First Take SA

Santam has partnered with the South African Weather Service to install nine new automatic weather stations aimed at closing observational gaps and improving early warning systems. The stations, now operational in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga are expected to support more accurate forecasts and disaster preparedness. The SA Weather Service say the collab...

The Constitutional Court will today deliver its judgment on the Section 89 Phala Phala report. President Cyril Ramaphosa has said he will respect the court's decision, reiterating that the judiciary operates independently. The ruling follows an EFF and ATM challenge to Parliament's rejection of an impeachment inquiry into the 2020 farm burglary. EFF members are expected to picket outside the court...

Joburg Mayor Dada Morero is meeting Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana today following concerns over the City's finances. Treasury says the City owes creditors R25 billion but has only R3.9 billion in cash available. The Minister has also ordered the City to halt its recent agreement with union SAMWU, warning of risks to the economy. Mayor Morero says the City remains operational and is committed t...

The United National Transport Union (UNTU) has declared a deadlock in wage negotiations with SA Cargo Services. The union has accused the company of bad faith bargaining, secrecy and exploiting workers, rejecting what it calls an "inhumane" 3.5% wage increase against an 11.8% demand. UNTU is also raising serious concerns about working conditions, lack of financial transparency and what it describe...

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has recorded 27 rape cases involving law enforcement officers in Gauteng, raising fresh concerns over police accountability and oversight. The Democratic Alliance, DA has criticised Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi for allegedly only accounting for five of the cases in the provincial legislature. The DA is calling for urgent reform and stronger conseq...

The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has urged that ministerial oversight be maintained following the Public Service Commission's provisional findings on irregular appointments in Minister Sisisi Tolashe's office. The PSC found that Ms Lesedi Mabiletja was appointed as Private Secretary and acting Chief of Staff without meeting required qualifications and had misrepresented her credential...

The financial crisis facing the City of Johannesburg has taken a dramatic turn, following a scathing letter from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to Executive Mayor Dada Morero. The letter paints a deeply troubling picture, from what's been described as an unfunded or "fictional" budget, to a staggering R25 billion debt burden, a liquidity crisis, and allegations of unlawful financial commitments...

Whistleblower Patricia Mashale has defended National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams as he faces charges of defeating the ends of justice and fraud in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court today. Mashale has questioned the legality of his arrest and said the case could bring long-standing claims around the Sindiso Magaqa murder into open court. She also raised concerns about political and racial b...

The EFF will picket outside the Constitutional Court on Friday ahead of the long-awaited Phala Phala judgment. The court confirmed it will hand down its ruling on the EFF's bid to challenge Parliament's 2022 decision not to adopt the Section 89 panel report into the 2020 theft at President Ramaphosa's Limpopo farm. The matter was heard in November 2024 after the panel found the president may have...

National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams is expected to appear in a KwaZulu-Natal court following his arrest in Cape Town yesterday. Police say he delayed handing himself over following a warrant issued by the Political Killings Task Team over fraud and defeating the ends of justice. The charges relate to alleged interference in the investigation into the murder of former ANC Youth League se...

Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says if the Constitutional Court sides with the Board of Healthcare Funders, the NHI Act will fall away and Parliament will have to begin the process anew. The court has been hearing the Board's challenge that Parliament did not allow meaningful public participation when passing the law. We spoke to Faith Mothambi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Heal...

Parliament is set to launch an inquiry into the gang violence and organised crime crisis affecting communities, especially in the Western Cape. The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the move but warned it must lead to real accountability and measurable results, not just more discussion. Residents in affected areas continue to live in fear as violence persists and pressure grows for concrete solutio...

E-hailing operators face mounting strain as sharp fuel price hikes threaten their livelihoods and profit margins. The increases are expected to drive up fares and weaken demand, adding pressure on commuters already battling transport costs. Industry players warn that without intervention, both drivers and passengers could feel the impact of a deepening affordability crisis. We spoke to National E-...

Violence targeting spaza shops and informal traders in South Africa, is leaving many small business owners operating under fear and uncertainty. The South African Spaza Shop Association says these attacks are no longer isolated incidents, but a growing crisis that is undermining township and rural economies and threatening the survival of informal trade networks. The association is now calling for...

Fuel prices will rise sharply across South Africa from Wednesday, adding pressure on struggling households. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced petrol will go up by R3.27 per litre and diesel by R6.19, with paraffin and LPG also increasing. The Government cites global oil price volatility and supply constraints for the hike. Cosatu warns the increases will drive up transpor...

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 National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union, NEHAWU says it is flabbergasted by Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela's decision to place NSFAS under administration without consulting the union. The union argues past administrators left the scheme with maladministration, financial irregularities and poor governance. NEHAWU had urged the Minister to work with stakeholders after board...

The Black Lawyers Association says the Legal Sector Code is vital for transformation in the judiciary. This comes as Norton Rose Fulbright, Webber Wentzel, Werksmans and Bowmans challenge the code in the Pretoria High Court. The firms argue the 2024 B-BBEE rules, requiring up to 50 percent black ownership, are unconstitutional and unworkable. BLA President Nkosana Mvundlela says the challenge is u...

The Constitutional Court will begin hearing a challenge to the National Health Insurance Act. The Board of Healthcare Funders and the Western Cape government argue Parliament failed to ensure meaningful public participation before passing the law. The hearings run from today until Thursday and will test whether sections 59 and 72 of the constitution were met. Major medical aid schemes are backing...

A dramatic and highly dangerous rescue operation has captured national attention in South Africa, after a police officer was lowered from a helicopter to secure a dead crocodile believed to contain human remains. The operation, carried out along the Komati River, involved euthanizing the animal before it was airlifted for forensic examination. Captain Johan Potgieter has been widely praised for hi...

Police have confirmed that missing Vosloorus spaza shop owner Mazwi Kubheka has been found alive, bringing relief after a month-long disappearance that had raised serious concerns in the community. Kubheka reportedly presented himself at the Vosloorus police station after going missing on the day he was due to pay rent for his business. His case had sparked fears around safety, crime, and the vuln...

Nigeria is working on the permanent repatriation of citizens in South Africa who want to return home. The move follows recent protests and rising tensions over undocumented immigrants and border control. The Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo South Africa Chapter have confirmed the plan, citing safety and livelihood concerns. We're now joined by Dr. ABC Okokoh, President of the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo South Africa Chapter...

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has submitted a Private Member's Bill to reserve spaza shop ownership strictly for South African citizens. The draft is nearing completion and follows concerns over illegal trade and undocumented foreign nationals. The move comes amid tighter regulation of township economies after foodborne illness outbreaks in 2024 and 2025. Government has already stepped up inspections...

The Activists and Citizens Forum is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently address what it describes as "porous borders" and a potentially life-threatening situation. This comes as some communities demand stricter immigration controls, including the closure of borders and the arrest of undocumented foreign nationals, raising serious questions about law enforcement, human rights, and soci...