First Take SA

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...

Over 2000 military veterans plan to bring a class-action suit against President Cyril Ramaphosa over unpaid benefits. The ex-combatants are from Umkhonto weSizwe, Azanian People's Liberation Army, and the Azanian National Liberation Army. Andries Nkome is a lawyer for the aggrieved military veterans...

27 Gautrain workers have been suspended for reportedly refusing to vaccinate against Covid-19, according to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, NUMSA. Gautrain implemented a mandatory vaccination policy which came into effect from the 28th of February this year. Numsa has since taken Gautrain to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA for suspending workers...

The African Diaspora Forum has called on people to leave relevant authorities to deal with the issue of illegal immigrants, instead of taking the law into their own hands. This follows the clashes, which erupted between supporters of the Dudula Movement and foreign national traders in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg last week. The movement insists foreign nationals should be deported and their bu...

Thousands of passengers were left stranded after Comair's operations were suspended indefinitely at the weekend. The South African Civil Aviation Authority, SACAA grounded Comair's planes indefinitely on Sunday, saying the airline had not adequately addressed safety issues. The suspension has affected passengers of low-cost airline, Kulula, and British Airways. Comair says it is unable to confirm...

New Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo takes up his new appointment on April 1st. President Ramaphosa made the announcement yesterday saying he intends on nominating Mandisa Maya as deputy chief justice. Political analyst at the Nelson Mandela University, Ongama Mtimka

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he intends on nominating Chief Justice Mandisa Maya to fill the now vacant post of Deputy Chief Justice. The two judges' names come from a Nomination Panel list of four which also included Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and Justice Duston Mlambo. Mbekezeli Benjamin from the Judicial watchdog group Judges Matter

Reactions continue to pour in at the appointment of Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as the next Chief Justice commencing on April 1st. The African Transformation Movement's spokesperson Sibusiso Mncwabe had hoped Justice Maya would be announced as the first woman Chief Justice.

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"...

The City of Johannesburg has officially reversed the permanent contracts of 130 employees back to fixed-term. This after the conversion of the contracts to permanent employment - under the then ANC administration was found to have been irregular and illegal. The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) who have accused the City's Executive Mayor Dr. Mpho Phalatse of a political witch-hunt, sa...

The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) is set to march to CLOVER's head office this morning in anticipation of a meeting between the diary company and the Israeli Central Bottling Company. The union together with the Food and Allied Workers' Union (FAWU) have been on strike over retrenchment at the company since November last year. The prolonged stalemate over jobs has been...

A showdown is looming between the Gauteng Department of Health and the Heads of Clinical Departments at the Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Johannesburg ahead of what the HODs are calling the unnecessary imminent sacking of 800 healthcare workers. The workers were hired at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak following capacity shortages at one of the world's largest hospitals. This comes as staff...

The Alexandra Dudula Movement has threatened a complete shutdown of all South African townships as clashes with foreign nationals intensify. The movement went on a rampage yesterday forcing businesses to close down as they made their demands for land and job spaces. The group alleges undocumented foreign nationals have a complete monopoly and dominance of the township informal market leading to ma...

DA leader, John Steenhuisen has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa's government to end lockdown regulations and open up the economy to make a full recovery. This as the country's state of emergency is set to expire next week following months of extensions since inception back in March 2020. President Ramaphosa has previously indicated that the latest state of disaster extension will be the last,...

Time to take a look at the current top African economic stories.....We are joined on the line by 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...

Disgruntled ANC Mpumalanga members have threatened to interdict the party's provincial elective conference. This, after the provincial executive committee, was disbanded. Last week the ANC disbanded the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga top structures due to expired mandates and failure to hold conferences in time. Meanwhile, party president, Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to meet with the ANC in Mpumalang...

The Correctional Services Department is investigating the death of two inmates at Tswelopelo Correctional Services in Kimberly in the Northern Cape. The death of the inmates follows an alleged attack by three inmates on an official of the centre. Correctional Services department spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo

The City of Johannesburg has sought to provide clarity on the future of over 130 employees who received notices informing them of a decision to rescind their permanent employment following a council meeting. The group's employment contracts were converted from fixed-term to permanent by the previous leadership, a decision current Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse maintains was irregular and unlawfu...

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

Former Bosasa COO turned corruption whistle-blower, Angelo Agrizzi wants the corruption case against him struck from the roll. Agrizzi has failed to appear in court for months, citing ill health. Agrizzi's attorney Daniel Witz says his client is back in the hospital...

ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe says he will take Volume 3 of the State Capture Report on Judicial Review. The report has recommended that Mantashe, former president Jacob Zuma and Nomvula Mokonyane be investigated for corruption. The Zondo Commission found prima facie evidence of corruption against the trio, in connection with money they directly or indirectly received from Bosasa. For th...

The United Nations' General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and demand its immediate withdrawal, with 141 in favor, 5 against, and South Africa and 34 other countries have abstained. For more on this, here is Professor Chris Landsberg, SARChI Chair in African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at the University of Johannesburg, UJ

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs is calling for public participation during its planned public hearings on proposed amendments to the Electoral Bill. This week, the committee hosted a two-day virtual public participation process which will be followed up with in-person public hearings in parts of the country, from next week. The Bill seeks to comply with the Constitutional Court ruling that...

Motorists can expect to pay historical prices at the pumps as of today. This as the price of both grades of petrol is expected to increase by one-rand-46-cents per litre. Diesel will see a hike of up to one-rand-48 cents per litre. This comes after some economists warned that motorists should expect another petrol price hike in April if the Russian-Ukraine conflict doesn't stabilise. For more, Eco...

The Social Development Department is set to continue on its next round table discussions on teenage pregnancies this month in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This follows engagements with community members of Lusikisiki within the Ingquza Hill Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The department is joined in this drive by the department of health, Basic Education, SAPS, and traditional leaders. Social...