First Take SA

The Section 89 panel has found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have a case to answer, pertaining to the theft on his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. The report states Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct, violated sections of the PRECCA Act, acted inconsistently with his oath of office, and exposed himself to a conflict of interest. For more on the report, Elvis Presslin spoke to Genera...

The Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Ebrahim Patel has temporarily placed a ban on the export of scrap and waste metal. The six months ban comes amidst growing concern over the impact of copper theft on the economy and infrastructure. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to GroundWork Waste Campaigner, Musa Chamane

The Gauteng education department is warning parents and aspiring students to be wary of bogus schools in the province. This was after the department shut down Milton Park English Foundation school which has been operating illegally in Ivory Park, Tembisa since 2018. The illegally-run school had been offering tuition for learners from Grade R to Grade 9, with a learner enrolment of 111 and most of...

The National Professional Teachers' Organisation, NAPTOSA has raised concern over the increasing number of sexual misconduct cases by teachers against learners. NAPTOSA says due to the disconnect between legislation and implementation, the provinces that find unethical educators guilty of offenses, do not report to the South African Council for Educators. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to...

The SACP will today protest outside Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria against the release of Chris Hani's killer Janusz Walus. The party has also filed papers with the Constitutional Court asking it to reconsider and rescind its decision to parole Walus - who was stabbed in prison yesterday, on the eve of his release. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the Central Commit...

Two suspected ATM bombing kingpins have been arrested in connection with the killing of a Tshwane metro police officer. The suspects were apprehended by the Johannesburg metro police. Meanwhile, the JMPD says it has also intensified its visibility in shopping centers across Gauteng as part of its crime prevention campaign during the festive season. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to JMPD sp...

Economists have warned that South Africa's unemployment crisis is likely to get worse next year. This is as Statistics South Africa prepares to release its latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey in Pretoria later today. The official unemployment rate was recorded at thirty-three-point-nine percent in the second quarter; however, the rate is even higher according to the expanded definition, at forty-...

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has welcomed the arrests of 16 suspects accused of swindling R2,2 million from the Fund's COVID TERS scheme. The suspects were apprehended in Gauteng and the North West province. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Commissioner, Teboho Maruping

Time to take 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

Eastern Cape ANC member Andile Lungisa has been suspended again. Lungisa, who is competing to become the ANC's next treasurer-general at the party's upcoming 55th national elective conference in December was reportedly suspended for the second time by the party's National Disciplinary Committee of Appeals. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Andile Lungisa

A Grade 12 learner has been found dead with stab wounds during a school camp at the Ben Hlongwane high school, outside Mokopane in Limpopo. Philemon Nkomo's body was found in the early hours of yesterday morning (Sunday). He had been camping with other learners at the school to prepare for exams. In another incident, a Grade 12 who reportedly left a study camp without permission at Leagathoko Seco...

As the 2023 Online Admissions placement period for Grades 1 and 8 will be ending this Wednesday, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane yesterday outlined the status of learner placements and further interventions to ensure that all learners are placed before the start of the 2023 academic year. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the National Association of School Governing Bodies Spok...

The elective conference of the ANC's Interim Regional Committee (IRC) has elected its new leadership in the trouble-torn region. The conference nominated members for the top six leadership positions, of which five were uncontested. This is as disgruntled party members in the region, who had convened a parallel conference, have officially elected their own preferred leadership, despite the Free Sta...

Botswana's government is reportedly in rigorous diplomatic negotiations to save the life of drug trafficking accused Botswana national Lesedi Molapisi. The Botswana national was arrested for allegedly flying into Bangladesh with drugs in her possession. Her father was reportedly struggling to obtain information about her circumstances but believes she is alive and awaiting a trial date. For more o...

Labour union COSATU says it supports the wage strike by employees of the South African Post Office. The union says the workers have not received any salary increase for the past two years. The union further says workers are still owed back pay for the last financial year and struggled to access their medical aid services because of the failure of the SOE to contribute to their scheme MEDIPOS. To f...

A new survey has revealed that the ANC stands to lose its majority in the 2024 general elections. Conducted by the think tank, The Brenthurst Foundation, more than three-quarters of the participants indicated their preference for a coalition government to take over from the ANC. The survey revealed that the DA is expected to get a slight increase in the number of votes. Elvis Presslin speaks to El...

Time to take 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

The government will today launch the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec. The theme for this year's launch is "Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women's Resilience against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: Connect, Collaborate, Contract". The 16 Days of activism is a United Nations campaign that takes plac...

Former mayor of the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality, Julia Mathebe, and municipal manager, Minah Maredi appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday in connection with the VBS saga. The pair were arrested for their alleged role in the illegal investment of public funds in the now-liquidated VBS Mutual Bank. The municipality invested R190 million in VBS between 2014 and...

The Constitutional Court is today expected to hear arguments from Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the DA on whether it should confirm the decision of the high court regarding Mkhwebane's suspension. The court found that Ramaphosa was conflicted when he suspended Mkhwebane because she was investigating his Phala Phala farm theft. The decision will only come into...

The South African Reserve Bank is expected to raise interest rates even further. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to announce its decision on the interest rates later this afternoon. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to UKZN School of Economics Senior Lecturer, Dr. Sanele Gumede

The latest statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele have painted a horrifying picture of violent crimes in South Africa. More than seven thousand people have been murdered between July and September 2022, with over eight hundred more people murdered, compared to the same period last year. More than ten thousand women, men, and children were raped, with the majority of rape survivors being...

Labor analyst Terry Bell says the government can afford a lot more than a 3% wage hike. This is as public service workers continue the strike across all provinces, demanding a 10% wage increase. Speaking to our Senior producer Ronald Phiri, Bell says the government is prolonging wage negotiations to buy time to force workers to accept their 3% wage offer

The Democratic Alliance has given the acting national Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Thobakgale a deadline of Friday to ensure former President Jacob Zuma returns to prison. The party's lawyers wrote to Thobakgale demanding that Zuma be returned back to Estcourt Correctional Centre to serve out the remainder of his sentence. This follows Monday's ruling by the Supreme Court of App...

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the pack in the race for the party's presidency. President Ramaphosa is way ahead of his opponent, former Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize by 2 037 nominations from branches while 916 branches nominated Mkhize. For political analysis on the latest branch nominations for the top six ANC positions ahead of the party's 55th National Conference, Elvis Presslin...