development on fraud charges. Gwamanda stands accused of defrauding vulnerable individuals through a funeral scheme and faces scrutiny over his academic qualifications. To shed more light on this development, Elvis Presslin s...

The South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Danny Jordaan is facing mounting pressure as #Notinmyname International calls for his resignation pending the resolution of criminal charges against him. Jordaan has been accused of fraud and theft, with allegations amounting to R1.3 million. He is accused of employing a communications company to improve his image after former ANC MP Jennife...

The Right2Protest Project (R2P) has condemned Mozambique's ongoing internet shutdown, labeling it a grave violation of democracy and human rights. R2P, A coalition championing the right to peaceful protest, argues that cutting off internet access is an outright violation of freedom of expression and assembly, rights firmly enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The country...

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has responded to the recent resignation of former Chairperson Advocate Dali Mpofu, who has announced his departure from the party to join Umkhonto We Sizwe. Speaking on the social media platform X, Malema hinted that at least two more senior EFF leaders are likely to leave soon. Despite this, Malema confidently declared that the EFF remains resi...

In a stunning turn of events, Donald Trump has secured the 2024 US presidential election, defeating Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. This marks Trump's return to the nation's highest office four years after losing the 2020 election. Despite facing numerous challenges, including two presidential impeachments, a criminal conviction, and multiple criminal charges, Trump's campaign resonated with t...

A suspected foodborne illness outbreak has struck Tamaho Primary School in Katlehong, Gauteng, affecting 110 learners who consumed samp. 98 learners have been discharged, while 12 remain under medical care. Since February 2024, there have been 207 reported cases, resulting in 10 tragic deaths, mostly in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Sedibeng districts. In response to the growing crisis, t...

South Africa's Lebombo border post, a critical trade gateway with Mozambique, has partially reopened after a brief closure due to violent protests over Mozambique's election outcomes. The unrest, which saw buildings and vehicles torched, prompted the Border Management Authority to shut down the port of entry. The freight sector, heavily reliant on this border post, is still reeling from the disrup...

A group of 10 ousted MK Party parliamentarians are heading to court to freeze the party's accounts and claim compensation for lost income. The group claims to have previously paid a portion of their salaries into party president Jacob Zuma's personal account. Legal expert, Nthabiseng Dubazana, at Dubazana Attorneys unpacks the latest developments with Elvis Presslin

The widow of renowned Cape Town detective Charl Kinnear, Nicolette, has expressed outrage over the Independent Police Investigative Directorate's (IPID) decision to declassify its report on her husband's murder without notifying the family. The report, previously top-secret, implicates several high-ranking police officials in Kinnear's tragic 2020 shooting. Elvis Presslin spoke to Mrs. Kinnear, to...

As South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy, Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie,  led a 2 day National Language Stakeholder Engagement Forum in Pretoria. This two-day forum brought together key figures in the promotion of indigenous languages, exploring the challenges and opportunities of language development nationwide. Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) CEO, Lance...

The FBI yesterday warned Americans about two new fake videos falsely citing terror threats and voter fraud in the latest in a string of disinformation that officials expect will intensify during US elections. This as the world watches closely as voters choose between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump in one of the most fiercely contested US presidential electio...

In Mozambique, protests rage on as citizens express mounting frustration over last month's election results. Rights groups report that since the October 9 election claimed by the ruling Frelimo party security forces have killed at least 18 people amid the unrest. The opposition has rejected the results, sparking multiple waves of protests across the southern African nation, most of which have been...

The Lebombo Port of Entry has been temporarily closed due to safety concerns on the Mozambican side, following reports of vehicles being torched. Dr. Michael Masiapato, Commissioner of the Border Management Authority says the closure is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of travelers and transporters. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mmemme Mogotsi  Deputy Assistant Commissioner...

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has sharply criticized a costly, mismanaged training program by the Department of Defense that has left many students stranded. Of the 108 students sent to Cuba for studies in medicine, psychology, and biomedical engineering at R2.7 million each only six medical students were accepted back at the University of Pretoria. Additionally, biomedical engineering graduate...

The Alexandra community held a meeting last night on the back of the death of a child after eating snacks from a spaza shop. Lesedi Maboi died after allegedly consuming snacks from a nearby spaza shop. Her mother is still in hospital and her sibling has been discharged after allegedly consuming the same snacks. The meeting was between community members and spaza shop landlords in the township. For...

Child maintenance defaulters who fail to pay child support will now face blacklisting. This follows a new partnership between the Department of Justice and the Social Justice Foundation. With a staggering 70% of parents defaulting on payments within the first two years of a court order, the plan is to blacklist these defaulters with credit bureaus. To elaborate further Elvis Presslin spoke to Tsek...

After months of campaigning, we have finally arrived at the week that will determine who becomes the next President of the United States. In a race that polling consistently shows as neck and neck and too close to call between U.S. Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and her rival former Republican President Donald Trump, the focus by both campaigns has almost entirely been on winning key swin...

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has acknowledged the resignation of Dondo Mogajane as chairperson and trustee of the Government Employees Pension Fund amid allegations of bribery linked to the VBS Mutual Bank collapse. Mogajane, the former Treasury Director-General, faces accusations from former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi, who claims to have paid him a R1 million bribe. Mogaja...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is challenging the Department of Home Affairs at the Constitutional Court in a bid to restore dual citizenship for South Africans. This follows a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The Appeals court declared Section 6(1)(a) of the South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 unconstitutional, a provision that previously stripped South Africans of their c...

AfriForum and over 40 organizations are gearing up for a massive protest march against the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) today. The march aims to challenge the act's contentious provisions on public schools' admissions and language policies. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel says the current format of the act poses the "biggest single challenge for Afrikaans cultural communities since 1994"....