First Take SA

Professor of African Politics at the University of South Africa, Professor Kealeboga Maphunye speaks to Elvis Presslin on delays with polls opening for Zimbabwe's election. Opposition parties are already crying foul about vote rigging

Today is the last day of the South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU's National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting. The NEC meeting has been discussing domestic and international socio-economic issues and political developments including the current BRICS Summit. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to SAFTU National spokesperson Trevor Shaku

Zimbabweans will cast their votes today in the country's general election, which will determine the future of Zimbabwe amid an economic crisis. A total of 11 candidates are vying for the presidency, but the main contest is between the incumbent President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF, and Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). To look into the Zimbabwe General Elections we are j...

Zimbabweans are gearing up to vote for a President in the country's general elections today. A total of 11 candidates are vying for the presidency, but the main contest is between the incumbent President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF, and Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Zanu-PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, is confident it will retain power....

Tributes continue to pour in for veteran investigative journalist and broadcaster Derek Watts who passed away yesterday after a battle with Sepsis and skin cancer. Watts was 74. He detailed his health battles on social media. He worked at investigative program Carte Blanche since its inception 35 years ago. For more on this, Tshamano Makhadi, Treasurer-General for the South African National Editor...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says BRICS leaders will consider other countries' requests to join the bloc. He was addressing delegates at the official opening of the 15th BRICS Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg yesterday. Ramaphosa says BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa will consider over 20 countries' applications for entry into the bloc. For more more on this Elvis Presslin spok...

Today marks exactly two years since the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran. Deokaran was a senior Gauteng Department of Health Financial official and a key witness in several investigations looking into claims of corruption at the department during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was gunned down in the driveway of her home, south of Johannesburg. Yesterday,  all six men accused of her killing hav...

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Blade Nzimande faces four court actions that seek to stop him from putting UNISA under administration. Nzimande intends to disband the university council and put the university under administration after findings of financial mal-administration by an independent audit. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Higher Education, Science and...

Chinese President Xi Jinping will today pay President Cyril Ramaphosa a state ahead of the BRICS Summit, in Sandton, Johannesburg. Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are meeting at the  15th BRICS Summit from today until Thursday to debate expansion, enchance diplomatic and economic ties. More than 60 heads of state and government have also been invited to the Summit. For mo...

The United Democratic Movement, UDM has rejected the South African Reserve Bank report, which cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing in its investigation into undisclosed foreign currency stolen from his Phala Phala farm in 2020. UDM Leader General Bantu Holomisa says the findings are a whitewash on the same scale as acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka's report - which equally cle...

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.

Zimbabweans will go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president and government. The country's ruling ZANU-PF party which has been in power for the last 43 years says it is ready for electoral victory. A dozen candidates are vying to be the country's next president but the main contest seems to be between incumbent, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is seeking a second term and and Nelson Chamisa, of the...

South Africa's agricultural sector is expected to gain new export markets from some of the agreements to be concluded during the Brics Summit. China and Brazil have shown big interest in South Africa's agricultural commodities in recent months. The BRICS summit which starts tomorrow will see over 40 heads of state and 500 delegates attend this event. For more on this Jaco Minnaar, Agri SA Presiden...

The BRICS group of major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will begin its 15th heads of state and government summit in Sandton, Johannesburg tomorrow. Over 40 countries are expected to attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend in person due to an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine...

A Cape Town Advocate has served the Speaker of Parliament with a letter of demand to remove the chairperson of suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment inquiry. Advocate Winston Erasmus is demanding Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to remove Richard Dyantyi after his recusal application against him was declined. Erasmus says Dyantyi was too compromised to officiate over the inqui...

As we continue to commemorate Women's Month this August, the National Debt Advisors says the dire economic situation in the country has directly translated to a significant increase of 68% in women seeking debt help at the organisation. The organisation says it has seen notable spikes in single women applicants and women who applied jointly with spouses, both this year and 2022.  For more on this...

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) says it is confident that the upcoming BRICS Summit to be held in Sandton, Johannesburg next week, will take place in a safe and secure environment. The structure, which comprises the South African Police Service, State Security Agency, as well as the Defense Force, says security has been beefed up in all the areas where the del...

The Multi Party National Convention of South Africa has agreed to a power sharing structure following two-days of deliberations in Kempton Park on Gauteng's East Rand. Leaders of seven political parties met to formulate terms of agreements for their new partnership ahead of next year's general elections. The goal of the seven parties is to remove the ANC from national government for the first time...

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 South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has made a parliamentary submission to the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, opposing sections of the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill. The Bill seeks to establish a national regulatory framework for the electricity supply industry. But SAFTU feels the Bill is aimed at furthering the objectives to privatize energy provisi...

The Truckers Association of South Africa (TASA) says engagements are at an advanced stage to have 20% of trucks on the South African road networks removed and have goods transported by rail. This to eliminate the security threats faced by truck drivers across the country and to reduce traffic congestion on the road networks. But the African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association, AUBBTA is opposed t...

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) has vowed to continue its protest action until workers are paid their wage increases. This, as the City of Tshwane has dismissed some striking workers, calling them the 'ring leaders' behind what it says it's an unlawful and unprotected strike in the metro. The strike has left residents of Mabopane and Soshanguve north of Pretoria without water sin...

A 13-year-old learner has been removed from Crowthorne Christian Academy in Midrand, Johannesburg for having dreadlocks. In a viral video captured on camera, the teen and her mother are seen being pushed out of a classroom by a male school official, who accused the teen of violating the school's new hair policy. The incident at the Academy has since conjured discussions about Zulaikha Patel, a tee...

Pharmacists can now prescribe medication to patients with HIV and tuberculosis following a recent court Judgment. The Pretoria High Court dismissed an application by  a private doctors' organization, the Independent Practitioners Association (IPA) Foundation - which was challenging a legislation in the Government Gazette that enables pharmacists to prescribe and dispense antiretroviral medicines w...

Parliament's legal services unit says all the institution's committees are constitutionally obligated to take into account all the public submissions made regarding the Bills tabled before it. It gave its legal advice on the second day of deliberations on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill. This comes after the Democratic Alliance ( DA) and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)...