First Take SA

Johannesburg City Power is continuing its revenue collection drive with the Nigerian Consulate the latest to get their power cut off for outstanding bills. City Power switched off the consulate power after it refused to meet to discuss its outstanding R406 000 debt. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to City Power Spokesperson, Isaac Mangena

Can Eskom successfully be sued for load-shedding? The power utility is currently assessing a letter of demand from Mabuza attorneys and several other law firms over its failure to curb rolling blackouts in the country. The letter of demand was issued to Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Monday. Several political leaders and lobby groups are also planning t...

Rand Water has called on Gauteng residents to use water sparingly as possible water restrictions may come into effect. The Utility's spokesperson Makenosi Maroo told our Senior producer Ronald Phiri that storage reservoirs are currently running low...

The Matric results for the Independent Examinations Board, IEB are due to be released today. The Matric results for the National Senior Certificate will be released tomorrow. Johannesburg-based Redhill School has achieved a 100% Matric pass rate. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to one of the Redhill top achievers Charlotte Snyckers

The search for an escaped tiger in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg has prompted debate for tighter legislation to keep exotic animals as pets or in captivity. This as the search for Sheeba, a female tiger that escaped from its cage continues. The eight-year-old tiger attacked a 39-year-old man, a dog, and a deer after escaping from its enclosure at the weekend. For more on this, Elvis Presslin...

The Azania People's Organisation (AZAPO) is staging a sit-in protest inside the offices of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, NERSA in Pretoria. The party is protesting over the price of electricity and the recent increase in electricity tariffs. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Azapo Secretary for Publicity and Information, Gaontebale Nodoba

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says the number of measles cases in the country continues to rise. This as the outbreak has now been declared in five provinces namely, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the Free State, and the North West. The NICD has advised caregivers and parents to review their children's vaccination records to confirm their measles vaccination status. For mo...

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says they will monitor investigations into the death of a foreign national in Johannesburg CBD yesterday. Foreign nationals residing in the CBD embarked on a violent protest after a resident - suspected of being a drug dealer, was allegedly killed by officers during a drug raid on the premises. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to JMPD Spokesperson, Xolani...

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

Residents of Maokeng in Kroonstad, Freestate have vowed to continue with their service delivery protest until their demands are met. Yesterday angry residents took to the streets and marched to offices of Moqhaka Municipality demanding an end to rolling blackouts and a lack of water supply in the area. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Themba May, Kroonstad Community leader and organizer o...

The search for a tiger that escaped from its holding on Walkers Fruit Farms, south of Johannesburg has resumed this morning. The tiger has already killed a dog and attacked a man. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Midvaal Peace Officer Steven Van der Walt

The Democratic Alliance will march to the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House, Johannesburg, in protest against the electricity price hike. The DA will march to Luthuli House on the 25th of January, to voice outrage at what they call an "ANC-engineered electricity crisis". To elaborate further on the planned demonstrations, Elvis Presslin spoke to the DA's National spokesperson Cilliers Brink

The Eskom National Crisis Committee will today march to the power utility's headquarters at Megawatt Park Johannesburg. This is as the country continues to experience Stage 6 load-shedding. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has canceled his working visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos to address the country's energy crisis. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the Eskom National Cris...

The Johannesburg High Court is today expected to deliver judgment in President Cyril Ramaphosa's urgent application to interdict the private prosecution proceedings against him by former President, Jacob Zuma. Last week Thursday, the President's legal representative, Advocate Ngwako Maenetje argued that Ramaphosa's rights would be trampled upon in the private prosecution bid by his predecessor. Fo...

Patriotic Alliance Leader Gayton McKenzie has reportedly called for preference to be given to local learners ahead of undocumented pupils. This comes as parents struggle to get their kids placed in schools around the country. Meanwhile, Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga says parents' preference for certain schools over others, has led to some learners not being placed. Motshekga was spe...

The Democratic Alliance has written to President Cyril Rampahosa, requesting an urgent meeting about Eskom and the growing power crisis. This as the National Energy Regulator-NERSA has granted the power utility a tariff increase of 18-point-65 percent instead of the 32 percent it had applied for, effective from the first of April this year. For some reaction, Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Shadow Mini...

Consumers should brace themselves for tougher times ahead as after Nersa granted Eskom an electricity tariff hike of 18-point-65 percent. The approved hike is lower than the 35 percent that the power utility had applied for. The tariff increase will be effective from the first of April this year. NERSA says its decision to grant the tariff increase was a tough one given the current financial const...

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

With matric results coming out next Thursday, learners anxiously wait to see if they have succeeded. The outcome and waiting for results usually come with anxiety and depression. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group has set up an online support chat with experts to help those in need. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to Operations Manager at the South African Depression and A...

The urgent application brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa against his predecessor, former President Jacob Zuma, is expected to be heard in the Gauteng High Court today. The President filed papers to interdict Zuma from taking further steps to give effect to his private prosecution proceedings against him. Ramaphosa is also seeking the court to excuse him from appearing before it on the 19th of J...

Agri SA says the current energy crisis may have implications for food security in the country. This is as the National Energy Regulator (NERSA) is today expected to announce its decision on whether to grant Eskom a 32 percent tariff increase. Elvis Presslin spoke to Agri SA Executive Director Christo van der Rheede

The ANC in Tshwane is planning to remove Tshwane Mayor Randal Williams through a motion of no confidence. The move is reportedly due to the adverse Auditor-General report for 2021/2022 issued against the City of Tshwane. The report exposed an R10.4 Billion irregular expenditure and a fruitless and wasteful expenditure understated by a billion Rand. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to A...

Limpopo MEC for Social Development, Nandi Ndalane, and her protectors are in hospital with serious injuries following a car accident yesterday.  The MEC was with her driver and bodyguard when the vehicle they were traveling in overturned on the R511 road in Thabazimbi. MEC Ndalane was in the area to monitor the reopening of schools for the 2023 academic year. For the latest update, Elvis Presslin...

The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga will monitor schools in Gauteng as inland schools begin the 2023 academic year this morning. Over one thousand 300 Gauteng grade one and eight learners who applied online, are yet to be placed. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Basic Education Department Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga

Teachers and learners in Gauteng are getting ready to go back to school. Schools in the inland provinces will begin the 2023 academic year this Wednesday.  MEC for Education in Gauteng Matome Chiloane will today give an update on online applications for Grades 1 and 8 at Hoerskool Jeugland in Kempton and also touch on school readiness. For more on this and to give us insight regarding the teacher'...