First Take SA

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 Minister for Higher Education Dr. Blade Nzimande will visit Fort Hare University on Wednesday, following the attempt on Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu's life. Boneli Vesele, Professor Buhlungu's bodyguard and the driver was gunned down in Alice at the weekend while driving the vice chancellor's official vehicle. Higher Education Ministry Spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi told our senior...

The National Health Department has urged people to vaccinate, get boosters and wear masks following the discovery of a new Covid19 variant. The XBB.1.5 variant, which is currently prevalent in the US - was first detected in South Africa at Stellenbosch University's Network for Genomics Surveillance. Scientists have described the variant as the most transmissible to date. For more on this, Elvis Pr...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the murder attempt on outgoing Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter at the Power utility's Megawatt Park office. De Ruyter reportedly drank a cup of coffee laced with cyanide a day after handing in his resignation last month. The DA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to outline measures being taken to address this. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Ghal...

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled the governing party's immediate action plan to turn the country around. Delivering the January eight statement under the theme: "The year of decisive action to advance the people's interests and renew our movement" at the Petrus Molemela stadium in Mangaung, Bloemfontein, Ramaphosa says the ANC has adopted a six-point plan to address challenges facing the...

The bodies of eight illegal miners have been retrieved in Limpopo, after an illegal chrome mine collapsed in Driekop, near Burgersfort. Police say the mine collapsed following heavy rains in the area. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo

The Democratic Alliance, DA says Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter was sacrificed at the altar of politics. The party says de Ruyter's sudden resignation at Eskom is a reflection of Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe's relentless campaign against him - Despite de Ruyter's dutiful efforts to turn around the power utility. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Ghaleb Cachalia, DA Shadow Minister of Public E...

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 National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, NUMSA says the resignation of Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter was long overdue. The Union which has long called for his resignation says De Ruyter was not a suitable candidate to head the power utility. Numsa says workers experienced a high number of retrenchments due to persistent load shedding. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Phakamile Hlub...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has survived an impeachment vote in Parliament yesterday. The majority of Members of Parliament voted against the adoption of the Section 89 panel report into the Phala Phala Farm Scandal. Several ANC MPs defied the party's mandate to vote against the adoption of the report. The ATM's motion was defeated by 214 votes to 148, with two abstentions. For more on this, Elvis P...

The Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela has struck off the roll an urgent application by ANC members that have been excluded from participating in the party's upcoming 55th national conference. The members have accused the ANC of excluding qualifying delegates supporting Deputy President David Mabuza from participating in the conference. Elvis Presslin spoke to one of the disgruntled members, Slungu...

The Democratic Alliance says the raid of Tembisa hospital on the East Rand was long overdue. The comments come after Investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) confirmed allegations of maladministration and possible fraud and corruption related to the Supply Chain Management process at Tembisa Hospital. In a report by the SIU which was released to the media by Gauteng Premier Panyaza L...

The DA in eThekwini has distanced itself from supporting the motion against the removal of Deputy Mayor, Philani Mavundla. The ANC in the municipality tabled an urgent motion, saying that relations with Mavundla had soured. Mavundla's removal yesterday was confirmed with 125 votes against him while 59 voted in his favor. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to theThekwini Caucus Leader Thabani M...

Members of Parliament will today vote on whether to adopt the section 89 independent panel report. The report found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have a case to answer with respect to the theft at his Phala Phala farm in 2020. Opposition party leaders in the multi-party forum say they will vote in favour of the establishment of an impeachment committee. Some ANC MPs opposed to Ramaphosa inten...

10 000 new police service trainees from various academies will be graduating as Constables today. This follows their completion of a nine-month training in the Basic Police Development Programme in September this year. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe

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 Joe Biden is expected to announce U.S. support for the African Union's admission to the G20 group of the world's largest economies as a permanent member. It has been reported that Biden will make the announcement during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit which begins tomorrow in Washington. The US says the summit will demonstrate its enduring commitment to Africa and underscore the importanc...

The City of Johannesburg says its disaster management teams remain on high alert as the South African Weather Service forecasts more rain in Gauteng over the next few days. This follows the devastating floods and thunderstorms that lashed Gauteng on Thursday.  Johannesburg's City Power has called for understanding from residents as it battles to keep up with the high demand for reconnections. A nu...

The ANC's Electoral Committee vetting process has disqualified several party bigwigs from contesting for the top six positions or running as additional members of the NEC. Former ANC Women's League President Bathabile Dlamini and former party Chief Whip Tony Yengeni are not eligible to stand for positions in the national executive committee due to their respective criminal convictions. Key ANC lea...

The South African National Editors' Forum, Sanef, and the Helen Suzman Foundation have applied to be admitted as friends of the court, in support of News 24 journalist Karyn Maughan and Advocate Billy Downer. This is as former President Jacob Zuma's private prosecution case against the pair continues today and tomorrow at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg. Zuma launched the prosecution against Ma...

Disgruntled ANC members have lodged disputes with the party's electoral committee objecting to the National Executive Committee list, announced last week. The members who failed to make it onto the list for the 200 nominations for the NEC are demanding access to the total number of branch nominations received per candidate. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Chief Livhuwani Matsila, Head of...

The Koeberg power station's unit 1 will be shut down for normal maintenance for six months, starting today. This as the power utility will continue implementing stage six load shedding until five am tomorrow morning; whereafter it will be reduced to stage five. Eskom says numerous units at power stations have gone down and it is also conserving its emerging diesel reserves that are intended for ba...

The South African Communist Party says it is demanding a full inquest into the assassination of Chris Hani to seek full disclosure of the truth, accountability, and justice. The party said this after it was revealed that Chris Hani's killer Janusz Walus has been released on parole. The party further says it will together with its allies and other interested South Africans, continue with its progra...

The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa in collaboration with the Free State government will today officially hand over the Winnie Mandela Museum. The handover will take place in Winnie Mandela town formerly known as Brandfort. The event earlier had to be postponed twice, due to protests by residents against the town name change, citing poor service delivery in...

Parliament has lodged an urgent application to the Constitutional court to ask for another extension for the finalization of the Electoral Amendment bill, until February next year. This is as the Independent Candidates Association contends that the proposed legislation is unconstitutional and plans to challenge its constitutionality in the Constitutional Court. The bill, which came about after a C...