First Take SA

The South African National Defence Force has reportedly canceled, as wasteful expenditure, a R2.6bn Cuban medical training program. The SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) has decided not to send additional medical students to Cuba. However, students already there will be allowed to complete their Cuban medical courses. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to SANDF Spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini

The Association of Independent Publishers and Google have announced a multimillion-rand fund to finance independent journalism. The Digital News Transformation Fund (DNTF) will deliver R114 million, the biggest financial commitment ever made to South Africa's grassroots media sector. This is also the largest-ever single injection of development funds into the community media sector and probably th...

The North West MEC for Community Safety, Wessels Morweng says 20 illegal miners resurfaced at the Margaret Shaft yesterday. This brings the total number of illegal miners who have resurfaced since the 18th of August to 1 259. The MEC also noted that on Friday there was a note that was sent from under the ground saying that there are approximately 500 illegal miners underneath and 300 of them are u...

A coalition of civic groups, including the South African People's Tribunal on AgroToxins (SAPToA), has launched a petition demanding immediate action to address pesticide poisoning in South Africa. This comes after incidents like the deaths of six children in Soweto, caused by the hazardous pesticide Terbufos, which was sold illegally in spaza shops. The petition calls for a ban on Terbufos and an...

The Constitutional Court will today hear an application from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) challenging the National Assembly's decision not to adopt the Independent Panel's Report on the Phala Phala scandal. The EFF argues that the decision was irrational and unlawful, violating constitutional provisions. The case follows the National Assembly's rejection of the Report in December 2022, with...

Dr Mike Nkuna, a real estate tycoon and pioneer of township and rural commercial and retail property development has been presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Dr Nkuna who last month received the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management (Honoris Causa) degree from UNISA for his significant contributions to the real estate development industry was honoured at...

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has raised concerns after learning that, of five provinces that requested disaster funding from the National Treasury, only the Western Cape received assistance. Committee chair, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, has called this decision "illogical" and "unfair," citing the severe disasters in other provinces, such as floods in Durban. Mkhi...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the 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

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in Gauteng will today hold public investigative hearing on women empowerment in the informal sector. In a statement the commission says This hearing will explore the impact of by-laws on women, identify transformation gaps, and assess the City of Tshwane's efforts to develop the informal economy. Key focus areas include inclusivity, skills development, and...

Prepaid electricity meters upgrade deadline expired last night with Eskom announcing an extension for customers who have not been purchasing electricity for the past six months and beyond. From today Zero Buyers will still need to visit Eskom offices to be assisted to register their pre-paid electricity meters. This is provided they bought electricity tokens from accredited vendors before Eskom's...

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has raised alarm over a significant error in the Geography Paper 2 exam which was written last week after it was discovered that 79 marks worth of questions in the Geography exam were incorrectly set, impacting a total of 967 students. Makaneta says this mistake threatens the integrity of the exams, adding unnecessary pressure on students already facing the cha...

The COP29 Climate Summit in Baku concluded with a contentious deal aimed at addressing global climate challenges. Delegates agreed on a $300 billion annual funding target by 2035, tripling the previous commitment to support developing nations in mitigating climate impacts and transitioning to cleaner energy. However, this figure, part of the New Collective Quantified Goal, drew sharp criticism fro...

The African Transformation Movement is calling for government to close all spaza shops and revitalize township economy run by citizens to ensure economic stability and security. The ATM says In light of the recent declaration of a national disaster due to the alarming rise in foodborne illnesses it asserts the urgent need for decisive action to protect the health and welfare of our communities. Fo...

The SACP has emphasised its opposition to the inclusion of the DA in the ANC led GNU pact. The SACP's public outbursts against the ANC's working relations with the DA prompted the two allies to hold a bilateral meeting yesterday. The crucial meeting was attended by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Deputy Paul Mashatile, together with the SACP delegation led by its General Secretary Solly Mapa...

The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has raised the alarm over the rise in femicide cases with unidentified perpetrators, now at 44%, up from 30% in 2017. A briefing by the SA Medical Research Council revealed that South Africa records three women killed daily by intimate partners, making intimate partner femicide the leading cause. Over the past 20 years, the country has seen nearly 11,0...

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has issued an urgent recall of a batch of YAZ Plus contraceptives due to a quality concern. The Health Products Regulatory Authority is advising the public to immediately stop consuming the tablet and return affected packs to their pharmacist. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, Chief Executive Officer at...

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says plans are being put into place to ban the use of pesticides on school premises across the country. This follows a spate of food-borne illnesses that have led to the deaths of over 20 children in the past months. This week learners from Dumezweni Primary School in Diepkloof fell ill after allegedly consuming snacks from a local spaza shop which ultimatel...

Elvis Presslin looks 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

On World Children's Day, a global commemoration observed annually on November 20th. To coincide with this occasion, UNICEF has released a critical report highlighting the living conditions of children and young people in South Africa. The Situation Analysis report reveals concerning statistics that 62% of children face multidimensional poverty, malnutrition persists, and significant disparities in...

A step by step guide to ensure that your prepaid electricity meter is recoded... Insert the following number onto your meter keypad - 1844 6744 0738 4377 2416 If your meter displays a 2 or 2.2 it has been upgraded and there is nothing more that you need to do. If your meter displays a 1 or 1.2 you need to upgrade your meter.  To recode your meter: Purchase electricity from an approved vendor, and...

Hamza Chalan is a dedicated and passionate photojournalist who has spent years documenting the human stories in Gaza, capturing both the hardships and the enduring spirit of its people. His work has garnered international attention for its raw authenticity and emotional depth, providing a window into a world seldom seen by outsiders. Hamza Chalan is invited in the country to give a talk at the Sow...

The South African Reserve Bank is set to announce its latest interest rate decision today, with market expectations pointing to a 25-basis-point cut. This comes on the heels of easing inflation, which has slipped below the midpoint of the bank's target range. If confirmed, this would mark the second rate cut in the current cycle, following a similar 25-basis-point reduction in September. As the co...

An investigation is underway in KwaZulu-Natal after authorities discovered two warehouses storing expired food items, alcohol, and medication in Durban. The warehouses, located near the Bluff, also contained counterfeit goods. Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Premier Thami Ntuli are leading the investigation, which aims to determine the origin and intended destination of the e...

Time is running out for nearly 2 million South African prepaid electricity customers, who face a looming deadline of Sunday to update their meters. The Democratic Alliance's spokesperson on Electricity and Energy, Kevin Mileham has sounded the alarm, emphasizing the urgent need for customers to take action and recode their meters to avoid being cut off from the power grid. He spoke to our Senior P...

A crucial court battle is underway in the Johannesburg High Court as SECTION27, representing the Cancer Alliance, takes on the Gauteng Department of Health and nine others. The case centers on the department's alleged failure to utilize R784 million allocated for addressing radiation and surgical backlogs in the province. This delay has resulted in the loss of lives among cancer patients. To discu...