First Take SA

African Bank has started formal consultations with union Sasbo over a restructuring that could cut 1,200 jobs and close 90 branches. The bank says costs are outpacing risk-adjusted revenue, and it has already looked at savings in IT, procurement and property. Interim CEO Zweli Manyathi says no final decisions have been made and the bank will work with the union through the Section 189A process. El...

The Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB has voiced strong concern over reports of people facing discrimination based on the languages they speak during ongoing anti-immigration protests. PanSALB stresses that while illegal immigration needs addressing, no one should be targeted or suspected simply because of their accent or mother tongue. CEO Dr. Keaobaka Seshoka pointed out that in Africa,...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to officiate a R10.4 billion investment by Toyota South Africa Motors in Durban, focused on cleaner energy and new automotive technologies. This comes as global automakers, including Volkswagen, face mounting pressure to cut costs, with potential job losses on the horizon. The developments raise important questions about economic transformation, labour impacts, and...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has granted the National Prosecuting Authority leave to appeal the acquittal of Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused on charges including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking. The trio were cleared by the Gqeberha High Court in 2024 after the state failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. This latest development reopens complex legal questions around prosec...

After years of complaints over service delivery, the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement will contest November's local elections. The civic group says it's time to move from protest to power in Durban. But can a civic movement successfully transition into political power? To answer this and Elvis Presslin spoke to the movement's Chairperson, Asad Gaffar, to discuss their plans...

The Madlanga Commission will subpoena doctors who issued medical certificates to North West businessman Sulieman Carrim. Evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson told the commission Carrim was allegedly seen at a Western Cape shopping centre while seeking a postponement on medical grounds. Witnesses have come forward and video footage will be presented to the Commission today in this respect. F...

 The National Union of Mineworkers has condemned De Beers' decision to suspend production at Venetia Mine for two years. The company has also started Section 189A retrenchment proceedings, placing 1,214 workers at risk of job losses. NUM says the move is a severe blow to employees, families and surrounding communities and that the company should have consulted workers earlier. We're now joine...

Concerns are mounting at the Public Investment Corporation after the suspension of CEO Patrick Dlamini and Chief Investment Officer August van Heerden. The DA says the removals expose deep dysfunction at the state asset manager responsible for public pension funds. The party is now calling for urgent parliamentary intervention to restore accountability and stability at the PIC. We speak next to th...

More than ten years after the Lily Mine collapse, the bodies of Pretty Nkambule, Solomon Nyirenda and Yvonne Mnisi are still underground. Their families say they continue to wait for closure and answers. ActionSA is leading a picket outside the National Prosecuting Authority in Pretoria today, calling for justice and accountability. The party says the delays have deepened the families' pain and er...

The EFF says it has written to Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela after allegedly finding four middleman companies are still working for NSFAS despite claims they were terminated. The party says NSFAS could be paying over R220 million a year in fees to the companies, based on R1.1 billion paid out in one 2026 payment cycle. EFF MP Sihle Lonzi says that money should go to students instead, and...

The MK Party is dismissing the Ad Hoc Committee's preliminary SAPS report as an attempt to shield the Government of National Unity. Committee members themselves say the second draft omits critical information. The panel was set up to probe allegations of criminal infiltration and political interference raised last July by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. For more on this, we're joined now by...

The Western Cape High Court will hear President Cyril Ramaphosa's urgent application today and tomorrow to halt Parliament's Section 89 impeachment proceedings. The President wants the process suspended while he reviews the Independent Panel report that found a prima facie case against him over Phala Phala. Parliament's Impeachment Committee says it will oppose the bid today, with Chairperson Maka...

In late June, public health experts warned that an unlawful anti-migrant deadline could spark a crisis, and that warning has now become reality. Within days, tens of thousands of people were displaced by violence or its threat and processed through sites like Musina and the Beitbridge border post. Despite the South African government's rapid response, serious concerns remain about overcrowding, po...

A South African court has handed down judgment in the extradition case of Zimbabwean activist Wellington Masiwa, also known as Comrade Nyoka-yema-bhunu. Masiwa is a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa but Zimbabwe says the request relates to fraud charges and not politics. The case has sparked debate over extradition law, political asylum and the protection of activists in South Africa. I...

The Madlanga Commission has hit another delay after IDAC Head Advocate Andrea Johnson was rushed to hospital yesterday. Her legal team submitted a medical certificate, while North West businessman Suliman Carrim will also miss Wednesday's sitting as he continues to receive treatment reportedly outside Gauteng. Suspended Deputy Crime Intelligence Head Major-General Feroz Khan and Mike van der Walt...

The Public Investment Corporation board has placed its Chief Executive Patrick Dlamini on precautionary suspension. The move follows a dispute over the Lanseria Airport investment and allegations that Dlamini appointed PwC for a forensic probe without board approval. Businessman Kagiso Matjila has also filed a R900-million damages claim against Dlamini personally. The PIC, which manages about R3.6...

Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede has officially joined the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. Gumede will serve as the party's deputy convener in KwaZulu-Natal. MK Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo described her as a committed and experienced leader who will strengthen the party's structures in the province. Gumede was mayor from 2016 to 2019 and still faces corruption charges linked to the Durban Soli...

The South African Medical Association Trade Union, SAMATU says government must immediately employ hundreds of unemployed South African doctors who remain jobless while the public health system is understaffed. The union says the move is urgent to ease pressure on hospitals and address what it calls an injustice against local graduates. This comes as ActionSA raises concerns over Gauteng Health rep...

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

The Democratic Alliance, DA has stepped up its fight against child rape by calling for a national probe into government departments that are failing to report and investigate cases. The party submitted evidence to the South African Human Rights Commission showing weak compliance with compulsory reporting laws, especially when pregnant girls under 16 appear in hospitals. We spoke to Angel Khanyile,...

The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has rejected allegations that she helped family members get jobs in the public service. Her deputy Steve Letsike is also facing similar allegations. In a statement, Chikunga called the reports false and misleading, saying all public service appointments follow a legal recruitment process managed by a...

The Madlanga Commission is set for a pivotal week, with Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson due to testify today. Senior IDAC investigator Brian Padayachee is also expected to appear this week. Johnson will respond to recent allegations questioning IDAC's conduct and independence, including claims she interfered in an assault case involving suspended Cri...

A three-day inquest into the death of Anele Tembe starts this morning at the Cape Town Magistrate's Court.  The court will hear evidence on how Tembe died after falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in April 2021.  Proceedings will also determine whether anyone can be held legally responsible and if further legal action should follow.  At the time of her death, Tembe w...

Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Ricardo Mackenzie has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of footballer Jayden Adams and young rugby player Luqobo Makwedini. Mackenzie said the pair's passing is a huge blow to their families, teammates and South African sport as a whole. He highlighted how both athletes inspired many young people through their talent and dedication. We spoke...

Solidarity has hit the City of Tshwane with a letter of demand after officials placed City Manager Johann Mettler on precautionary suspension. The union says the move came despite a detailed 18-page response they submitted on his behalf and looks like a politically motivated witch-hunt. Deputy Chief Executive Anton van der Bijl called the process unlawful and unconstitutional, warning the metro fa...