First Take SA

Time to take 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

SASSA has put in place measures to assist those affected by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Families that have been affected by floods will be given a 1-thousand 2-hundred rand voucher to purchase essential items. At least 448 people have died from the floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Thousands of people have been left homeless after their houses were washed away away floods. For the latest we're joined on t...

Government has set aside an amount of about 200-million rand for all the tertiary institutions that might have been affected by the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal. This was announced by the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande in Parliament. Nzimande says the department decided to re-prioritise this money as part of emergency undertakings for unforseen situations. For the lates...

Plans are in place to restore stability at the financially troubled Mangaung Metro Municipality, in Bloemfontein. This follows a visit to the metro by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The plans to bring stability to the embattled metro  come as Tebogo Motlashuping is reported to have been appointed as the new and fourth acting city manager for a...

Eskom CEO André de Ruyter says the power utility is facing two decades of unattended maintenance. Briefing the media yesterday, de Ruyter accused his predecessors of delaying the introduction of the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme for a number of years. He says currently there was an additional 200 Mega Watts of power available from independent power producers, but contract...

ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal has cautioned that President Cyril Ramaphosa's promises to the residents of the floods ravaged parts of the provinces should be taken with a pinch of salt. This follows assurances by the president that the national disaster relief funds would not be stolen. Co-operative governance and traditional affairs (COGTA) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gazetted regulations for the...

The Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union says at least 58 healthcare services have been damaged by the KwaZulu-Natal floods with hospitals and clinics struggling to provide normal services. This situation has been made worse by the damage to roads and infrastructure including the power supply with several areas without any water supply due to the Umngeni infrastructure being damaged. Healthcare workers...

Home Affairs officials together with the police and soldiers have arrested hundreds of undocumented foreign nationals at the Beitbridge Border Post at Musina in Limpopo. They were arrested during the safety operation campaign at the border post. There's a huge police presence at the port of entry since the start of the Easter weekend. Koketšo Motau reports.

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department says latest reports indicate that over 600 schools have been damaged by last week's devastating floods. The damage is estimated at over four-million rand. Mobile classrooms are being dispatched to prepare for the re-opening of schools on Tuesday.

Government has declared a National State of Disaster following the devastating floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. In addressing the nation on Monday Night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the severity of the flooding and damage in both provinces, as well as the possibility of extreme weather in the North West and Free State provinces has necessitated this. The Minister of Co-ope...

Zimbabwean small scale gold miner has filed multiple international legal actions to reclaim swathes of Mashonaland East based lithium. The communications authority in Kenya has extended the SIM card registration by another six monthsThe Standard Chartered Bank announces moves to completely exit some markets in Africa and Middle East. Africa Brief with Victor Kgomoeasoana....

KwaZulu-Natal has been declared a disaster area. Several areas have been affected by inclement weather conditions that have claimed the lives of more than 200 people. President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the province. Elvis Presslin spoke to Senzelwe Mzila, the spokesperson for the COGTA MEC of the province Sipho Hlomuka...

Close to 300 girls were married before turning 18 in the past years, according to Home Affairs. The figures have prompted Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to put in place legislation to outlaw ukuthwala. Ukuthwala is a practice where young girls are abducted against their will to pressure a bride's family into endorsing a marriage. For more on the legislation, Elvis Presslin spoke to Chrispin Phiri,...

The Lebombo Border Post between Mozambique and South Africa will now operate 24 hours a day. Authorities of both countries made the announcement of their bilateral agreement in Ressano Garcia, Mozambique. The Border Management Authority believes that the agreement will boost the economies of both countries. Mthobisi Mkaliphi reports....

National traffic officials and other law enforcement agencies have urged motorists to adhere to all safety rules as major freeways are expected to be under strain this Easter weekend. This morning, holidaymakers are expected to be traveling on the N1 to Polokwane, N3 to KwaZulu-Natal, and  N4 to Mpumalanga, among other destinations. Last year, the department of transport recorded 189 crashes,...

"We are now facing a perfect storm that threatens to devastate the economies of developing countries." So says the United Nations Secretary General at the launch of a brief on the impact of the war in Ukraine on food, energy and finance systems globally - an initiative of a Global Crisis Response Group established by the UN Chief in March led by his deputy Amina Mohammed. The war has resulted in d...

Parliament's joint committee on ethics and members' interests has cleared former Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize of contravening its Code of Ethics for allegedly benefitting from the irregular Digital Vibes tender. The Executive Ethics Committee found that Mkhize did not breach the ethics code by not disclosing the benefit he received from Digital Vibes. Elvis Presslins spoke to the DA's Deputy C...

Once again, President Cyril Ramaphosa's message of anti-corruption and renewal is being tested. Despite having adopted the step-aside rule which bars party members facing serious criminal charges from position of leadership, the ANC in Mpumalanga has elected murder accused Mandla Msibi as Treasurer while in Kwa Zulu-Natal Zandile Gumede is elected eThekwini Regional Chairperson. Our Political Corr...

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance has confirmed that over 50 people have lost their lives in torrential rains and floods in the province. It is not yet clear how many people remain missing after heavy rains swept away cars and people crossing bridges in low-lying areas. In a statement, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Doctor Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma...

The eThekwini Municipality has been identified as among the hardest hit by the floods. eThekwini mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda says at this stage they are unable to quantify the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains. He held a virtual media briefing, where he revealed that a number of power stations had been severely affected by the storms. Nonkululeko Hlophe filed this report...

The University of eSwatini has closed all three of its campuses due to protests by students. King Mswati has reportedly deployed soldiers and the police to shoot at protesting students, according to local media reports. Law enforcement were dispatched at the university yesterday after students engaged in a protest action calling for the fall of King Mswati. Successive protests over several months...

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

Eskom has suspended Stage 2 load shedding as of 5 am this morning. The power utility implemented Stage 2 load shedding just after 6 pm yesterday after Unit 5 of the Medupi Power Station tripped taking some 700Mega Watts capacity with it. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha

The Pietermaritzburg High Court has granted former President Jacob Zuma a postponement in his corruption trial to May 17th. This is to allow the President of the Supreme Court of Appeals to reconsider his petition for leave to appeal against Judge Piet Koen's dismissal of Zuma's special plea that calls for the recusal of the lead prosecutor - Advocate Billy Downer. Two judges of the SCA had earlie...

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has announced that the former President will pursue a private prosecution against lead prosecutor, Billy Downer, in the corruption trial linked to the arms deal case, which is expected to get underway in Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal today. Zuma faces multiple charges of fraud and corruption alongside French arms dealer, Thales, over the controversial multi-billion r...