First Take SA

A fire at the SWAPO informal settlement in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg has destroyed 20 shacks, up from the initial 15. KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma says verification found 19 foreign nationals were among those affected. The department also alleges a foreign national was collecting 250 rand per shack and that illegal electricity connections were in use. Government says fully...

 The Democratic Alliance is demanding answers from President Cyril Ramaphosa following reports that the military has acknowledged an elite Special Forces role in a 2022 high-profile abduction of alleged ISIS financier Abdella Abadiga and Kadir Abotese. 12 operators face charges over the Mall of Africa kidnappings and the subsequent assassination of Hawks investigator Lieutenant Colonel Frans...

Kempton Park is now Gauteng's kidnapping hotspot with 76 cases recorded between April and June this year, up more than 58 percent from last year. The Gauteng Community Safety Committee says the province accounted for over half of all kidnappings nationally, with 2,367 cases in the quarter. For the latest we're joined by Dr. Bandile Masuku, Chairperson of the Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Communit...

Zimbabwean businessman Lawrence Mudzinganyama has been arrested and released on a warning following a viral video showing him threatening to murder women at a Sandton restaurant. The incident has drawn fierce condemnation from Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, who has ordered Home Affairs to investigate Mudzinganyama's residency status. In the same breath, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy ha...

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula is facing three separate legal challenges from within his own party. Judgment has been reserved in the contempt case brought by ANC member Lwazi Rotya over branch meeting data amid claims of manipulation and ID harvesting. In the same breath, Mbalula says Andile Lungisa should have used internal structures instead of going to court over his alleged removal from...

The Madlanga Commission marked a year on Thursday since it was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2025. Its Chairperson, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, used the occasion to reflect on the evidence presented before the Inquiry. He raised concerns about emerging evidence indicating serious criminality within the criminal justice system. Since its establishment, the Commission has heard evidenc...

The killing of women in Kempton Park and elsewhere in Ekurhuleni has once again raised serious concerns about the safety of women and the wider crisis of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. The SANAC Civil Society Forum is calling for thorough investigations and prosecution, but says the response cannot only come after women have already lost their lives. The Forum is also calling...

Government joined grieving families at the Ekurhuleni Civic Centre in Kempton Park yesterday to honour nine women killed in recent gender-based violence and femicide attacks. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia told mourners the suspects will be pursued without delay, while Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga called for united action against the violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the murde...

The Democratic Alliance in Tshwane has opened criminal cases against several ANC councillors following serious complaints from community members. Residents claim local development opportunities and municipal jobs are being weaponised to reward political allies and connected individuals. The official police investigation is looking into disturbing affidavits detailing alleged political interference...

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

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says the province will use all available resources to ensure that those responsible for the murders of women are brought to justice. Eight bodies of women were found in and around Kempton Park in Ekurhuleni over the past two months. They were murdered and some dumped next to roads. Lesufi addressed the media, flanked by Provincial SAPS officials, in Johannesburg. But...

There is growing concern over the discovery of women's bodies in different parts of Ekurhuleni, leaving families devastated and communities demanding answers. The ANC in Ekurhuleni has condemned the killings and is calling for urgent investigations, stronger support for victims' families and sustained action to tackle gender-based violence and femicide. But beyond condemnation, what more can polit...

The City of Tshwane has dismissed claims that its fire engines were repossessed over unpaid bills, calling the allegations false and misleading. The city says no emergency vehicles have been repossessed and some trucks are only undergoing repairs and maintenance. This comes after claims circulated over the past few days about the municipality's ability to pay. Concerns however remain about an agei...

Renewed outrage over a string of brutal murders targeting women in Gauteng has sparked urgent calls for heavy police visibility and aggressive surveillance to protect vulnerable communities. The Security Personnel Party of South Africa is demanding the reinstatement of the death penalty for convicted perpetrators of GBV and femicide. For more, we sspoke to Sello Mashula, President and Founder of t...

Vehicle tracking company Cartrack has confirmed a ransomware attack on its systems In August last month. The ransomware group Dire Wolf listed Cartrack on its dark web leak site, claiming it exfiltrated 500 gigabyte of data. Cartrack says its customer database was accessed, which may include contact details, bank account information and vehicle data. Cartrack says its platform was restored within...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU says it has adjourned its 15th National Congress to protect the unity and integrity of the federation. The decision follows extensive engagements among affiliate leadership at what Cosatu calls a difficult and painful moment. It says the adjournment is in line with Clause 3.4 of its constitution where quorum is not met and the congress must reconv...

The Electoral Commission has noted the ANC's plan to appeal the Electoral Court ruling that excluded about 181 of its candidates from the November municipal polls. Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says electoral justice allows aggrieved parties to approach superior courts to vindicate their rights. He was speaking in Centurion on the finalisation of candidate lists. The ANC missed the 28 August...

Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals in Bloemfontein will hand down judgment in the ANC-IEC candidates submission battle later this morning. Judgment was reserved last night after two and half hours of legal wrangling which stems from the ANC's alleged failure to submit its councillor candidates for the November 4 local polls. The party cited a technical glitch on the IEC system which prevented...

Gauteng has recorded an overall decline in several major crime categories, but the latest figures show that some communities are still seeing sharp increases in contact crime. Tembisa, Diepsloot, Alexandra, Mamelodi East and Orange Farms are among the areas recording increases in crimes including murder, assault, robbery and sexual offences. The DA says provincial averages are masking what residen...

The Road Accident Fund, RAF will host a community outreach programme in Ulundi, KwaZulu Natal next week Saturday. Residents of Zululand District will get direct access to services including registering new claims, checking claim status and consolidating compliance documents. The Fund says claimants should bring ID documents, accident reports and medical reports where available. For more on the out...

Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane says one suspect has been arrested and another is being sought in connection with the murders of eight women in Ekurhuleni. A R400,000 reward has been offered for information leading to a breakthrough. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia says intensified operations will be rolled out in coming weeks to crack down on criminal a...

The South African Policing Union has welcomed the withdrawal of charges against National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. SAPU says the move vindicates its position that the matter was pursued to humiliate and discredit the Commissioner. The union is now calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reinstate Masemola without delay and to end what it calls the Reset Agenda. For more we spoke...

Missing In Southern Africa is urging families to report missing persons immediately, saying there is no 24-hour waiting period. The call follows the discovery of eight bodies in a short period in Kempton Park, Kwa Thema and Tembisa. The organisation says every disappearance must be treated seriously and early reporting is critical to investigations. For more we spoke to Priya Ranchod, Media Liaiso...

The Commission for Gender Equality is investigating gendered power dynamics within the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The inquiry will look at whether institutional relations affect gender equality, workplace dignity and safety, including concerns around bullying, harassment and abuse of authority. The CGE says it will examine prevention, reporting and accountability mechanisms, beyond individual...

Thousands of military retirees and their families could lose medical cover from the first of November this year. The Regular Force Medical Continuation Fund says it will stop paying claims as it is no longer financially sustainable. Retirees, disabled veterans, widows and orphans are among those affected, with members accusing the Defence Department of failing to honour its commitments. Legal acti...