First Take SA

Residents and community leaders in Giyani, Limpopo want the Water and Sanitation Department to account for yet another missed deadline to complete the Giyani Bulk Water Project. The project was supposed to be up and running by the end of last month. The multi-million rand project has been delayed several times due to alleged mismanagement of funds and corruption. This has left over 55 communities...

Former US president, Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges. The charges focus on a hush payment to Daniels, and other alleged pay-offs to suppress potentially damaging stories, one involving a doorman and another to a former Playboy model. Trump addressed a crowd of supporters in Mar-a-Lago in a roughly 25-minute speech. Elvis Presslin spoke to our correspondent in New York, S...

The South African Revenue Services recorded close to R1.7 trillion in revenue for the financial year 2022/23, a 7.9 percent increase from the previous year. SARS says the preliminary revenue collection for this financial year results reflect a significant growth trajectory over the past few years. Elvis Presslin spoke to Portfolio Manager at Aluwani Capital Partners Patrick Mathidi

The finance ministry says Eskom is still required to disclose financial and non-financial information on irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditures but only in its annual report. The ministry says by allowing Eskom to report on irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure in its annual report and not in its financial statements, it ensures that reporting transparency and accountability is...

The Public Investment Company stands to lose around R3.4 Billion in Government Employee Pension Funds after reportedly striking a deal with AYO Technologies. The PIC in 2017 invested about R4 Billion of government employees pension in AYO Technology's initial public offering shares. The deal that will see AYO Technology repurchase some of its shares for R619 Million this comes after court litigati...

Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in New York for his court hearing today. He's facing charges related to alleged hush money payments during his 2016- election campaign. The exact charges he faces are not yet known but they will be read in full when he appears at the Manhattan Criminal Court Building. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to our correspondent in New York, Sherwin Bryce...

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 EFF will lead a picket outside Ugandan high commission in Pretoria on Tuesday to put pressure on the country to withdraw its controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The bill has been blasted by human rights activists and some world leaders as it would give the state power to arrest the LGBTQplus community in the country. Our Senior Producer Ronald Phiri spoke to EFF Member of Parliament Naledi...

Newly re-elected DA leader, John Steenhuisen has expressed gratitude for his re-election to the position. Steenhuisen beat former Johannesburg Mayor, Doctor Mpho Phalatse for the position. Steenhuisen has thanked the more than two thousand delegates attending the DA Federal Congress in Midrand and the greater membership of the party for trusting him to lead the party again. Elvis Presslin spoke to...

Economists are expecting the South African Reserve Bank to increase interest rates by only 25 basis points at its Monetary Policy Committee meeting today. They believe the move will mark the last of the interest rate hiking cycle which started in November 2021. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Frank Blackmore, Lead Economist at KPMG

The South African Municipal Workers' Union, SAMWU says it will approach the Constitutional Court to challenge a new legislation banning all municipal workers from holding political party positions. According to the union, the Municipal Systems Amendment Act which was signed into law last year contravenes clauses in the Bill of Rights that allow citizens the right to political choices. To further d...

The Hawks have carried out raids on properties linked to alleged tender irregular contracts at Tembisa Hospital that resulted in approximately R1-billion being siphoned from the Gauteng Department of Health. The Hawks conducted simultaneous search and seizure operations at a house in Bedfordview, offices in Germiston and Edenvale in Ekurhuleni respectively yesterday. Provincial Health Department w...

Lesotho is debating a motion to reclaim the Free State Province and other parts of South Africa as part of the Lesotho Kingdom. The motion put forward by an opposition party MP wants to see the Mountain Kingdom take the entire Free State and four more regions as its own. For more on the elections, Elvis Presslin spoke to our SABC Lesotho Correspondent Rapelang Radebe

DA councilor Cilliers Brink says getting the capital's finances in order, is a priority. Brink was speaking following his election as executive mayor of the City of Tshwane last night where he defeated COPE's Ofentse Moalusi. He replaces Dr. Murunwa Makwarela who resigned on March 10th after a fake insolvency rehabilitation certificate scandal. The newly elected mayor says they will look at Cape T...

The parole hearing of convicted murderer Donovan Moodley is expected to take place at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre today. Moodley was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Leigh Matthews, whom he kidnapped and held captive while demanding ransom money from her family, in 2004. After receiving R50 000 from Leigh's father, he murdered her. Last year, he was denied parole but managed to h...

The Competition Commission has raised concern over the price increases of essential food. The Commission says South African consumers have been subjected to unjustified price increases of sunflower oil, white and brown bread, and opportunistic price increases in maize meal over a two-year period. This was revealed in the latest 2021-2022 Essential Food Pricing Monitoring report released by the Com...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured people at Port St Johns that have been affected by floods that a contractor will start today to build them temporary structures. Ramaphosa was in the town yesterday to assess the damage caused by the recent floods which claimed the lives of three people and damaged private and public infrastructure. For the latest, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mayor Ms. Nomvuzo Mlo...

600 disabled Gauteng patients are reported to be without wheelchairs due to delays. This was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko in a written reply to questions by DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom in the Gauteng Legislature. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Motalatale Modiba, Chief Director for Communication at the Gauteng Department of Health

The Democratic Alliance, DA will host its Federal Congress at the weekend to elect the party's leadership. More than 2 000 delegates are expected to attend the two-day congress, which will officially kick off at the Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand, Johannesburg. Incumbent DA leader John Steenhuisen and former Johannesburg mayor Dr. Mpho Phalatse are vying for the position of party leader....

Another special council meeting in the City of Tshwane is set to convene today for the election of the mayor. This will be the third attempt to elect a mayor following the resignation of Cope's Muranwa Makwarela on the 10th of March. Meanwhile yesterday, an attempt by the Tshwane multi-party coalition to have the speaker, Mncedi Ndzwanana removed failed. Ndzwanana adjourned a special council sitti...

The South African Communist Party, SACP and COSATU in Mpumalanga will today lead a picket against toll fees at the Middelburg Toll Plaza. The two Tripartite alliance partners are protesting against what they deem to be "exorbitant toll fees" on the N4 and N17. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Lucky Mbuyane, SACP provincial Secretary

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 GOOD party has welcomed the City of Cape Town human settlements mayoral committee member, Malusi Booi's removal.  Booi's dismissal follows his suspension last week after a police raid at his office. Booi is accused of fraud and corruption. The GOOD party is calling on the DA to deal with all those implicated in criminal offenses. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the City of Cape Town...

Police in KwaZulu Natal are investigating the circumstances surrounding the murders of five people in two separate drive-by shootings in Tongaat, north of Durban. At least three others were left injured in yesterday's shooting. This brings the number of assassinations in the province in the past three days to nine. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant...

Traffic on two major Eastern Cape roads was brought to a standstill yesterday when taxi operators staged a protest over changes to the scholar transport agreement with the Department of Transport. Taxi drivers used trucks to block the N2 between Mthatha and Kokstad. SANTACO's Alfred Nzo regional secretary, Sinethemba Njoti, says the protest was to focus the department's attention on their grievanc...