First Take SA

Trade Unions representing workers at Ferrochrome producer, Samancor will engage the company in efforts to reduce the number of employees to be retrenched at the company's smelters. Samancor issued retrenchment notices, that envisages that 2400 employees might be retrenched at its smelter operations and corporate office. It cites electricity costs as the reason for its decision. This, though Eskom...

In a landmark divorce case, the Western Cape High Court has ruled a man must financially support his ex-wife's children, despite his role as a stepfather. Legal expert Nonhlanhla Mtshali spoke to my colleague Thembekile Mrototo, about what this judgement entails

The National Consumer Commission has issued a product recall for Made for Tots Corn Puffs Chicken 12g sold at Clicks stores. The recall affects just over a thousand units after the product tested positive for a non-pathogenic strain of Listeria. According to the supplier, about 348 units were sold to consumers while the rest have already been removed from store shelves. Consumers who may have boug...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has committed his administration to drastically reduce road fatalities. He was speaking at the Inaugural National Transport Conference in Midrand, north of Johannesburg. The three-day gathering attended by Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy, and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, brought together decision-makers, investors and innovators to engage on how to build a sustainable...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has committed his administration to drastically reduce road fatalities. He was speaking at the Inaugural National Transport Conference in Midrand, north of Johannesburg. The three-day gathering attended by Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy, and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, brought together decision-makers, investors and innovators to engage on how to build a sustainable...

A former Special Task Force member has appeared in court charged with murdering a key witness, raising concerns about the unit's integrity. Matipandile Sotheni, a trained sniper, is accused of killing Madlanga Commission whistleblower, Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D. Crime analysts say some task force members are being recruited by organised crime syndicates because of the skills th...

A Cape Town father and former teacher is calling for a major rethink of homework in South Africa. Joseph Nefdt has launched a petition titled "Stop all educational homework in South Africa," arguing that excessive homework is leaving many children overwhelmed and stressed. He spoke to Elvis Presslin 

The police in Limpopo say they are intensifying crime prevention efforts through Operation Shanela II, which recently led to the arrest of 27 suspects, including one in possession of dagga worth over R2 million in Hoedspruit. A 38-year-old foreign national was arrested shortly after entering the Hoedspruit Central Business District while driving a white bakkie. Upon searching the vehicle, police d...

The South African Democratic Teachers Union and the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa, have raised concerns about governance and possible financial mismanagement at the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority. They say the ETDP SETA Board opposed a controversial Marshalltown office lease over safety, compliance and cost conce...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has rejected proposals to liquidate the South African Post Office, blaming the institution's crisis on the failures of its Business Rescue Practitioners. COSATU is now calling on the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to approach the courts to remove the practitioners and appoint competent administrators to lead a turnaround of SAPO. El...

The South African National Defence Force has been deployed alongside the South African Police Service under Operation Prosper for 13 months, with more than 2,000 troops deployed nationwide. The operation, which was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, will focus on crime hotspots in the Free State, Gauteng, North West, Western Cape and Eastern Cape. The SANDF and SAPS held a joint media briefin...

Media reports suggest that the African National Congress (ANC) intends to recall Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero. This comes ahead of the local government elections in a few months. The party held a meeting this weekend to discuss Morero's future. Elvis Presslin spoke to Political Analyst Levy Ndou 

The Public Servants Association, PSA is calling for urgent intervention after a Grade-1 learner nearly fell into an open pit-toilet at Mogogelo Primary School in North West. The union says the incident highlights systemic failures in providing safe sanitation in schools. The PSA is demanding that the Premier and education officials take immediate action to address the infrastructure crisis. For mo...

South Africa's low-cost airline FlySafair has introduced a temporary fuel surcharge on ticket prices, citing a sharp increase in global jet fuel costs. The airline says the measure is necessary to manage rising operating expenses while continuing to offer affordable travel. We're joined now by Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair...

Defend Our Democracy says President Cyril Ramaphosa's attempt to remove Justice Sisi Khampepe from the TRC Prosecutions Commission raises serious concerns about judicial independence. The movement views the move as an effort to derail the Commission's investigation into apartheid-era crimes. The commission's work is far advanced, with several weeks of hearings already held. The group is demanding...

A look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, author of  Africa Is Open For Business and Africa Bounces Back

Government departments are said to  owe about R12.4 billion in unpaid invoices, up 17% in a quarter. This according to the latest National Treasury payment data. Delayed payments are hitting small businesses hard, disrupting payroll and stalling growth. Area Manager at Business Partners Limited, Lawrance Ramotala says this is pushing SMEs into survival mode and undermining job creation. Elvis...

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has rejected DA claims that he was involved in the financial settlement with former provincial Health CFO, Lerato Madyo who is the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Gauteng Health, implicated in a scandal involving R850 million in fraudulent, suspicious contracts at Tembisa Hospital. Lesufi says his office had no role in the negotiations or decision and that he...

A number of South Africans who arrived in the United States as refugees since May last year are now reportedly heading back home. Many had fled in 2025, citing government-backed racial discrimination and persecution targeting the Afrikaner community. President Trump granted them priority refugee status February last year. AfriForum says the underlying problems that drove them away still have not b...

South Africa's Department of International Relations has summoned US Ambassador, Leo Brent Bozell the Third for a formal demarche after he labelled the "Kill the Boer" chant hate speech at a recent event in Hermanus, Western Cape. DIRCO says the public comments breached diplomatic protocol and disrespected South African sovereignty. The ambassador later clarified on X that his personal view aligns...

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron has raised concerns about the deployment of the South African National Defence Force troops in Gauteng. Cameron says footage from Eldorado Park, Westbury and Riverlea shows soldiers arresting civilians, with no police in sight. He wants answers on the command structure and rules of engagement. The military is supporting police in th...

The South African Medical Association Trade Union, SAMATU will today march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to demand urgent action on the country's youth unemployment crisis. The COSATU affiliate says the jobless rate for those aged 15 to 24 now exceeds 70%, describing it as a "ticking timebomb" threatening national stability and growth. Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr Talente Biyela, the Chairperso...

Police in the Eastern Cape have uncovered an 11 member syndicate allegedly involved in 62 insurance-related murders. The suspects insured family members and vulnerable individuals before killing them for payouts. Similar arrests were made in Limpopo, where five suspects were nabbed in connection with insurance killings and fraud linked to former police officer Rachel Kutumela. Elvis Presslin spoke...

Police have raided multiple properties linked to businessman Calvin Mathibeli in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng as part of a tender fraud investigation. The move follows a Durban High Court order for Mathibeli to retract statements alleging corruption by KZN Provincial Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mathibeli was accused of making defamatory claims about Mkhwanazi. The police operati...

Police have raided multiple properties linked to businessman Calvin Mathibeli in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng as part of a tender fraud investigation. The move follows a Durban High Court order for Mathibeli to retract statements alleging corruption by KZN Provincial Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mathibeli was accused of making defamatory claims about Mkhwanazi. The police operati...