First Take SA

Workers from Gold One mine in Springs, on Gauteng's East Rand, say they will forge ahead with the sit-in until management gives in to their demands. More than 500 mine workers are currently staging a sit-in underground in one of the mine-shafts, whilst dozens others are picketing at the entrance of the mine shaft. They are demanding that mining union AMCU be recognised at the mine. For more on thi...

Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has directed all municipalities to audit spaza shops owned by foreign nationals in their jurisdictions. Dr. Motsoaledi say this is part of their inter-governmental approach to respond to the public outcry about the quality of food sold at spaza shops. Recently, two children have died, while several learners fell ill after consuming products from spaza sh...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, DIRCO to appeal an interdict preventing it from donating R50 million to Cuba. AfriForum interdicted the payment of funds to Cuba last year at the High Court in Pretoria. The Department says the funds were set aside to respond to Cuba's request for humanitarian aid. Afriforum is cu...

The country's top business and public leaders will be meeting today to address the Future of Leadership in South Africa. The inaugural Future of Leadership Summit will bring together 100 plus top leadership voices from across South Africa to examine the key dimensions of co-creating the future of leadership. The summit comes as South Africa faces mass skills exodus with many graduates wanting to l...

Over 500 mine workers are reportedly being held at the Gold One mine in Springs, Johannesburg. The National Union of Mineworkers, NUM says at least 543 of its members are being held hostage underground by allegedly heavily armed individuals since Sunday. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to NUM's national spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu and Jeff Mphahlele, AMCU's General Secretary

The Independent Electoral Commission will officially launch the 2024 National and provincial elections today. The launch will focus on the final registrations, timelines and requirements ahead of the elections next year. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Mawethu Mosery, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer for the IEC

85% of South Africa's Air Force fleet remain grounded due to a lack of funding and maintenance. This was revealed by Defence Minister Thandi Modise in a recent response to a question by the Democratic Alliance in parliament. DA MP Kobus Marais says the funding crisis affecting the South African Air and Defence Force leaves the nation vulnerable to security threats. Elvis Presslin asked Marais to e...

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

The African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association (AUBBTA) is calling on the Department of Transport to make public the list of bus companies benefiting from government subsidies. The Association has accused government officials of misusing the subsidy for their own benefit. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Phumudzo Mukhwathi, Chairperson of AUBBTA

The City of Johannesburg will deploy patrollers to inspect and shut down spaza shops that are non-compliant with the City's by-laws. This comes amid reports of children who died or fell-ill after consuming food or snacks reportedly bought at spaza shops. Foreign-owned township shops have been accused of selling expired food and illicit goods. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Mgcini Ts...

The Public Servants Association and the State Information Technology Agency are reportedly set to sign a wage agreement which could end the week long strike. Workers affiliated to the union embarked on a strike last week after salary negotiations reached a deadlock with the Agency. The workers are demanding a seven point five percent salary increase coupled with non financial benefits, while the e...

The South African Weather Services and other members of the World Meteorological Organisation will today converge in Sandton, Johannesburg for a pertinent capacity building programme, this as the continent grapples with climate change and adverse weather conditions. The heads of meteorological services across Africa and beyond, will discuss severe weather, variable weather patterns and subsequent...

 Mpumalanga police have warned the public not to fall prey to criminals who solicit money from desperate job seekers applying for jobs at the South African Police Service. The police have reiterated that at no stage will the SAPS request applicants to pay money or ask for any favours in exchange for employment. They say they have noticed a trend where scammers come up with ways to source money fro...

President Cyril Ramaphosa will today make a return visit to the North West to assess progress made on commitments government made during the previous District Development Model Presidential Imbizo in the province. During the first visit, community members raised various service delivery issues pertaining to water shortages, crime, poor roads and the lack of access to electricity and jobs. For more...

The National Assembly has endorsed Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka as the next Public Protector. Gcaleka, who previously served as deputy and acting public protector, received 244 votes, while 12 MPs voted against her appointment. The DA staged a walkout during the debate, while the EFF, UDM, ATM, COPE and PAC did not participate in the vote. It's now left to President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint Gcaleka...

The African National Congress, ANC will today hold a picket outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, In solidarity with Palestine. This after more than a week of intensified violent, retaliatory attacks between the two Middle Eastern countries, after the Palestinian group Hamas launched unexpected military onslaught against Israel. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Wendy Kahn, National Dir...

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

The Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) has called for the abolishment of the private healthcare system and the implementation of the National Health Insurance. The union believes the implementation of the NHI will guarantee quality healthcare for all South Africans. The NHI Bill was passed by the National Assembly in June. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Rich Sacini, pre...

The National Assembly is today expected to vote on whether to recommend Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka as the next Public Protector. Gcaleka has been acting in the position for more than a year, following the Parliamentary impeachment process of her predecessor, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to FF-Plus' Chief Whip in Parliament, Dr. Corné Mulder.

The CEO of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS Andile Nongogo has been implicated in alleged fraud and corruption. A damning forensic report found that Nongogo actively participated in the appointment of service providers, tasked to disburse allowances to students. The report has also accused Nongogo of having relations with some of the appointed companies. For more on this, Elvis Pre...

ActionSA will today picket outside the Durban International Convention Centre, following allegations by the party that the ANC-led eThekwini Municipality paid nearly R5-million for the ANC Women's League Conference that took place at the venue in August. ActionSA has written to the head of the City Integrity and Investigation Unit, Thulani Ntobela, requesting that he launches an immediate investig...

The death toll from severe flooding in the O.R. Tambo District, in the Eastern Cape has risen to four people. This after heavy rainfall affected various parts of the District, causing damage to property and infrastructure. For the latest Elvis Presslin spoke to OR Tambo District Municipality executive mayor, Mesuli Ngqondwana

The Institute for Economic Justice says the budget cuts that are currently being pushed through by National Treasury will cause economic contractions and that it views the cuts as rushed and indiscriminate . National Treasury recently proposed drastic cuts in government spending in the next six months as part of fiscal consolidation. The cuts are based on government's forecasts of a 22 billion ran...

A police officer has been killed and another wounded in a shootout between police and suspects in Ntuzuma, in KwaZulu Natal. Another police officer has been wounded. Eight suspects have also been killed. Police Minister Bheki Cele says another shootout in the Mzinyathi area near Inanda, also took place during an intelligence driven operation. The minister has revealed that in less than two months,...

Negotiations between the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for salary increases for the 2023/24 financial year will resume this morning. The workers belonging to the PSA which represents the majority of employees at SITA are on day three of their national strike action following a deadlock in salary negotiations. Workers are demand...