First Take SA

Health professionals say they are starting to witness a spike in the number of new daily COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. This has prompted concerns that the country may be at the beginning of a fifth wave which is possibly driven by a new Omicron variant. The latest daily infections recorded are fast approaching five thousand while the government continues to intensify its vaccination dr...

The South African Federation of Trade Unions is expected to hold a picket against jobs and retrenchment at the Union Building today. The Federation says neo-policies of the ANC-led government have led to an onslaught against jobs and further crippled the economy. Unemployment, the Federation notes, is above 50 percent among women and at a staggering 77 percent among the youth, while the black majo...

The ANC national government reportedly blew R1.4 billion on parties, dinners and hotels during lockdown, this according to the Democratic Alliance, DA. The party's Shadow Minister for Public Service and Administration Dr Leon Schreiber says 18 ANC Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their departments spent over R1.4 billion since President Cyril Ramaphosa's government took office on 19 May 2019. For m...

ANC National spokesperson Pule Mabe has confirmed that the party's Eastern Cape elective conference has been postponed to a date to be confirmed. He was speaking during the launch of the Letsema campaign in Mangaung in the Free State. Mabe cautioned media houses and journalists against reporting false or unverified news updates on the delayed conferences of the party describing them as sensitive....

The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial is expected to resume in the High Court in Pretoria this morning after a week's postponement. This was to allow legal representatives to consult with the accused and to adequately prepare. Meyiwa was gunned down at his then-girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo's mother's home in Vosloorus, Johannesburg eight years ago in October 2014. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to the...

Residents of Eldorado Park in Johannesburg have vowed to continue protesting until power utility, City Power re-connects their electricity. This comes after the area and surrounding areas have been left in the dark following a fire at a substation earlier in the month. Yesterday, residents blocked roads with stones and burning tyres in a demand for authorities to address them. For more on this Elv...

Time to take a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, 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

SASSA has put in place measures to assist those affected by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Families that have been affected by floods will be given a 1-thousand 2-hundred rand voucher to purchase essential items. At least 448 people have died from the floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Thousands of people have been left homeless after their houses were washed away away floods. For the latest we're joined on t...

Government has set aside an amount of about 200-million rand for all the tertiary institutions that might have been affected by the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal. This was announced by the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande in Parliament. Nzimande says the department decided to re-prioritise this money as part of emergency undertakings for unforseen situations. For the lates...

Plans are in place to restore stability at the financially troubled Mangaung Metro Municipality, in Bloemfontein. This follows a visit to the metro by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The plans to bring stability to the embattled metro  come as Tebogo Motlashuping is reported to have been appointed as the new and fourth acting city manager for a...

Eskom CEO André de Ruyter says the power utility is facing two decades of unattended maintenance. Briefing the media yesterday, de Ruyter accused his predecessors of delaying the introduction of the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme for a number of years. He says currently there was an additional 200 Mega Watts of power available from independent power producers, but contract...

ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal has cautioned that President Cyril Ramaphosa's promises to the residents of the floods ravaged parts of the provinces should be taken with a pinch of salt. This follows assurances by the president that the national disaster relief funds would not be stolen. Co-operative governance and traditional affairs (COGTA) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gazetted regulations for the...

The Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union says at least 58 healthcare services have been damaged by the KwaZulu-Natal floods with hospitals and clinics struggling to provide normal services. This situation has been made worse by the damage to roads and infrastructure including the power supply with several areas without any water supply due to the Umngeni infrastructure being damaged. Healthcare workers...

Home Affairs officials together with the police and soldiers have arrested hundreds of undocumented foreign nationals at the Beitbridge Border Post at Musina in Limpopo. They were arrested during the safety operation campaign at the border post. There's a huge police presence at the port of entry since the start of the Easter weekend. Koketšo Motau reports.

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department says latest reports indicate that over 600 schools have been damaged by last week's devastating floods. The damage is estimated at over four-million rand. Mobile classrooms are being dispatched to prepare for the re-opening of schools on Tuesday.

Government has declared a National State of Disaster following the devastating floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. In addressing the nation on Monday Night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the severity of the flooding and damage in both provinces, as well as the possibility of extreme weather in the North West and Free State provinces has necessitated this. The Minister of Co-ope...

Zimbabwean small scale gold miner has filed multiple international legal actions to reclaim swathes of Mashonaland East based lithium. The communications authority in Kenya has extended the SIM card registration by another six monthsThe Standard Chartered Bank announces moves to completely exit some markets in Africa and Middle East. Africa Brief with Victor Kgomoeasoana....

KwaZulu-Natal has been declared a disaster area. Several areas have been affected by inclement weather conditions that have claimed the lives of more than 200 people. President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the province. Elvis Presslin spoke to Senzelwe Mzila, the spokesperson for the COGTA MEC of the province Sipho Hlomuka...

Close to 300 girls were married before turning 18 in the past years, according to Home Affairs. The figures have prompted Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to put in place legislation to outlaw ukuthwala. Ukuthwala is a practice where young girls are abducted against their will to pressure a bride's family into endorsing a marriage. For more on the legislation, Elvis Presslin spoke to Chrispin Phiri,...

The Lebombo Border Post between Mozambique and South Africa will now operate 24 hours a day. Authorities of both countries made the announcement of their bilateral agreement in Ressano Garcia, Mozambique. The Border Management Authority believes that the agreement will boost the economies of both countries. Mthobisi Mkaliphi reports....

National traffic officials and other law enforcement agencies have urged motorists to adhere to all safety rules as major freeways are expected to be under strain this Easter weekend. This morning, holidaymakers are expected to be traveling on the N1 to Polokwane, N3 to KwaZulu-Natal, and  N4 to Mpumalanga, among other destinations. Last year, the department of transport recorded 189 crashes,...

"We are now facing a perfect storm that threatens to devastate the economies of developing countries." So says the United Nations Secretary General at the launch of a brief on the impact of the war in Ukraine on food, energy and finance systems globally - an initiative of a Global Crisis Response Group established by the UN Chief in March led by his deputy Amina Mohammed. The war has resulted in d...

Parliament's joint committee on ethics and members' interests has cleared former Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize of contravening its Code of Ethics for allegedly benefitting from the irregular Digital Vibes tender. The Executive Ethics Committee found that Mkhize did not breach the ethics code by not disclosing the benefit he received from Digital Vibes. Elvis Presslins spoke to the DA's Deputy C...

Once again, President Cyril Ramaphosa's message of anti-corruption and renewal is being tested. Despite having adopted the step-aside rule which bars party members facing serious criminal charges from position of leadership, the ANC in Mpumalanga has elected murder accused Mandla Msibi as Treasurer while in Kwa Zulu-Natal Zandile Gumede is elected eThekwini Regional Chairperson. Our Political Corr...

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance has confirmed that over 50 people have lost their lives in torrential rains and floods in the province. It is not yet clear how many people remain missing after heavy rains swept away cars and people crossing bridges in low-lying areas. In a statement, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Doctor Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma...