First Take SA

The South African Police Service, SAPS says the 2021 July unrest was a learning curve for its members. A report by the Human Rights Commission into the July unrest found police were ill-prepared for the insurrection. The report also found no evidence linking the unrest to former President Jacob Zuma's arrest. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to National Police Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, 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 Youth League President Collen Malatji has declined nomination to go to Parliament. Malatji declined the invitation in a written response to the ANC's selection panel. This despite the League requesting a 50% representation on the ANC list in parliament.  For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Zama Khanyase, Spokesperson for the ANC Youth League

The Ad-hoc Committee on the Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill will today hold public hearings into the controversial Bill. The bill seeks to promote the assertion of existing provincial powers whilst also seeking the devolution of some of the national powers. The ANC has called on the public to reject the Bill in its entirety. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC leader in the Wes...

The Democratic Alliance Abroad is calling for more overseas voting stations ahead of this year's national elections. The DA Abroad launched an online petition urging the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC to increase the number of voting stations accessible to South Africans abroad. This weekend the IEC launch a registration campaign in embassies and missions across the world for South African...

The International Court of Justice, ICJ will today deliver its verdict on South Africa's request for an interim ruling on its genocide case against Israel. South Africa hauled Israel before the ICJ at The Hague in the Netherlands, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel has maintained it was acting in self-defence after the attack by Hamas in October last year. For more on this Elvis Pr...

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

A young alleged fraudster is facing various charges of fraud after convincing South Africa's apex security cluster NatJoints he is a diplomat. 24 year old Nhlanhla Sizani allegedly misrepresented himself as a UN ambassador or diplomat and was escorted around by police to polling stations as an observer during the 2021 local government elections. Sizani faces charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering...

The Chris Hani District Municipality, in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and the Chris Hani Development Agency, is hosting a delegation from Egypt to discuss the planned provincial Fertilizer Blending Plant, among other things. The delegation will be joining South Africa's ambassador to Egypt, Ntsiki Mashimbye, as part of the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustai...

The Reserve bank's monetary policy committee is expected to announce its decision on interest rates this afternoon. This comes as data released by Statistics South Africa shows that consumer price inflation moderated from five-point-five percent in November, to five-point-one percent in December 2023. Inflation averaged six-percent in 2023, lower than six-point-nine percent in 2022. Elvis Presslin...

Tensions ran high outside the Groblersdal Magistrate's Court in Limpopo yesterday after two suspects appeared on charges of assault, believed to be racially motivated. A father and stepson were arrested for allegedly assaulting a black security guard and setting a dog on him for reportedly being drunk on duty. A group of Groblersdal residents showed up to the court carrying apartheid flags and blo...

Labour federation COSATU is requesting an urgent meeting with parliament to discuss challenges facing workers. This as 6,000 postal workers face pending retrenchments while some SABC staff have yet to receive a wage increase in three years. COSATU has since written to various committees in parliament to intervene on matters concerning workers. Elvis Presslin spoke to Cosatu General Secretary, Soll...

The first phase of a project to secure the future of wild vulture populations in Southern  Africa has been successfully completed, with 160 Cape and African White-backed vultures settled into their new home at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, in the Eastern Cape. In what is said to be the largest relocation of vultures ever undertaken, the birds were transported over one thousand kilometres from Vul...

The EFF in Tshwane is threatening to approach the court in a bid to force the City of Tshwane to account to what happened to the R67-million revamp project for the Caledonian Soccer Stadium in Pretoria. Meanwhile, Several civic organisations and political parties will march to Tshwane House to highlight the alleged lack of service delivery in black communities. The group will be lead by Civid Orga...

The Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing into suspended High Court Judge Nana Makhubele's conduct continues today in Johannesburg. This after a request by her lawyers for another postponement was denied. Makhubele is being investigated following a complaint filed by civil society organisation, #UniteBehind. The organisation alleges that Makhubele violated the separation of powers principle by being b...

A witness in the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into the Marshalltown fire that killed 77 people has admitted to setting the building ablaze. The man says he was trying to cancel a murder by setting the body alight, when the incident took place. Although the man has admitted to the act under oath, his testimony will not be used in court or as part of any other criminal investigation. To further di...

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola will release the matric results for inmates nationally. Minister Lamola will also award top performing inmates and teachers across correctional centres who are hard at work transferring skills to inmates. Earlier, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said it is commendable that more than 130 of the 900-thousand matric candidates...

Prospective students are reportedly being denied admission Into Universities and TVET colleges due to limited capacity and delays in the disbursement of NSFAS allowances. Scores of first year students were reportedly unable to register nor pay for accommodation due to delayed funding. But the National Student Financial Aid Scheme claims to have paid just under half of last year's outstanding allow...

Gauteng police are still searching for suspects after five men were stoned to death by angry community members in a suspected mob attack at Rabie Ridge in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg. The deceased were accused of being behind several criminal activities in the community of Kanana. Police have urged the public not to take the law into their own hands as this also constitutes to a crime, but rathe...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, 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 murder of Senzo Meyiwa was a contract killing, as opposed to a robbery gone wrong. This according to an affidavit read in court by lead investigator in the Meyiwa case Bongani Gininda, who is currently under cross-examination. Former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was gunned down in 2014 at singer Kelly Khumalo's house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni. Five men are currently on trial for the crime...

The leader of Rise Mzansi Songezo Zibi says key priorities for the party is to put in place capable leaders, end to cadre deployment and fix the government's finances. Zibi outlined his party's offering, dubbed the People's Manifesto, to approximately four thousand party supporters over the weekend in Pretoria. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Rise Mzansi Strategic Campaign Advisor, Khume...

uMkhonto WeSizwe Party's Bonginkosi Khanyile has assured its supporters that former president Jacob Zuma will be the face of the party in the upcoming general elections. Zuma has previously said that he will campaign and vote for the party which currently has an acting president. Khanyile was addressing supporters at the party's rally in Malamulele, Limpopo where he also accused the IEC of prevent...

More than 150 people have been displaced and several have been injured after a residential building caught fire yesterday, claiming the lives of two people. It's alleged a woman sprayed paraffin on one of the shacks and set it alight. A woman has been arrested by the police for allegedly starting the fire. The City of Johannesburg says they are in the process of reclaiming hijacked and non-complia...

A 41 year old taxi owner was arrested for his alleged involvement in taxi violence, extortion, and other crimes in the Amathole District municipality. He was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition, and is suspected to be involved in similar crimes outside the province. Eastern Cape Province police say they have increased their deployment of specialised units to combat a recent spike...