First Take SA

A South African is currently facing life imprisonment in Thailand after being convicted on drug charges. 22-year-old Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape was initially sentenced to death but after an appeal, the sentence was changed to life imprisonment. Ashley was working as a teacher in Thailand when she was arrested for reportedly smuggling drugs in 2020 -  a crime she alleged...

Yet another alleged incident of racism has surfaced in our schools, this time at Milnerton High School in Cape Town. The Western Cape education department says it's investigating an incident where a black school learner is alleged to have been forced to kneel and bow down before his white counterpart. This followed an altercation on the school grounds between a group of learners of the school. For...

Political parties have reacted with mixed reactions to the decision by Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) to turn down requests for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appear before it over the alleged use of state funds for party political gains. ANC MP's represented in SCOPA used their majority vote to turn down the request while the DA, the EFF, and the IFP also represented in...

The South African Medical Research Council says the country's Covid-related deaths could be three times higher than the official reported figures. The Medical Research Council says their system in tracking Covid19 related deaths, could be more or less three times higher than that of the National Health department's figures. Ramphelane Morewane, the deputy director-general for primary health at the...

KwaZulu-Natal Maths guru, tutor and teacher, Dr. Khangelani Sibiya will be representing South Africa at the Global Education Awards ceremony in Dubai in March this year, after being nominated Teacher of the year. In 2019 Dr. Sibiya popularly known as "DJ Maths", was named Best Global Teacher of the Year at this Awards ceremony. Dr. Sibiya conceptualizes Maths and Science by using South African tra...

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".

Former President Thabo Mbeki will be in the Freestate today for a three-day visit to assist the provincial ANC with its process of unity and renewal. Mbeki's visit comes at a time when the party is closing cracks caused by divisions dating back from 2012. The province has an Interim Provincial Committee led by Mxolisi Dukwana after the Supreme Court of Appeal verdict which disbanded the leadership...

EFF leader, Julius Malema has defended the struggle song "Dubula ibhunu" accused AfriForum of wasting the court's time and of being racist. Malema was testifying before the Johannesburg High Court in a matter brought by AfriForum to get the court to declare the struggle song hate speech. The organization argues that it incites violence and contributes to the increase in farm attacks. Malema told t...

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Dr. Kenneth Meshoe is calling on all employees who suffered side effects due to COVID-19 vaccines to lodge claims from both the state and their employers. Dr. Kenneth Meshoe made this call during the Joint State of the Nation (SONA) Debate at the City Hall in Cape Town...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again emphasized the importance of government effort to stimulate economic growth and create jobs. Among the measures taken include the establishment of a unit in the presidency to cut red tape within the state as well as coordinating several job stimulus programs. Replying to the debate on the State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa also responded to claims that...

Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa will deliberate over President Cyril Ramaphosa's response to leaked audio of him suggesting that he knew of instances where state funds were being used for political activities. In a leaked letter seen by SCOPA, President Ramaphosa reportedly denies directly having any information of state funds being used for party political campaigns - He...

The South African Human Rights Commission has launched an investigation into an alleged racially-motivated altercation between black learners and white learners at Hoerskool Jan Viljoen in Randfontein, on Gauteng's West Rand. Racial tensions reached a boiling point at the school when the parents of both groups of learners clashed, forcing police to fire rubber bullets in order to disperse them. So...

Johannesburg residents are advised that they will experience reduced water supply to no water this coming Saturday as City Power embarks on the first of two rounds of maintenance to its transformers. The water disruptions will last for nine hours, beginning at 06:30 am and ending at 15:30 pm. The second round of maintenance is expected to commence on March the 5th, also lasting for the same durati...

DA leader John Steenhuisen says he has tabled a motion of no confidence with the office of the speaker of parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in the entire cabinet of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Steenhuisen revealed this during his address in the debate of the State of National Address yesterday. The leader of the opposition lambasted president Ramaphosa for not dismissing government ministers that...

The ANC in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says it has been left reeling following the fatal shooting of ward 20 councilor, Wandile Booi earlier this week. Booi was gunned down as he made his way home. The attack comes just days after the attempted murder of a Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality branch leader at the weekend.  ANC regional spokesperson, Lukhanyo Mzinzi discusses this further

Huawei South Africa has been dragged to court for allegedly employing more foreign nationals than locals. Yesterday the Employment and Labour Department filed papers against the Chinese telecommunications giant for alleged non-compliance with the employment equity policy. The department says Huawei employs 90% foreign nationals. For more on this, we're joined on the line by Advocate Fikiswa Mncanc...

This week on Africa Brief Elvis Presslin spoke to  Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo and author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back", Victor Kgomoesoana on some of the top African economic stories on the continent

The South African National Taxi Council, SANTACO's bid to acquire Mango Airlines has reportedly failed. SANTACO was one of the bidders trying to take over the low-lost airline. The airline has been in voluntary business rescue since last year July. The Taxi Council says they will release a statement this coming week. Aviation Analyst Phuthego Mojapele

What would you do with R350? Well, most social media users were shocked to find out that certain Individuals have managed to start businesses with their R350 social relief distress grants. During his State of the Nation Address, SONA last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Lindokuhle Msomi, an unemployed TV producer from KwaMashu Hostel, saved the R350 grant he received for nine months...

The Gauteng government has suspended at least nine senior officials implicated in irregularities related to the awarding of contracts for the refurbishment of the Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital in the West Rand. The suspension of the officials from both the health department and the Department of Infrastructure development follows a recommendation by the Special Investigating Unit. The unit had been...

Travelers to Botswana will from today (14 February 2022) need to produce proof of being fully vaccinated to gain entry to the country. For more on this here is Sethomo Lelati-sitswe, Assistant Minister of Health in Botswana

Economic Freedom Fighters Leader Julius Malema says President Cyril Ramaphosa has passed a motion of no confidence in himself  by shifting government's responsibility of job creation to the private sector. However his sentiments were not shared by the Democratic Alliance which welcomed the Ramaphosa's pronouncement on the role of the private sector in growing the economy. His sixth SONA has b...

This week on Africa Brief we begin in Kenya where the Equity Group Ranked the Fifth Strongest Banking Brand in the World, in Morocco, the EU Unveils €1.6 Billion Investment in Morocco and Kiswahili Becomes AU's Working Language. Elvis Presslin spoke to  Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo and author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "A...

Some government departments, embassies, businesses, homeowners are without electricity and water after owing City of Tshwane seventeen-billion Rands in utilities. The City of Tshwane has embarked on what it says "an aggressive revenue collection campaign" by disconnecting services to defaulting customers. Elvis Presslin spoke to the acting chief of staff in the City of Tshwane Mayor's office, Jord...

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate says it is investigating a case of death as a result of police action, after an on-duty police officer gunned down his on-duty nurse girlfriend at the Tembisa Hospital in Johannesburg. The officer shot the 30-year-old woman several times before turning the gun on himself. He is now in a crital but stable condition at the Milpark Hospital in Johannes...