First Take SA

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his predecessor, former President Jacob Zuma will face off in court today over the private prosecution sought by the former Head of State. Ramaphosa is seeking a final interdict to halt the private prosecution bid against him. Zuma brought an application against Ramaphosa last year, accusing him of failing to act against prosecutor, Advocate Billy Downer, for allegedl...

Grade 4 learners in South Africa have produced one of the worst reading results in the world, with 81 percent incapable of reading for meaning. This is according to the latest Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study report. The country's average score was 288 in the last five-year period in which the study was conducted, far below the 500 international average. For some analysis, Elvi...

The Independent Electoral Commission, IEC says allocations to some political parties are being withheld since they did not submit audited financial statements. The AIC, IFP, and Congress of the People are some of the parties whose funds are being withheld by the IEC. Of the 515 registered parties, only 12 disclosed a total amount of 145.5 million. The ANC, DA, ACTION SA, EFF, and IFP are some part...

Acting Joburg Mayor Kenny Kunene says they will be issuing warnings to Hillbrow residents living in dilapidated and hijacked buildings. He says they will also be raiding scrap yards and buildings where drugs are sold. Kunene was doing rounds in the city centre yesterday. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to the MMC of Safety and Security in the City of Johannesburg Municipality, Dr. Mgc...

The government's climate body, the Presidential Climate Commission has raised concerns about the financing of the expansion of the electricity grid capacity. The Commission was briefing the media virtually yesterday. It says that while there is consensus between all stakeholders on the significance of upgrading and expanding the national grid - the funding element must be cleared. The commission s...

The DA is preparing to challenge the draft Employment Equity Amendment Act in the constitutional court. The party says the draft Act which was published for public comment last week, categorizes South Africans along racial lines. The DA says it is particularly outraged by the effect the proposed "racial quotas" would have on colored and Indian citizens. Trade union Solidarity has since served Pres...

Time to take 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

The state of local governance in KwaZulu-Natal, coalitions, and service delivery are some of the challenges facing the provincial ANC. This is according to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula who was part of the ANC top brass visiting party provincial structures at the weekend. Mbalula says there will be no holy cows, as the state of affairs within the provincial ANC is continuing on its downward...

Calls are mounting for the removal of the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety following his claims that South Africa sold weapons to Russia. Brigety who has since apologized, alleged that a Russian ship had been loaded with ammunition and weapons in Cape Town last year. The South African Communist Party, SACP, and EFF are now calling for Brigety's removal stating his comments are tantamo...

Scores of people have been evacuated from Motherwell, and Kwazakhele in the Eastern Cape, with some roads closed following heavy rains in the province. Several families in Nelson Mandela Bay have also been displaced. According to Nelson Mandela Bay, some community members are currently accommodated in community halls, and more people were being evacuated. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to...

Time to take a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of  Africa Is Open For Business and Africa BouncShes Back. Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

The Government will establish an independent inquiry into allegations that South Africa supplied weapons and ammunition to Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine. This follows a scathing attack by US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety who accused South Africa of providing arms to Russia through a Russian ship that docked at the Simon's Town naval base in Cape Town in December last year. The...

Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate says he will continue to oppose Vodacom's application to have the high court order granted against them overturned. Earlier this week the Supreme Court of Appeals reserved judgment on the matter over the right compensation for Makate's "Please Call Me" concept. Vodacom has offered Makate R47 million, but he wants 5% of the generated revenue, which he puts at...

ActionSA has called for an investigation into the disappearance of R300 million in pension funds of employees who belong to a government bus company in Limpopo. More than 800 employees of the Great North Transport bus company have been left without their retirement savings. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to ActionSA Limpopo Provincial Chairperson, Sello Lediga

The Department of Tourism is proposing the establishment of a police unit to safeguard tourists visiting South Africa. Deputy Minister of Tourism, Fish Mahlalela says the government is working closely with law enforcement to set up a special policing unit to address safety concerns in the country. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Chad Thomas, Chief Executive Officer IRS Forensic Investiga...

A group of disgruntled former Covid-19 contract workers has staged a sit-in demonstration at the office of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. The workers whose contracts were terminated by the Gauteng Department of Health in March this year are demanding employment from Lesufi. The temporary Covid-19 workers were appointed in 2020 during the height of the Pandemic. For more on this, Elvis Presslin sp...

Gun Free South Africa has lodged papers in the Cape Town High Court on behalf of families, to hold police accountable for deaths and injuries resulting from police-owned firearms, sold to criminals by a former police colonel, Christian Prinsloo. Prinsloo, who supplied gangs in the Western Cape with firearms, was sentenced to 18 years in jail in 2016 and was later released after serving less than a...

The South African Municipal Workers' Union, SAMWU will today march to the office of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi over the outsourcing of municipal services in the City of Johannesburg. SAMWU says the City has more than capable workers to execute municipal services but the City insists on using outside labour. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to SAMWU General Secretary, Dumisane Magag...

AfriForum is heading to court to challenge the 5-year validity period for South African driving licences. The organisation believes it is unconstitutional for motorists to have to renew their licence cards. This as the country's only licence printing machine is once again out of order. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Afriforum's Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content, Ernst van Zyl.

A Manhattan jury has found former U.S. President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of author E. Jean Carroll as a weeks-long civil trial concluded in New York. Carroll claimed Trump sexually assaulted her more than two decades ago and then defamed her by claiming her account was a hoax. The federal jury of six men and three women took less than three hours to return their verdict...

The eThekwini municipality is proposing an R100 monthly flat rate for services in the City's rural areas. City Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda says rural areas in the municipality have seen rapid population growth over the past few years which has led to increased demand for services like water, electricity, and refuse collection. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Mxolisi Kaunda

Tensions remain high in Pakistan following the arrest of the country's former prime minister Imran Khan. Mr. Khan was arrested while appearing at the High Court in the capital, Islamabad on charges of corruption, which he says are politically motivated. Yesterday the country witnessed sporadic protests organized in major cities of Pakistan. The protests have also spread to Pakistan's consulate in...

The government will appeal a ruling by the North Gauteng High Court which exempted public facilities such as hospitals, police stations, and schools from power cuts. Yesterday Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that Government will lodge an urgent appeal to set aside the judgment. Last week the Court ordered the government to exempt essential public facilities from load shedding....

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will today conduct a service delivery oversight visit to the Jagersfontein disaster area in the Free State. In September last year, a dam collapsed at a diamond mine in Jagersfontein, leading to the death of one person and the displacement of many others, leaving more than 160 families homeless. The Deputy President is expected to provide feedback to the community o...

Time to take 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