First Take SA

The government of eSwatini has declared Swaziland News and its editor Zweli Martin Dlamini terrorists. The government published a notice declaring Dlamini a threat to the Kingdom through his articles and online publication where he reportedly urged people to protest against King Mswati. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Zweli Martin Dlamini...Editor of Swaziland News

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says a total of 3 point 4 billion rands has been voluntarily returned to the Fund by employers who benefited from the Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). The UIF says that the over 14 billion rands that was disbursed through Covid-19 TERS has been audited during phase one of its "follow the money" project. This is after thousands of comp...

Yesterday Equal Education marched to parliament to demand the scrapping of the proposed changes to education infrastructure laws. The civil organization says the proposed changes will see the removal of deadlines for the delivery of necessities like water, electricity, and classrooms in schools. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the Head of Equal Education Western Cape, Ntsiki Dlulan...

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

The South African National Blood Service is currently experiencing critically low blood stocks. The Blood Service is pleading with South Africans to donate blood amid the shortage. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Khensani Mahlangu, Spokesperson for the Blood Service

The United Democratic Movement is calling for an urgent debate on the National Importance of load-shedding and its impact on South Africa. UDM Chief Whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa has written to National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula requesting the debate. Kwankwa says the UDM also wants Eskom to be called to account to Parliament. This comes at a time when Eskom has been implementing stage 6...

The Constitutional Court has given legal recognition to Muslim women married under Sharia law. The apex court delivered its judgment on Tuesday - confirming a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling which legally recognizes Muslim marriages, and declares certain sections of the Marriage Act and Divorce Act unconstitutional. The case was brought by the Women's Legal Centre. For more on this, Elvis Presslin...

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has denied suspending a pupil from school over her traditional attire. This is after a 15-year-old pupil and sangoma Mbalenhle Ngobese from Nombika High in the iLembe district reportedly committed suicide after the school suspended her. However, the education department in the province says the learner was not suspended but failed to show up to school for...

The National Union of Mineworkers, Num, and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, Numsa say there is no wage agreement with Eskom. Yesterday Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced the power utility had reached a wage agreement with striking workers. The two unions say this is false. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Livhuwani Mammburu, the National spokesperson...

Civil rights organization AfriForum has instructed its legal team to bring an urgent application to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, to compel law enforcers to take action against striking Eskom employees. The organization says Eskom indicated during a media conference that it is already in possession of a court order declaring the strike illegal but has thus far failed to enforce the ord...

The owner of Soweto Creamery in Jabulani, Soweto Thando Makhubu says load-shedding has Impacted his business negatively. This was after Eskom announced Stage 6 load-shedding. Makhubu, an entrepreneur who rose to prominence after he was mentioned by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation address, on how he started a business with his R350 social relief distress grant says he can n...

The body of Nomaqocwa Blackie who died mysteriously in her apartment in Shanghai, China will finally be repatriated back to South Africa. Nomaqocwa fondly known as 'Noma' left Motherwell, in the Eastern Cape in 2017 to pursue a career as an English teacher in Shanghai. In 2022, Noma was found dead in her apartment during the Shanghai lockdown which was implemented due to the surge in Covid-19 infe...

The DA in Gauteng has called on the provincial Infrastructure Department to urgently fix the emergency generator at the Garankuwa state mortuary in Pretoria. The generator has experienced multiple failures and is unable to function whenever there is load shedding in the area. During the rolling blackouts - bodies are temporarily stored in a freezer before being removed early in the morning for pos...

Police investigations into the horrific deaths of at least 21 young people at the Enyobeni tavern in the Eastern Cape are continuing.  A forensic team has been going through the site to try to understand what exactly took place. Post-mortem examinations have been completed but some bodies have not been identified and authorities have called on families to come forward. The youngest of those who di...

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...

Panyaza Lesufi has won the position of chairperson at the Gauteng ANC provincial conference. Lesufi and Lebogang Maile both accepted nominations for the position. Voting was underway by midday yesterday (Sunday), following the nomination process for the province's top political positions. Nominations followed a 10-hour debate about credentials. Credentials adopted included just over 1 000 delegate...

Parents of children who died mysteriously at Enyobeni Tavern in East London are calling for the establishment to shut down. At least 20 people died in an apparent stampede at the weekend. Devastated family members are calling on the Eastern Cape Liquor Board to revoke the tavern's liquor license. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mgwebi Msiya, Spokesperson for the provincial Liquor Board a...

Senior leaders of the Social Justice Coalition in Cape Town have been accused of corruption and mismanagement. One leader, in particular, is the organization's general manager, Xolani Klaas, who faces allegations of misusing funds for personal expenses. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mr. Klaas...

Human rights advocacy group the Black Sash Trust and other organisations are launching litigation against the government over what they say are unfair regulations that govern the social relief of distress grants. The organisations say they are challenging what they call the arbitrary means test of 350-rand , which they say deprives millions of people who are in need of social assistance. Our Senio...

Interview with Victor Kgomoesoana, Director and author of " AFRICA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS" to help us look at this week's top stories

 A 30-year-old man with no travel history was confirmed by health department to have been infected with Monkey Pox. Monkeypox is a rare viral disease from the same family as smallpox, but is much less severe. It occurs mostly in remote parts of Central and West African countries, near tropical rain forests. However, there have been unusually high numbers of people infected with monkey pox outside...

The 14th Provincial Conference of the ANC in Gauteng is set to start today until Sunday in Benoni, Johannesburg. The conference will see Deputy Chairperson Panyaza Lesufi and Lebogang Maile vie for the position of chairperson. This is despite a few branch disputes in the province which are still unresolved. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Political Analyst Dr. Levy Ndou

President Cyril Ramaphosa says state capture was an assault on South Africa's democracy. He was briefing the nation after receiving the fifth and final installment of the State Capture report yesterday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The handover has been postponed several times, amid mounting speculation over the reason for the delay. Chairperson of the State Capture Commission, Justice Raymo...

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) says it is dismayed and angered at the continued persecution of Dr. Tim de Maayer by officials at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Gauteng. De Maayer was suspended for speaking out against poor conditions at the hospital which, he noted, directly caused the deaths and disability of children at the facility. His suspension was lifted followi...

Right-To-Die activist Professor Sean Davison says he does not regret assisting three chronically ill men to end their lives. Professor Davison was convicted and placed under house arrest in 2019 for the premeditated murder of three men he helped to end their lives. Speaking to our senior producer Ronald Phiri, Professor Sean Davison says he feels a great sense of relief after his 3 years of house...