First Take SA

Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana has resigned. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan confirmed Makwana's resignation in a statement yesterday. Makwana will leave the power utility at the end of this month. Current Eskom board member Mteto Nyathi will assume the role. Elvis Presslin spoke to Energy expert, Professor Sampson Mamphweli

The Western Cape High Court has ruled that the original inquest into the death anti-apartheid activist, Imam Abdullah Haron, be set aside. This after the court found six former apartheid security police officers responsible for the Muslim Cleric's murder. A 1970 inquest found that Haron died after falling down a flight of stairs. A new inquest found Haron's death was not accidental and that the ac...

Elvis Presslin discusses the 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 Department of Health has called on communities and organisations to create an enabling environment for people to openly discuss mental health challenges and share experiences to help break down barriers. This as health Minister, Dr. Joe Phaahla, will today lead the World Mental Health Day commemorative event in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Dudu Shiba, Dire...

The African Christian Democratic Party says it will be joining the Multi-Party Charter that is being spear-headed by the DA. The party says it has joined the charter since it was made clear when the party was approached that the initiative is not a coalition of some sorts. The ACDP says it is still against any formation of coalitions before elections. To discuss this further we are joined on the l...

The relatives of six soldiers killed in a fire at a military camp, in the Northern Cape are expected to identify their bodies from today. A wild fire swept through the Lohatla Military Combat Training Centre killing troops who were part of a military exercise named Vukuhlome. Three other soldiers remain in hospital after sustaining severe burns. The South African National Defence Force has since r...

Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for a gang of armed men who shot and killed a young preacher during his sermon to church congregants, in Newlands, Johannesburg. Prophet Dwayne Gordon was a guest speaker at the Eagles Christian Centre when he was shot by six armed men who stormed the church. Three other church congregants were also wounded in the incident. The shooting was captured during a...

Hundreds have been killed and scores others injured, in the latest escalation of violence in the Israeli-Palestine conflict. The latest retaliatory strikes by the two countries follows a surprise attack at the weekend by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Israel has since declared a state of war as battles with the Palestinian group rages on. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Rolene Marks, Spokesp...

Newly established political party Rise Mzansi will today host its three-day People's Convention at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. The party will outline how its policies will address the socio-economic challenges facing the country. Rise Mzansi - which was launched this year, has joined the list of political parties contesting in next year's general elections. Elvis Presslin spoke with Rise Mzan...

The Gauteng Health Department says its outbreak response teams are monitoring various communities after two more children died of alleged food poisoning. Two schoolchildren died after consuming snacks bought at a taxi rank in Bekkersdal, in the West Rand. The latest incident follows the deaths of two Soweto boys who died after consuming food from a local spaza shop. Elvis Presslin spoke to Motalat...

Africa Brief 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... TALKING POINTS: *** US billionaires team up with Africa's richest man to back $500 million Africa-focused fund *** Climate activists plan to boycott Standard Bank over fossil fuel  investments ***T...

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of breaching the equality clause in the Constitution by overlooking Deputy Chief Justice, Mandisa Maya, for the position of Chief Justice. Earlier this year, former President Zuma approached the Pretoria High Court in a bid to have Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo's appointment reversed. The President appointed Zondo as Chief Justice in A...

Renowned paediatrician, anti-apartheid activist and HIV/AIDS expert, Professor Hoosen "Jerry" Coovadia has been laid to rest. The 83-year-old Emeritus Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal died on Tuesday at his La Lucia home in Durban North. Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Anna Coutsoudis, Professor Emeritus in Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN and a v...

Today is World Teachers' Day, also known as International Teachers Day. Teachers Day is held annually on the fifth of October. Since its set up in 1994, the day celebrates the marking of the "teaching in Freedom" in 1996. In commemoration of this day, we will look at the role of teacher unions in South Africa when it comes to issues pertaining to teachers. Elvis Presslin spoke to Nomusa Cembi, Nat...

The City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Eskom are in another tussle over the two municipalities' electricity bills. Tshwane owes Eskom 3.2 billion Rand which has accumulated over July and August 2023 due to erratic payments. The two Municipalities jointly owe Eskom 4.7 billion Rand. Ekurhuleni's current bill stands at 1.5 Billion Rand. Elvis Presslin spoke to Ekurhuleni Municipality's Group Chief Fina...

The ANC Youth League in KwaZulu Natal is today expected to march to the Umgeni municipality to protest against the DA's Premier candidate Chris Pappas. The ANC is calling for his arrest, following allegations of corruption and nepotism. Earlier, the municipality obtained an interdict against the Youth League in the Pietermaritzburg High Court prohibiting a protest aimed at shutting down the town o...

The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service has begun its work in developing a new National Policing Policy for the country, as per the instruction of Police Minister Bheki Cele. The Secretariat says the National Policing Policy will feed into the South African Police Service Amendment Act, which aims to improve Policing across South Africa. Public consultations are currently underway where provin...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is today expected to officially launch the Border Management Authority in Musina, Limpopo. The launch is to strengthen, facilitate and manage the legitimate movement of persons and trade across South Africa's ports of entry. The country's borders have been characterised by poor controls and weak management - which has seen a rise in cross-border criminal activities and su...

The Economic Freedom Fighters, EFF are taking Parliament to court to challenge the Ethics committee's punitive action against its deputy president, Floyd Shivambu. This after the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests found Shivambu guilty for failure to disclose payments totalling R180,000 from Sgameka Projects - a company owned by his brother, Brian Shivambu. For more on...

South Africans will be paying more at the pumps from today. This after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced a fuel price hike which came into effect at midnight. Motorists will be paying more than R1 for all grades of fuel with Diesel expected to see an increase of between R1,96 to R1,93 per litre. But will the taxi industry refrain from fare increases despite rising fuel costs...

Some residents in the City of Tshwane Metro have threatened to boycott paying their municipal rates, citing poor service delivery, mainly in townships. Residents say they see no point in paying for services that they do not receive. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to the Chairperson of Lotus Atteridgeville Saulsville Civic Association, Tshepo Mahlangu

Police Minister Bheki Cele is challenging Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics which found him guilty of violating its code of ethical conduct for members of Parliament. Cele was found guilty of breaching the code after yelling "shut up" at anti-crime activist Ian Cameron during a police Imbizo in Gugulethu, Cape Town last year. This after Cameron interrupted Cele's speech accusing him of failin...

October is International Spine Awareness month, while October 16th is observed annually as World Spine Day to raise awareness of spinal health. Research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 80 percent of people will suffer from back or neck pain during their lives. Spinal disorders, such as back pain, neck pain, and disc disease are common, and they can have a profound effect on...

The Democratic Alliance has welcomed Parliamentary findings against EFF deputy President Floyd Shivambu. An Ethics Committee report found Shivambu guilty of violating the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members' Interests, for failure to disclose payments he allegedly received from the now-defunct VBS bank. The DA laid a complaint with the Committee in 2018 and again in 2019 when allegat...

The African National Congress and Economic Freedon Fighters in KwaZulu-Natal are calling for action to be taken against Umngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas for alleged nepotism. Former DA provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu wrote to the public protector to investigate allegations that Pappas' former fiancée was given R100 000 in funding for his tourism business by the Umngeni Municipality. To furth...