First Take SA

The Department of Community Safety and Transport Management says the distribution of animal-drawn carts is in line with the national Rural Transport Strategy. The department is responding to the backlash it received for the acquisition of twenty donkey carts procured for a total of R 780 000, inclusive of a three-year maintenance plan. MEC Sello Lehari handed the carts to twenty beneficiaries of D...

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 Zimbabwean government says it has begun preparing for an influx of its returning citizens, as special permits expire in South Africa. Most Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa under the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system do not qualify for critical skills permits. About 180 000 ZEP holders will be affected by the 30 June 2023 deadline set by South Africa. For more on this, Elvi...

Two of the 12 suspects who escaped from custody at Komatipoort police station, Mpumalanga have been re-arrested. The two were arrested whilst trying to cross the Lebombo border to Mozambique. The suspects were arrested for various offenses that included rape, robbery, theft, and kidnapping. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.

Actress Terry Pheto has denied her alleged involvement in a multimillion-rand scheme relating to funding by the National Lotteries Commission. Pheto says she will fully cooperate with investigations. She is among a group of individuals and companies implicated in the corruption scandal which the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) is probing. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to SIU spokesperson...

The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari has expressed concern at what he says, are misguided statements shared on social media regarding the cost of animal-drawn carts handed to 20 beneficiaries at Dibono and Manawana villages outside Mahikeng, in the North West. Lehari says, the handing of the carts to mostly women beneficiaries was in line with the National...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Egypt for the COP27 Climate Change Conference in Sharm el Sheikh. This is as the World Bank has approved an R9 billion loan facility to power utility Eskom, as part of the Just Energy Transition initiative, which focuses on achieving "Net Zero" carbon emissions by the year 2050. President Ramaphosa has also released an R1.5 trillion investment plan to decarbonize So...

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 Freedom Front Plus says broad-based black economic empowerment policies have left a deep trail of economic destruction across the country. This is after President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed during his Q&A session in the National Assembly yesterday that the country will continue with Triple-B EE, Affirmative Action, and other transformational policies. FF Plus leader Dr. Pieter Groenewald sa...

The Department of Water and Sanitation will today open a case against Jagersfontein Developments over the mine wall dam collapse. Earlier this year the mine's dam wall burst, flooding the town with sludge from the mine dam. More than 160 houses were damaged and three people lost their lives in that disaster. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Human rights attorney Richard Spoor, who represe...

The School Governing Body of Phoenix High School in Vereeniging says the Gauteng Education Department is paying R180 000 a month to rent a school it sold for R600 000. The school governing body has taken the matter to Afriforum who say by the end of the lease in 2026 the taxpayer will have forked out R32 Million. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the Spokesperson for Afriforum's Private Pr...

President Cyril Ramaphosa's relative reportedly scored contracts worth R381 million Rand from Gauteng hospitals. The figure was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to the DA's provincial Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom. Hangwani Maumela who is reportedly a distant relative of president Cyril Ramaphosa scored the multi-million Rand contracts over a period of three...

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to win the country's parliamentary elections. Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, is set to make a return to power as his far-right party leads in the country's fifth election since 2019. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the Executive Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre, Naeem Jeena

Gauteng police are investigating an inquest following the discovery of 19 bodies of alleged illegal miners in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg. Ronald Phiri spoke to provincial Police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili about the discovery

The South African Police Service will today launch its annual National Safer Festive Season campaign in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. The launch is a precursor of the festive season operations which will be rolled out in each province to ensure the safety of residents, businesses, and holidaymakers in the country. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Police spokesperson Major General Mathapelo Peters

Media and Communications Strategist Kim Heller has denied being paid R120 000 to defend suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane against criticism. The Parliamentary inquiry into Mkhwebane's fitness to hold office has heard how her office paid three consultants for communication services to counter negative media reports about her. Kim Heller, Political Commentator, Professor Sipho Seepe, and...

Motorists will pay more for fuel at the pump as new prices come into effect today. The petrol price went up by 51 cents a litre for both grades. Diesel will increase by R1.43 cents a litre - sending the price to R25.49 cents a litre. The price of illuminating paraffin is now 77 cents a litre. The Central Energy Fund (CEF) attributed the price hikes to rising international fuel prices and the weake...

Equal Education and Equal Education Law Centre will be in court today to challenge the introduction of collaboration schools, donor-funded schools, and intervention facilities by the Western Cape Provincial School Education Amendment Act. The organization says the act makes it possible for two new types of schools to be established collaboration and donor-funded schools. It says these schools give...

The ANC in the Free State province is yet to convene its provincial conference, following another postponement of the conference which was scheduled to happen this past weekend. The Free State and the Western Cape are the two remaining provinces that have not held their conferences ahead of the party's national conference next month. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC Free State Provinc...

The Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi will today brief the media the following the certificate of recognition handing-over ceremony by President Ramaphosa to King MisuZulu kwaZwelithini at the weekend. The briefing comes amidst recent social media uproar over rituals performed by three Anglican Bishops on the Zulu King at Moses Mabhida stadium,...

Imtiaz Fazel is expected to start his five-year term as the new Inspector General of Intelligence today, following his appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa. This comes after the National Assembly approved Fazel's nomination for the position following a public process, in which 25 candidates applied for the position. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to an Independent intelligence analyst,...

The Public Servants Association is forging ahead with its strike for better wages after obtaining a strike certificate. The union will embark on industrial action from the 3rd of November if unions fail to reach a wage agreement with the government as the employer. The PSA has joined forces with Cosatu-affiliated unions in their rejection of the government's three-percent wage offer. For more on t...

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

President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the second presidential summit against gender-based violence and femicide, today and tomorrow. Under the theme: "Accountability, Acceleration, and Amplification, Now" ... the summit comes at a time when the country continues to record an increasing number of gender-based violence and femicide cases.  The first summit was held in 2018. For more on this, Elvis Pre...

 The Department of Basic Education says although contingency measures have been put in place to deal with Eskom's blackouts during matric exams, some situations can't be avoided. The department briefed the media on the state of readiness for the National Senior Certificate examinations starting today. Some practical exams have already been written. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to S...