First Take SA

The South African National Defence Union, SANDU has welcomed the reinstatement of a military recruit who was denied employment due to her HIV status. In 2017, a woman had undergone two years of training before her contracts were cancelled due to her HIV status. The South African National Defence Force re-employed the woman in 2023 after threats of litigation by Section27 and the AIDS Law Project....

Thousands of South Africans living abroad have registered to vote in the upcoming national elections. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says nearly 30 000 people, across more than 100 countries globally have registered thus far. But Hayley Reichert, a passionate and committed South African based in London says there are still significant problems with overseas registration and voting....

Eleven licensing officials have been arrested for fraud and corruption in Gauteng, the Free State and Mpumalanga. The arrests follow a three year investigation called Operation Catfish. The operation identified examiners who allegedly fraudulently issued drivers licenses and roadworthy certificates at various testing stations. The suspects in the Free State appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates...

The Democratic Alliance says President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration is to blame for South Africa's drop in a corruption perception index. The latest global ranking of perceptions of corruption shows the country has fallen to its lowest level ever recorded - scoring 41 out of 100. The DA has accused Ramaphosa's administration of being more corrupt than his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. For more on t...

The International Monetary Fund, IMF has cut its economic-growth forecasts for South Africa. The IMF has cited the country's energy crisis and logistical challenges at its ports and railways. In its World Economic Outlook released yesterday, the Washington-based lender says South Africa will likely grow by a meager 1% this year. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Frank Blackmore, Lead Econo...

The South African Heritage Resource Agency, SAHRA have welcomed the suspension of a controversial auction of former President Nelson Mandela's personal items. New York-based Guernsey's auction house announced the suspension on its websites without further explanation. The auction, which was scheduled to take place in February, would have seen 70 personal items belonging to the global Iconic and an...

The U.N. Security Council has expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. This amidst the International Court of Justice's recent ruling ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in its war with Hamas. The Council says there is an urgent need to expand flow of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza strip. Meanwhile, President Cyril R...

Former President Jacob Zuma has 48 hours to respond to his suspension from the ANC. The party's National Executive Committee took a decision to suspend Zuma as a member after he joined and campaigned for the rival uMkhonto we Sizwe party ahead of this year's national elections. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Political Analyst Tessa Dooms

The ANC in the Greater Johannesburg Region has expressed shock after a Rand Water executive was shoot and killed at the Zakariyya Park community hall in Vlakfontein. The incident occurred during a Back-to-School campaign at the centre. The City of Johannesburg Council's Chief Whip, Sthembiso Zungu was shot and wounded at the same event. ANC Greater Johannesburg Spokesperson, Masilo Serekele spoke...

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...