First Take SA

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...

Workers in the public service sector will today stage pickets across the country after public service negotiations collapsed. Employees belonging to unions including the largest public service union, the Public Service Association, healthcare workers union NEHAWU and police union POPCRU will take part in the demonstrations. The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has described as an i...

 AfriForum says there is good history between the Zulu and Afrikaner communities and has called on the two groups to renew the relations that existed between them during King Dinizulu kaCetshwayo's reign. Afriforum leaders attended King Misuzulu's official certificate of recognition handover by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban over the weekend. For more on this, Elv...

Solidarity has welcomed the arrest of Matshela Koko, his wife Mosima, and his stepdaughter, Koketso Choma, due to alleged corruption at Eskom.  Solidarity filed criminal charges against Koko and others at the Brooklyn police station earlier this year. The fraud, corruption, and money laundering trial has been postponed to the 23rd of March next year at the Middelburg Specialised Crimes Court in Mp...

Advocate Dali Mpofu and his team the legal representatives of suspended Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane have withdrawn from her inquiry. Mkhwebane is currently facing a parliamentary inquiry into her competence to hold office. Mkhwebane told the committee it was not communicated to her by the legal team its intention to withdraw from the inquiry. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin...

Gauteng motorists will no longer have to pay for E-Tolls after a decade of defiance against the tolling system. This is after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the e-toll-related debt will be split between the national and provincial governments. Tabling his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in the National Assembly yesterday Godongwana said the national government will cover 70%...

The South African government says it currently does not have evidence to support claims by the U.S. Government that there could be a terror attack in Johannesburg. This after the US embassy in Pretoria issued an alert warning that it has received information that terrorists could conduct an attack, targeting large gatherings of people in the Sandton area this coming weekend. Minister in the Presid...

The Inter-Ministerial Task Team coordinating the preparations for the ceremonial handover of the certificate of recognition to King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini will today brief members of the media on the state of readiness towards the ceremony. The certificate of recognition handover ceremony will take place this Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to William...

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will table the Mid-term Budget Policy Statement in Parliament today. He is expected to outline governments' plans to keep the lights on and announce plants to reduce Eskom's high debt burden. If Eskom's debt is transferred, economists expect the debt burden for the country to grow. Treasury is also expected to revise the country's growth prospects downwards. To di...

Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell is set to face a motion of no confidence today. The ANC caucus spearheaded the motion, claiming Campbell had neglected service delivery in the region, particularly in townships. Meanwhile, Dr. Mpho Phalatse has been reinstated as the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg after a court yesterday declared her removal unlawful. To further discuss the recent devel...

The South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU is calling for an increase in the public sector wage bill, ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's mid-term budget today. The union is demanding that the government give public servants an 8% wage increase. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to SAFTU National Spokesperson Trevor Shaku

Equal Education is calling on the National Treasury to stop cuts to the basic education budget. This as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana prepares to table his medium-term budget policy statement in parliament today. Equal Education says money must be put towards fixing South Africa's schooling crisis. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Equal Education researcher Jane Borman

The Matric class of 2022 will begin their final examinations today, amid concerns of disruptions due to load shedding. But the department of Basic Education has expressed confidence that year-end exams can continue despite the ongoing rolling blackouts. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the Department's national spokesperson Mr. Elijah Mhlanga

The DA will today present its alternative Medium Term Budget ahead of Finance Minister Godongwana's Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday. The party will put forward its own viable policies to rescue the country's economy. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the DA's Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, Ashor Sarupen

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 Hawks in Mpumalanga is concerned about the alarming number of hijacking incidents in the province. This, as the latest annual statistics, show hijackings in South Africa are at an all-time high. Earlier this month, a German tourist has fatally shot allegedly in an attempted hijacking close to the notorious Numbi gate of the Kruger National Park. Elvis Presslin spoke to Mpumalanga Hawks spokesp...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says there will be no place for corrupt people, criminal networks, or perpetrators of state capture to hide. Ramaphosa was addressing the nation last night about how the executive intends to implement the findings and recommendations of the State Capture Commission Report. He says the report requires a fundamental redesign of anti-corruption architecture and has assured c...