First Take SA

72% of entrepreneurs experience mental health issues according to recent research. As Mental Health Month unfolds, award-winning entrepreneur Alison Weihe says she has witnessed firsthand how the pressures of running a business can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression. Elvis Presslin spoke to Alison to elaborate further on her sentiments about the mental struggles facing entrepreneur

The Johannesburg Labour Court has affirmed that employers can dismiss workers involved in workplace moneylending schemes. This decision follows the dismissal of a senior employee at the Free State National Botanical Gardens, who was found loaning money to colleagues at 50% interest. A forensic investigation revealed the employee's moneylending was disrupting the workplace, and the court backed the...

The Correctional Services Department is probing allegations that wealthy inmates are bribing officials for special treatment. Reports suggest some prisoners, like businessman Thoshan Panday at Westville Correctional Centre, are paying for hospital holidays and other perks, essentially buying their way out of regular prison conditions. To shed more light on this issue, Elvis Presslin spoke to Miles...

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) is leading a picket at the Labour Court in Braamfontein today, to demand permanent employment for Community Health Workers nationwide. The Union's Day of Action protests is aimed at the National Department of Health's alleged failure to provide reasons for recurring fixed-term contracts for Community Health Workers. Elvis Presslin sp...

Controversy surrounds the uMkhonto weSizwe Party as members continue to express discontent over the appointment of new leaders. This after party leader Jacob Zuma recently welcomed former Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane and ex-ANC member Willies Mchunu to key roles. For expert insight, Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst from Nelson Mandela Univer...

Three suspects are in custody for allegedly facilitating fake marriages between South African women and foreign nationals. This after a joint operation uncovered a secret Home Affairs office in Greyville, Durban, allegedly used to facilitate spousal visas. Elvis Presslin spoke to Mosa Chabane, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs

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

Iran has vowed to defend itself following Israeli air strikes that reportedly killed at least four Iranian soldiers, heightening fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. The strikes, launched early Saturday, targeted Iranian military positions, leading to significant casualties. In a stern warning, Israel stated that Iran would pay a heavy price if it retaliates. Meanwhile, Israel continued...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber's decision to grant visa-free access to Ukrainian diplomats, but Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya clarifies that President Cyril Ramaphosa has not yet approved the move. Magwenya has questioned how Schreiber announced the agreement without formal authorization. This disagreement reflects ongoing divisions within...

Parliament is seeking to expand its oversight over the Presidency, sparking a major debate about accountability and transparency. The proposal, tabled by opposition parties, including the uMkhonto weSizwe, Freedom Front Plus, and Action SA, calls for the establishment of a parliamentary committee to monitor the performance and spending of the Presidency. Former IFP chief whip, Narend Singh spoke t...

The Department of Basic Education says incidents of food poisoning have disrupted teaching and learning. This after a wave of food poisoning incidents rocked schools in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo, affecting over 100 learners and claiming the lives of six children in Naledi, Soweto, last month. The Department reports that the majority of cases occurred during school hours, significantly disru...

Thirty elephants that escaped from a private game reserve have caused alarm in KwaCeza, KwaZulu Natal prompting some families to flee their homes. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is now seeking assistance from NGOs and the public to develop non-lethal methods to manage the roaming elephants. Vuyiswa Radebe, Head of Conservation Operations at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, discusses their search for the escaped elep...

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has raised alarm over the mental health crisis within the South African Police Service (SAPS), citing rising suicide rates and mounting mental health challenges. POPCRU says officers face extreme stress, trauma, and violence daily, with inadequate support systems in place. The union is calling for urgent reforms, including improvements to the Empl...

In a significant two-day gathering, tuberculosis (TB) advocates from across South Africa will come together to focus on a critical issue of enhancing the patient experience in TB treatment and its impact on treatment adherence. Organized by the TB Accountability Consortium (TBAC), this convening seek to explore the challenges surrounding TB management. Despite an estimated 300,000 cases, only one-...

Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni- Abrahams outlined to parliament some of the collaborative measures between various stakeholders to enforce regulations in the Spaza shop industry. Meanwhile IFP MP Nhlanhla Hadebe  dismissed any attempts to frame the debate on the consumption of expired and poisonous foods sold at some foreign owned spaza shops as xenophobic or afrophobic. For...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged the international community not to turn a blind eye on the situation in Palestine. Addressing the BRICS Summit Outreach and BRICS Plus in the Russian city of Kazan, Ramaphosa said Pretoria is concerned about military aggression by Israel against the people of Gaza. Chinese President Xi Jinping also agreed that the situation in the Gaza Strip continues to de...

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

Strokes claim thousands of lives annually in South Africa, leaving many more with lasting disabilities. As one of the leading global causes of death, non-communicable diseases like strokes remain a significant threat. However, doctors stress that raising awareness about stroke risk factors, early symptoms, and the importance of swift medical intervention is key to reducing stroke cases and saving...

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has expressed deep concern over Gauteng municipalities' failure to maintain water infrastructure and pay for bulk services, which they identify as major contributors to the province's ongoing water crisis. In a recent meeting with Rand Water and the Department of Water and Sanitation, the committee addressed the critical water shortages...

The Minister of Social Development has committed that there will be an investigation into the allegations that the SASSA grant system is vulnerable to fraud and corruption. The commitment comes after two Stellenbosch University students did a study about the prevalence of fraud in the SRD grant after they discovered that they are already signed up for the grants, even though they did not apply. To...

The National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU), in collaboration with the Hawks have arrested four suspects involved in a syndicate in the production and distribution of fake license discs and operator cards in Mtubatuba, Kwazulu-Natal. It is suspected that the group was responsible for supplying a large number of fake discs and operator cards to tipper truck operators in the region. For more o...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has distanced itself from President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent remarks on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Russia, where he referred to Russia as a valuable ally and friend. The DA has opposed this alignment, stating that South Africa cannot associate with an authoritarian regime that blatantly violates international law. Speaking to my colleague Asharaf Gharda, the...

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says the current approach of simply deporting illegal immigrants is a waste of resources and a Band-Aid solution that does not address the root causes of this issue. The statement comes after Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber mentioned in parliament that South Africa has spent over R52 million in just five months to deport more than 19,000 illegal immig...

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is intensifying its crackdown on illegal diesel blending operations. In recent raids on depots in Limpopo and Gauteng, SARS suspects paraffin is being mixed with diesel on a larger scale. The tax agency believes it has identified a key player in the multibillion-rand illegal fuel trade. It says these operations mark a significant move in SARS' ongoing effor...

The City of Johannesburg has fined Devland Cash and Carry for multiple fire and safety violations. During an inspection led by MMC for Public Safety, Cllr. Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku, officials discovered fire hazards, goods without expiry dates, and the use of cats to control rodents. The MMC, has expressed concern over spaza shops purchasing expired goods from wholesalers like Devland and repackaging th...