First Take SA

A young alleged fraudster is facing various charges of fraud after convincing South Africa's apex security cluster NatJoints he is a diplomat. 24 year old Nhlanhla Sizani allegedly misrepresented himself as a UN ambassador or diplomat and was escorted around by police to polling stations as an observer during the 2021 local government elections. Sizani faces charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering...

The Chris Hani District Municipality, in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and the Chris Hani Development Agency, is hosting a delegation from Egypt to discuss the planned provincial Fertilizer Blending Plant, among other things. The delegation will be joining South Africa's ambassador to Egypt, Ntsiki Mashimbye, as part of the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustai...

The Reserve bank's monetary policy committee is expected to announce its decision on interest rates this afternoon. This comes as data released by Statistics South Africa shows that consumer price inflation moderated from five-point-five percent in November, to five-point-one percent in December 2023. Inflation averaged six-percent in 2023, lower than six-point-nine percent in 2022. Elvis Presslin...

Tensions ran high outside the Groblersdal Magistrate's Court in Limpopo yesterday after two suspects appeared on charges of assault, believed to be racially motivated. A father and stepson were arrested for allegedly assaulting a black security guard and setting a dog on him for reportedly being drunk on duty. A group of Groblersdal residents showed up to the court carrying apartheid flags and blo...

Labour federation COSATU is requesting an urgent meeting with parliament to discuss challenges facing workers. This as 6,000 postal workers face pending retrenchments while some SABC staff have yet to receive a wage increase in three years. COSATU has since written to various committees in parliament to intervene on matters concerning workers. Elvis Presslin spoke to Cosatu General Secretary, Soll...

The first phase of a project to secure the future of wild vulture populations in Southern  Africa has been successfully completed, with 160 Cape and African White-backed vultures settled into their new home at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, in the Eastern Cape. In what is said to be the largest relocation of vultures ever undertaken, the birds were transported over one thousand kilometres from Vul...

The EFF in Tshwane is threatening to approach the court in a bid to force the City of Tshwane to account to what happened to the R67-million revamp project for the Caledonian Soccer Stadium in Pretoria. Meanwhile, Several civic organisations and political parties will march to Tshwane House to highlight the alleged lack of service delivery in black communities. The group will be lead by Civid Orga...

The Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing into suspended High Court Judge Nana Makhubele's conduct continues today in Johannesburg. This after a request by her lawyers for another postponement was denied. Makhubele is being investigated following a complaint filed by civil society organisation, #UniteBehind. The organisation alleges that Makhubele violated the separation of powers principle by being b...

A witness in the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into the Marshalltown fire that killed 77 people has admitted to setting the building ablaze. The man says he was trying to cancel a murder by setting the body alight, when the incident took place. Although the man has admitted to the act under oath, his testimony will not be used in court or as part of any other criminal investigation. To further di...

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola will release the matric results for inmates nationally. Minister Lamola will also award top performing inmates and teachers across correctional centres who are hard at work transferring skills to inmates. Earlier, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said it is commendable that more than 130 of the 900-thousand matric candidates...

Prospective students are reportedly being denied admission Into Universities and TVET colleges due to limited capacity and delays in the disbursement of NSFAS allowances. Scores of first year students were reportedly unable to register nor pay for accommodation due to delayed funding. But the National Student Financial Aid Scheme claims to have paid just under half of last year's outstanding allow...

Gauteng police are still searching for suspects after five men were stoned to death by angry community members in a suspected mob attack at Rabie Ridge in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg. The deceased were accused of being behind several criminal activities in the community of Kanana. Police have urged the public not to take the law into their own hands as this also constitutes to a crime, but rathe...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with 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

The murder of Senzo Meyiwa was a contract killing, as opposed to a robbery gone wrong. This according to an affidavit read in court by lead investigator in the Meyiwa case Bongani Gininda, who is currently under cross-examination. Former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was gunned down in 2014 at singer Kelly Khumalo's house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni. Five men are currently on trial for the crime...

The leader of Rise Mzansi Songezo Zibi says key priorities for the party is to put in place capable leaders, end to cadre deployment and fix the government's finances. Zibi outlined his party's offering, dubbed the People's Manifesto, to approximately four thousand party supporters over the weekend in Pretoria. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Rise Mzansi Strategic Campaign Advisor, Khume...

uMkhonto WeSizwe Party's Bonginkosi Khanyile has assured its supporters that former president Jacob Zuma will be the face of the party in the upcoming general elections. Zuma has previously said that he will campaign and vote for the party which currently has an acting president. Khanyile was addressing supporters at the party's rally in Malamulele, Limpopo where he also accused the IEC of prevent...

More than 150 people have been displaced and several have been injured after a residential building caught fire yesterday, claiming the lives of two people. It's alleged a woman sprayed paraffin on one of the shacks and set it alight. A woman has been arrested by the police for allegedly starting the fire. The City of Johannesburg says they are in the process of reclaiming hijacked and non-complia...

A 41 year old taxi owner was arrested for his alleged involvement in taxi violence, extortion, and other crimes in the Amathole District municipality. He was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition, and is suspected to be involved in similar crimes outside the province. Eastern Cape Province police say they have increased their deployment of specialised units to combat a recent spike...

The news of an upcoming auction, featuring the late statesman, tata Nelson Mandela's personal items including his green ID book has stirred controversy and criticism among South Africans. This as the South African Heritage Resources Agency says it will appeal the ruling of the High Court in Pretoria. Last month, the court allowed Madiba's daughter Makaziwe Mandela to auction some of his personal b...

City of Johannesburg says it is in the process of reclaiming hijacked and non-compliant buildings in the Johannesburg inner city. This, after a residential building caught fire in the Johannesburg CBD on yesterday morning, claiming the lives of two people.  The two-story building had been partitioned by shacks. It's alleged a woman sprayed paraffin on one of the shacks and set it alight. Elvis Pre...

With matric results released countrywide, concerns about South Africa's higher education system and its ability to prepare graduates for employment remain high. While universities hold limited capacity, high drop-out rates and a 33% unemployment rate for graduates paint a stark picture.  To discuss these issues Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of iFundi, Stefan Lauber

A group calling itself SA Citizens will today march to the South African Home Affairs in Pretoria to submit a memorandum of recommendations on the overhauling of the country's immigration laws. The group comprises of residents who say they do not affiliate to any political organisation. For more on this Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Convener and Chairperson of SA Citizens, Zweli Ndaba

The DA says it categorically rejects the claims for member Ghaleb Cachalia has manufactured in an attempt to justify his resignation, including his mischaracterisation of the party's position on the war in Gaza. Former DA MP Ghaleb Cachalia resignned yesterday saying the leadership of the DA has become increasingly uncomfortable with his public utterances over the past few months. He says the matt...

The Free State is the leading province regarding the matric results, with 89 per cent, an increase of zero-point-five per cent from 2022. KwaZulu-Natal, which is the third best improved province, has achieved 86-point-four per cent up from three-point-four per cent while the Gauteng pass rate is at 85-point-four per cent with a one per cent improvement. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to the MEC of the d...

Sebenzile Nkambule looks 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...