First Take SA

The National Prosecuting Authority is expected in court this week to unconditionally withdraw all fraud and corruption charges against Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and his seven co-accused. Prosecutors are currently pushing for an expedited court date this week to formally throw out the case ahead of their scheduled September reappearance. The dramatic U-turn comes after NPA head Advoc...

Civil rights group AfriForum and community movement March and March have launched a joint grassroots initiative to address alleged government service failures across South Africa. Following high-level talks in Pretoria, the organizations agreed to bypass state incompetence by pooling resources for community safety and local legal challenges. We spoke to AfriForum CEO, Kallie Kriel.

Organized criminal syndicates are using sophisticated, tech-driven scams to target consumers and businesses across South Africa. The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service says it flagged R7.4 billion in potential fraud losses last year, a 47 percent increase on 2024. Its annual report shows 131 million checks on the fraud database, with voice-phishing, fake documents and money mule networks no...

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology has shut down all its campuses and ordered the evacuation of student residences following an arson attack at its Bellville campus. The move comes amid growing tensions over proposed financial clearance and registration requirements for 2027, which many students argue could lock out thousands who are already struggling financially. While university manage...

The Competition Tribunal yesterday heard oral arguments on Harith Aviation's proposed acquisition of SAfair Holdings. The deal would give Harith ownership of South Africa's largest domestic airline, FlySafair. The Competition Commission recommended in July that the merger be approved, subject to conditions. The Tribunal also heard submissions from airline CemAir, before it makes a final decision o...

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

Sugar workers in South Africa have gone back on strike after wage talks between FAWU and the Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Employers Association collapsed. The Food and Allied Workers Union is demanding a 13 percent wage increase, plus housing, transport and medical aid improvements. Employers have tabled a five-point-four percent increase, with another zero-point-six percent linked to a tariff...

Defenders of the People (DOP) has raised alarm over a long-standing housing crisis affecting approximately 300 households in Winnie Mandela Section, Olifantsfontein, where multiple families have allegedly been allocated to a single residential stand, creating overcrowding, conflict and uncertainty. The party says generations of residents have been forced to live under a controversial "two-in-one"...

The Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni, will hold a press conference today on the Spaza Shop Support Fund. She is expected to give an update on application processing and support to qualifying South African-owned spaza shops. The briefing follows a Portfolio Committee hearing which heard only R57 million of the R500 million fund has been disbursed to 930 shops so far. The Minis...

Community organization Movement For CARE has launched The Cost Of CARE campaign opposing a proposed barrier in Cape Town. The group says money earmarked for the wall should instead fund housing, basic services and safer public spaces. A public launch will be held at Cissie Gool House in Woodstock on Wednesday. We spoke to Nkosikhona Swaartbooi, Coordinator for the Movement For Collective Action an...

Solidarity has welcomed the US Senate's approval of a two-year extension of AGOA to December 2028, saying its recent Washington delegation helped secure support. The extension still needs House approval and the President's signature but no major obstacles are expected.   Solidarity's Head of Public Liaison, Jaco Kleynhans says the deal gives certainty to South African exporters and workers, b...

The 46th SADC Summit continues in Durban, KwaZulu Natal today. President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting and chairing under the theme of industrialization, infrastructure, agriculture and critical minerals. The summit comes amid tensions in South Africa over recent deportations and perceived rising anti-foreigner sentiment. Leaders are expected to discuss migration, trade and regional stability. We spo...

Zimbabwe is continuing to mourn the victims of the Lake Kariba ferry tragedy, with a memorial service held at Nyamhunga Stadium in Kariba town as families and the wider community grapple with the loss of at least 44 lives. The government-operated ferry capsized on Tuesday after reportedly encountering strong waves in bad weather. Official records indicate that at least 119 passengers and crew were...

The Special Investigating Unit will now probe nearly R4 billion in contracts between Khumzi Investments and the Eastern Cape Department of Education. UDM leader, General Bantu Holomisa wrote to the Auditor-General and Parliament, flagging R3.4 billion allegedly spent on travel and accommodation over five years. He says 1,317 payments worth R336 million were made to the company in 2025 alone, while...

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature's Community Safety Committee meets today in Sandton to examine the management of Community Policing Forums and community patrollers. The session follows claims of intimidation, threats of contract termination and interference with patrollers' right to freedom of association. Committee Chairperson Dr. Bandile Masuku says they will hear directly from affected group...

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

EFF leader Julius Malema is set to face criminal prosecution after the National Prosecuting Authority agreed to charge him with crimen injuria. The case relates to comments he made in April 2025 in which he accused a former Bergview College principal of raping a seven-year-old girl, a matter the NPA previously declined to prosecute due to lack of evidence. AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit...

South Africa is facing more than 27,000 vacant teaching posts, even as thousands of qualified teachers remain unemployed. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube told Parliament the national vacancy rate stood at 7% as of June 2026, with the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng hit hardest. The department says a PERSAL vacancy does not always mean an empty classroom, with provinces using tempor...

The Madlanga Commission has heard that 149 people were killed in 77 incidents involving police task teams in KwaZulu-Natal over three years. IPID Deputy Director for Investigations, Len John told the Commission the deaths relate to Cash-in-Transit, taxi violence and drug unit operations in the province. John described the shootings as extra-judicial killings and alleged officers delay calling IPID...

South Africa's latest employment figures have once again raised alarm over the country's jobs crisis. Statistics South Africa's second-quarter 2026 Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows the official unemployment rate rising to 33.6%, with 345,000 more people joining the ranks of the unemployed, while total employment fell to around 16.7 million. RISE Mzansi argues that these figures are evidence tha...

The City of Johannesburg says it cannot directly employ 385 casual Pikitup workers because they are contracted through a service provider. Deputy Mayor Loyiso Masuku says the City has a Service Level Agreement with that company and negotiations are ongoing to resolve the waste collection strike that has left rubbish piling up across the city. 

Parliament says its ICT records do not support claims by National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams that his parliamentary laptop was persistently faulty for 18 months. Mr Adams told the Madlanga Commission yesterday the device had repeatedly frozen and delayed his access to correspondence. Parliament spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo elaborates. We also spoke to Dr. Bongani Nkosi, Criminal Law expert...

The Government is proposing sweeping changes to close loopholes in mining law with harsher penalties for illegal operations. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says the General Mining Laws Amendment Bill will make illicit mining and related activities criminal offences. The bill proposes fines of up to R100 million and jail terms of up to 30 years and amends the Diamonds Act, Precious Metals Act an...

The National Employers' Association of South Africa, NEASA has raised concern over unannounced blitz inspections at businesses by some Ministers, Deputy Ministers and politicians with camera crews. The employers' body says only labour inspectors and immigration officers are permitted to enter premises to enforce labour, immigration and workplace safety laws. This follows reports of politicians det...

The Democratic Alliance is calling for due process following the arrest of Patriotic Alliance Cape Town mayoral candidate Cheslyn Daniels and his wife Deveney for alleged assault. Police detained the pair over allegations of assault involving Daniels' former wife. The DA says no political office should place anyone above the law and is questioning the PA's candidate selection ahead of local electi...