First Take SA

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead South Africa's delegation at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York tomorrow, as international momentum builds for Palestinian statehood. On the eve of the session, several nations are poised to formally recognise an independent Palestine to amplify calls for a two-state solution. Ramaphosa's speech is expected to highlight South Africa's support...

Elvis Presslin takes 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

Organisations from Eswatini, including SWAYOCO and PUDEMO will today march to the US Embassy in Pretoria. They are protesting reports of a 500 million US dollars deal between King Mswati the Third and the United States to house convicted US criminals in Swaziland. The groups say the deal treats Swaziland like a "dumping site" and violates the country's sovereignty. Elvis Presslin spoke to Nhlanhla...

The skills development community and retail sector will today gather in Sandton, Johannesburg, to celebrate 25 years of Sector Education and Training Authorities, SETAs. The 25th anniversary comes against a backdrop of challenges facing several SETAs, with questions raised about their performance and impact on human capital development. In the same breath, new Higher Education Minister Buti Maname...

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has implicated two MPs in wrongdoing during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into criminality and corruption in the justice system. He accused National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams of accessing and misusing classified intelligence without authorisation, bypassing proper parliamentary channels to mak...

ActionSA says a new book by Investigative Journalists Pauli van Wyk and Micah Reddy is a compromised work pursuing a political agenda against party leader Herman Mashaba. The party claims the book distorts facts and fairness, alleging Mashaba ignored wrongdoing by the EFF in Johannesburg when he was mayor. Elvis Presslin spoke to ActionSA National Chairperson, Michael Beaumont

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, has announced new funding measures to tackle a major shortfall for the 2025 academic year. NSFAS and the Department of Higher Education and Training will now support 34,000 students with blocked registrations and 15,000 second-semester registrations by reallocating R13.3 billion from its existing budget. Elvis Presslin spoke to NSFAS Spokesperson,...

A legal battle has erupted over the late Deputy President David Mabuza's R44.7 million pension payout. Tamara Silinda, Mabuza's daughter, has filed a high court application to block the full amount from being paid to Mabuza's widow, Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi. Silinda is claiming a portion of the funds for her living and education expenses. She argues her mother was also married to Mabuza under cus...

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng will stage a picket today outside the Levai Mbatha Clinic in Emfuleni to protest against alleged cadre deployment and nepotism. The DA claims that ward councillor and Emfuleni Speaker, Sibongile Soxuza, hired her husband, son and individuals with ties to ANC officials for a clinic pavement construction tender and sidelined local jobseekers. The DA is demanding tr...

South African Police Service national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says an AK-47 assault rifle and two other firearms, seized in connection with controversial businessmen Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and Katiso 'KT' Molefe, have been linked to 18 murder and attempted murder cases, as well as other serious crimes. Elvis Presslin spoke to National Police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe

The Madlanga Commission, investigating alleged infiltration of South Africa's Criminal Justice System by organized crime syndicates, will today continue to hear further testimony from KZN Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi, who yesterday warned of a potential collapse of the system and reiterated the urgent need for intervention to prevent a breakdown. The Commis...

The Madlanga Commission, investigating criminality, political interference, and corruption in South Africa's justice system, starts its work today after multiple delays. Led by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, the inquiry was prompted by claims from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disbanded the Political Kil...

The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the Western Cape has expressed concern over the provincial government's decision to close several taxi routes. As of today, several taxi routes will be closed for 30 days due to ongoing violence and instability in the public transport sector. SANTACO has expressed concern over the impact on taxi operators' livelihoods and related businesses but...

The Democratic Alliance, DA will today hold a press conference to address rising concerns about the cost of living and doing business in the City of Tshwane. The DA claims the City has failed to deliver on promises to attract investment, pointing to an unlawful cleansing levy and alleged contempt of court. Elvis Presslin spoke to ActionSA National Director for Communications and Parliamentary Oper...

Vote counting is under way across Malawi after yesterday's presidential, parliamentary and local council elections drew millions to the polls. Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera is bidding for a second term, but he's up against stiff opposition from his predecessor, Peter Mutharika. Seventeen candidates altogether took part, with former president Joyce Banda among them, though most observers exp...

Elvis Presslin takes 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

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that municipalities led by the Democratic Alliance are better managed than those under ANC control. Speaking to party councillors at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, Ramaphosa unveiled the ANC's Service Delivery Action Plan ahead of next year's municipal elections. The six-pillar plan aims to address widespread service delivery challenges in local governmen...

Malawians head to the polls today in an election pitting President Lazarus Chakwera against his predecessor Peter Mutharika. Another 15 candidates including former president Joyce Banda are also contesting the presidency, but analysts expect a two-horse race between 70-year-old Chakwera and 85-year-old Mutharika. If no one secures over 50 percent of the vote there will be a second round. Channel A...

Business Unity South Africa, BUSA has slammed Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Parks Tau for withdrawing draft regulations to the National Credit Act. The proposed changes aimed to simplify credit access for small businesses but were scrapped after public backlash. Over 20,000 submissions opposed clauses that would have allowed educational institutions to report unpaid tuition fees to cre...

COSATU has welcomed the tabling of the Liquor Amendment Bill in Parliament. The Bill  seeks to ban the advertisement, promotion, and product placement of alcohol across all media forms. The bill also calls for the state to actively counter the normalization of alcohol use and curb alcohol-related harm by reducing the visibility and consumption of liquor. The Bill was tabled by EFF Member of P...

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng will today launch its infrastructure campaign in efforts to resolve the province's crumbling roads, cable theft, and vandalism of substations that frequently leave residents without water and electricity. The campaign kicks off at the incomplete Modderfontein bridge, a project stalled since 2021, causing severe traffic congestion. The Johannesburg Roads Agency pa...

With elections just over a year away, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged party members to ensure that their selection process for councillors in the 2026 local polls produce impeccable and capable public representatives. He was speaking at the opening of their Special NEC underway in Boksburg east of Johannesburg. The two day meeting was called to discuss the state of local government with a...

Nearly 3,000 South African soldiers deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo are threatening legal action against the Department of Defence over unpaid fees. The South African National Defence Union, SANDU says it will take the matter to court if the outstanding payments are not settled. Elvis Presslin spoke to SA National Defence Union Chief Negotiator, Jeff Dubazana

A wave of violence has struck the Kraaifontein Wallacedene community in Cape Town, leaving residents gripped by fear. In the early hours of Sunday, three people were shot dead and another stabbed to death in three separate incidents. One person was injured. This follows a deadly week, with a total of 14 killings reported in the area. Police are investigating the incidents but have yet to make arre...

The ANC Youth League has strongly rejected claims of internal factionalism and leadership battles ahead of the 2027 succession. The ANC Youth League have called the media report and claims of internal factionalism and leadership battles as 'bought journalism' and a fabrication aimed at tarnishing its reputation. The League clarified that its recent National General Council focused on preparing for...