First Take SA

Statistician General Dr Pali Lehohla has released a report on the state of service delivery in the country. The report finds that households in metropolitan municipalities are generally more pleased with service delivery than houses in smaller municipalities, particularly in Limpopo. Although their priorities vary, the report shows that South Africans generally believe that municipalities are not...

The South African Communist Party says it is President Jacob Zuma's intention to fire Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas. Briefing the media in Johannesburg today (Thursday, 30 March), the party says it told the ANC in a bilateral meeting on Monday that it rejects the move to replace the two. It has also decried the role of the country's state security agencies in public...

The newly appointed SABC interim board says it will do its best to restore the image of the public broadcaster. The SABC has been embattled with a number of issues - most of which were revealed during a parliamentary ad hoc committee inquiry into the previous board's fitness to hold office. The interim board was officially appointed by President Jacob Zuma on Sunday and will serve for a period of...

The Cabinet meeting which was postponed to this afternoon is finally underway. President Jacob Zuma postponed the start of today's Cabinet meeting to enable members to attend the funeral of struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada. Zuma Ddid not attend the funeral. He was requested not to speak at Kathrada's funeral as per the struggle stalwart's wishes. Meanwhile EFF Leader Julius Malema says he expects...

South African comedy lovers are in for a real treat as comedians from around the globe head to Mzansi for the Johannesburg International Comedy Festival. Over 50 local and international comedians will grace the stages of the city of Joburg when the festival returns for the second time from the 30 March- 1 April. Russia's Igor Meerson, Eddy King of Canada and our very own Celeste Ntuli and Kagiso L...

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Monitoring and Evaluation says the Mpumalanga department of health is in crisis. The Committee is in the province on a two day oversight visit. Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Makhosi Khoza has raised concerns over the department's failure to pay close to 1.5 billion rand to service providers on time. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to...

Political parties in Parliament have expressed sadness over the passing of struggle veteran Ahmed Kathrada. Kathrada died this morning at the Donald Gordon hospital in Johannesburg. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to social activist and a former unionist and Cabinet minister Jay Naidoo

It has been reported that President Jacob Zuma during a consultative meeting yesterday with South African Communist Party (SACP), told the Alliance partner that he is planning to sack Pravin Gordhan as finance minister. This after President Zuma had asked Gordhan to return from his investment road show to the United Kingdom(UK) and United States (US). Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Deputy General-Secre...

Finance minister Pravin Gordhan says he has NOT been fired, contrary to rumours that have been trending since he landed in the country this morning. Gordhan rushed to ANC headquarters at Luthuli House after he was called back from an investor promotion tour in the United Kingdom by the presidency. The Minister then attended court proceedings in Pretoria, where he's seeking an order to stop the Gup...

ANC secretary Gwede Mantashe says President Jacob Zuma's decision to recall finance minister Pravin Gordan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas from international investment roadshow has nothing to do with the ruling party's NEC. The two were scheduled to kick off an investment promotion drive in the UK and United States. Briefing the media on the latest NEC decision earlier Mantashe said the decision is...

Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa is attending the Ministerial Conference of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) in Berlin, Germany. The conference aims to further strengthen the capabilities required to implement the country's transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and pro-employment development path. The programme will help South Africa achieve its goal of...

A new Multi Drug Resistance TB treatment will soon be rolled out in four provinces. About 400 patients will take part in the research. The drug is produced by Japan and has been approved for treating MDR-TB in the European Union, Japan and the Republic of Korea. As the world celebrates World TB Day today, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has launched the Delamanid Clinical Access Programme for the...

A snap survey conducted by advocacy group ActionAid South Africa has found that 96-percent of the women who use taxis say they have witnessed violence and harassment, while 56-percent say they were victims of violence. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Action Aid South Africa Head of Programmes, Emily Craven.

Three suspects have been arrested for the alleged series of gang rapes of female taxi commuters on Gauteng's West Rand. Following media reports about the sexual assaults, more women are continuing to come forward with information of sexual assaults by taxi drivers. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Deliwe de Lange...

Newly-elected ANC Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Bay region, Andile Lungisa says he is willing to step down from his position. This emerged in a letter sent to the SABC by Lungisa. The ANC top six has called on Lungisa to resign from his position as it goes against the party's constitution for Lungisa, a member of the provincial executive committee, to take a leadership role in a regional struc...

The South African National Taxi Council, SANTACO, says it's the first time the taxi rape incidents are being brought to its attention. Police are investigating several cases in which men picked up victims and raped them. Tsepiso Makwetla speaks to SANTACO secretary-General, Ralph Jones who says they will take action where necessary

The Competition Commission has conducted search and seizure operations at the premises of nine fresh produce agents in Gauteng today. The agents are alleged to be involved in price fixing conduct. They are said to have disadvantaged smaller suppliers by charging prices way below the market price. The agents are also accused of determining when prices should increase and preserving certain grades o...

On speak out this week we look at Stock Market College which is NOT accredited. The College says it is in the process of registering with the relevant bodies

The South African Revenue Service says it will support a probe by the Tax Ombudsman into its tax refunds system. Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas granted the office of the Tax Ombudsman permission to investigate whether it has been withholding refunds to boost tax revenue artificially. This follows numerous complaints from individual taxpayers and companies about delayed refunds. Tsepiso Makw...

The Gauteng government is mulling the idea of bringing in soldiers to assist in facilities caring for the vulnerable members of society. NEHAWU members at these facilities are on strike for better wages. Six months old Singalaka Sonamazi died yesterday after being moved from a child care centre last week to another centre due to the nationwide strike. Gauteng Social Development MEC, Nandi Mayathul...

Comedian Tumi Morake is set to grace the stage at the Baxter Concert the 31st of March and and the 1st of April 2017. She is embarking on her first official South African tour and entertaining audiences across the country. She spoke to Tsepiso Makweta ....

The United Nations estimates that over eighty percent of global waste-water remains untreated and pollutes the environment. Proponents for water re-use believe this water can be recycled to benefit millions of people without access to clean water globally. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Professor Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director of the UN World Water Assessment Programme....

A video of a racial incident between a female and a male at a Spur restaurant at the Glen in South of Johannesburg has gone viral and caused an outrage on social media. In the video, a white male is seen standing by a table where a black woman was dining with several kids. He tells her that she needs to discipline her child after an alleged physical altercation between their children. The heated e...

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, Casac, says it is deeply disturbed by the burglary at the office of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. This follows the break-in at the Office of the Chief Justice in Midrand at the weekend. Fifteen computers containing sensitive information about the country's judges were stolen. CASAC says the burglary raises suspicions about politic...

Mpumalanga authorities have expressed shock at the death of 14-year-old Siphamandla Choma who was left paralyzed after he was assaulted by his principal at Manyano Primary School, in Middelburg. His death was confirmed by the Health Department this morning. Choma had been admitted to a Middelburg hospital for observation. The department has since suspended the principal. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke Cho...