First Take SA

The search for the bodies of two people who were reportedly swept away in the Apies river in the north of Pretoria over the weekend will resume this morning. Tshwane emergency services suspended the search as the flow in the river was too strong for rescue personnel to continue working. The city's emergency services spokesperson Johan Pieterse spoke to Tsepiso Makwetla about the situation there th...

The Hawks says it has assembled a strong, well-resourced team to investigate the looting of funds from the Venda-based VBS Mutual Bank. The Hawks spokesperson says the team will be guided by the National Prosecuting Authority. This follows the release of a report commisioned by the Reserve Bank into the troubled VBS bank. The report found that around 53 people and entitites unjustifiably and illeg...

TALKING POINT: *** Cameroon's long wait for election results as social media claims unverified winners *** African billionaire, Mohammed Dewji kidnapped in Tanzania *** Nigeria to take foreign loans at higher cost due to the interest rate hike in the US

The DA has been battling without any success to get an answer from the SABC Board on how much the COO, CFO and CEO are earning. DA member of Parliament's Communications Committee Veronica van Dyk described the board's conduct of not answering the question directly as a " Hlaudi culture". The SABC Board was presenting its 2017/2018 financial statement. They were accompanied by Communications Minist...

An investigation has revealed that there's no prospect of saving VBS Mutual Bank -- and analysts say depositors could lose most of their money. A final investigation report -- into large-scale fraud at the bank -- indicates that about two-billion rand in depositor's money was looted. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to One of the founder of VBS Mutual Bank, Madambi Muvhulawa

A showdown is looming in Zimbabwe TODAY (thursday) as labour unions have vowed to go ahead with a planned protest against a new government tax and price increases despite a police ban on the march. The police say authorities are still trying to contain a cholera outbreak and a ban on large public gatherings still stands. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has called on people to join street mar...

Labour union NEHAWU is to meet striking SASSA workers to decide on the way forward following the suspension of the Biometric Enrolment for grant beneficiaries. This follows a meeting between Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu, NEHAWU representatives and senior SASSA officials in Johannesburg yesterday. SASSA workers have been on strike countrywide since yesterday, Wednesday. Tsepiso Makwet...

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) says while former Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene's timing to resign is regrettable, the appointment of Tito Mboweni as his replacement does not spell an introduction of a new fiscal direction but rather a move to entrench stability at National Treasury. BUSA's CEO, Tanya Cohen has urged Mboweni to maintain commitments made in the February Budget as the country h...

Political pressure is building on Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene to step down. So far, several opposition parties including the EFF, DA, Cope and the UDM have called for Nene's head following his admission to the State Capture Inquiry that he had several meetings with the Gupta family during his first term as finance minister and before that while he was deputy finance minister. Tsepiso Makwetla s...

Trade union NEHAWU has warned it will shut down all SASSA offices on Wednesday. Social Security Agency workers affiliated to Nehawu are set to strike over the transfer of social grant payments from Cash Paymaster Services to the South African Post Office. Nehawu general secretary, Zola Saphetha, has accused SASSA of refusing to resolve challenges brought about by this move

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the Framework Agreement of the Jobs Summit as revolutionary decisions. This came out at the two-day Jobs Summit, underway in Midrand in Gauteng, earlier this afternoon. Government, business, labour and civil society have agreed on a number of measures to stimulate the economy and create jobs. These include among others; avoiding retrenchments and helping strugg...

TALKING POINTS: *** Ethiopia turning off the internet as violence flares up *** Zimbabwean court ordereding illegal occupiers of a white farmer's property to vacate the land immediately *** Mining firms saying Zambia's tax hike plan would ruin the economy

A group calling themselves The Gauteng Shut-Down Co-ordinating Committee (GSCC) says more than 10 coloured communities across Gauteng will embark on total shutdowns today. Residents from various coloured communities such as Eldorado Park, Westbury and Ennerdale in the Johannesburg are said to be taking to the streets from as early as 4 AM this morning. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to demonstrations Co-o...

Today is the second and final day of the job summit in Midrand east of Johannesburg- over the years entrepreneurship has been seen as one of the drivers to help create employment in South Africa. However, how easy is it for one to become an entrepreneur in this country. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Nwabisa Mayema who is an entrepreneur and motivational speaker

In Westbury, west of Johannesburg, another total shutdown is planned this morning. The community in the area went on the rampage burning tyres protesting against gang violence. Police minister, Bheki Cele and National commissioner, General Khehla Sitole will again be in the area today, following their visit on Tuesday where Cele announced a number of measures that will be implemented to help deal...

Advocacy group, #Unite Behind, will be protesting at the Cape Town Train Station this afternoon against service issues facing Metrorail. Train services have been negatively impacted by ongoing arson attacks on trains, as well as the vandalising or theft of rail infrastructure. Last month several commuters were aslo stabbed and thrown off a moving train in Stellenbosch. Metrorail says it's lost at...

The husband of a woman who's death sparked the violent protests in Westbury, west of Johannesburg, says the arrest of the perpetrators will not bring his wife back. Reuben Peterson was reacting to Police Minister Bheki Cele's undertaking that police will apprehend the remaining two suspects sought in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife within the next 48 to 72 hours. Two suspects are al...

South Africans must brace themselves for extrememly cold conditions starting later TODAY. The South African Weather Service has warned of a cold front which is expected to affect Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape . Snowfall is also expected in southern and northern parts of the Drakensberg. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to SABC Meteorologist, Sihle Kunene

Increases in taxi commuter fares are on the cards following fuel price hike. Petrol has rocketed by a record R1 a litre and diesel by R1.24 per litre. Fuel prices have increased every month for the past four months and motorists and commuters fear that there will be yet another substantial fuel price increase before the festive season. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Spokesperson for the National Ta...

TALKING POINTS *** MTN's Chief Financial Officer Ralph Mupita has indicated that it has become quite challenging for them to list their IPO in Nigeria- the company is even considering to scrap the IPO entirely. *** The Nigerian, President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is making progress in the fight against corruption as shady oil deals and the brazen theft of billions of Naira is now a...

Consumers will have to fork out even more at the pumps this month. The price of petrol increases by 99 cents for 93 octane, and by one rand for 95. The hike brings the overall retail price of both diesel and petrol in the interior to around 17-rand per liter. Prices will officially go up on Wednesday, the 3rd of October. Meanwhile, the organisation- People against Petrol and Parrafin Price Increas...

Residents of Westbury, Johannesburg have threatened another shutdown this morning. On Friday they brought traffic to a standstill in the area by barricading roads with objects and burning tyres. This in protest against gansterism and crime in general. They marched to the Sophiatown Police Station, demading action against crime. Three people were injured when police used teargas and fired rubber bu...

Nine babies have died at the Rahima Moosa hospital in Johannesburg following a bacteria outbreak earlier this year. Acting CEO of the hospital, Dr. Frew Benson says they have now increased control measures at the facility. Elivs Presslin spoke to Acting CEO of the Rahima Moosa hospital, Dr Frew Benson

At least 832 people have now been confirmed dead in the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Many people were reported still trapped in the rubble of buildings that collapsed in Friday's 7.5-magnitude earthquake. The Indonesian Red Cross has deployed experts in search and rescue and has dispatched emergency relief items With road and air transport compromi...

ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule has urged senior party members to respect their congress resolutions and decisions of their National Executive Committee. He was reacting to former President Thabo Mbeki Mbeki's take on the party's resolution on land. In a leaked document, Mbeki criticised the ANC resolution on the expropriation of land without compensation saying it is not in line with the part...