First Take SA

Wearing masks could soon be a thing of the past - after Health Minister Joe Phaahla reportedly wrote to provincial health MECs recommending for all COVID-19 restrictions be lifted, as the country exits the fifth wave of the virus. Currently, wearing masks in indoor spaces is compulsory. Government and health officials are expected to hold a meeting later on today to discuss the removal of Covid re...

Forensic Consultant Paul O'Sullivan has accused the DA of political grandstanding after the party approached the United States' FBI, to investigate allegations of possible money laundering on President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm. Briefing the media yesterday, DA leader John Steenhuisen said President Ramaphosa needs to come clean regarding the details surrounding the alleged robbery of mil...

 A gold-crowned tooth is all that remains of assassinated Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba. The tooth of the executed leader was returned to his family during a ceremony in Brussels. It will be taken back to DRC and tour the country before being buried. Lumumba was assassinated by a firing squad in 1961 with the tacit backing of former colonial power Belgium. A former police chief, Gera...

Associations and unions in the trucking and logistics industry together with the government's interministerial committee have reached an agreement to bring about stability in the sector. The agreement includes the formation of integrated joint multi-disciplinary law enforcement operations and the possible introduction of operating licenses.  The agreement comes after truck drivers blocked the N3 h...

Residents of Soweto will be marching to the Johannesburg Mayor's office to submit a petition over the lack of service delivery. The resident will also be marching against Eskom switching off electricity in the township. The march comes on the back of a violent protest in the township yesterday. Elvis Presslin spoke to City of Johannesburg Mayoral Spokesperson, Mabine Seabe..

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 Ankole cattle auction at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm in Limpopo raked in millions of Rands at the weekend. The Ankole Cattle Breeders Society of South Africa who organized the auction says the controversy surrounding the theft of millions on President Ramaphosa's farm has highlighted the Importance of Ankole in South Africa. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Jacques Ma...

ANC North West has postponed its provincial elective conference that was slated to start this week. The party says this is to allow for appeals on some of the disputes within branches.  ANC North West has been operating with an interim structure since the dissolution of the provincial executive committee led by former premier, Supra Mahumapelo. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC North W...

ActionSA will picket in front of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe's Head Quarters in Sunnyside, Tshwane this Tuesday. ActionSA, as supporters of the Lily Mine Families, say the planned picket is over the government's failure to retrieve the bodies of Pretty Nkabule, Yvonne Mnisi, and Solomon Nyirenda, the three miners whose remains have not been retrieved unde...

Pro-Palestinian activists Africa4Palestine are threatening to disrupt Justin Bieber's concerts in Cape Town and Johannesburg if the Canadian pop star does not cancel his upcoming performance in Israel. The group says Bieber should boycott Israel altogether due to its "crimes against the Palestinian people". For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Muhammed Desai, the Executive Director for Africa...

Four men have been arrested for the blockade of the N3 by striking truck drivers in KwaZulu-Natal. Yesterday disgruntled truck drivers blocked the N3 near Van Reenen's Pass causing a major traffic backlog. The arrested men face charges of obstructing a national route, damaging or interfering with essential infrastructure, and economic sabotage. The striking truckers say they are against the employ...

The provisional liquidation of Comair still raises some questions on what will happen going forward. Comair has officially been placed in provisional liquidation by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. This followed the failure of attempts to raise cash to resume operations at Kulula.com and British Airways. All affected parties have until 26 July to provide the court with reasons why the...

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 Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has ruled that the tobacco ban during the Covid-19 Lockdown was unconstitutional and invalid. Cooperative Governance Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, referred the matter to the Supreme Court after various stakeholders in the tobacco industry successfully challenged the matter. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Francois Rossouw, CEO of the Southe...

South Africa has taken out another loan from the World Bank. The Bank recently approved a loan of almost 8 billion to South Africa, to help the country in financing Covid-19 vaccine procurement. In January this year, the World Bank also approved South Africa's request for a loan of 11-point-4 billion to assist South Africa with its recovery plan in the wake of the pandemic. For more on this, Elvis...

The High Court in Pretoria has granted the application for the postponement of the trial into the murder of soccer star, Senzo Meyiwa. This follows an application by the counsel for the fifth accused advocate Zandile Mshololo so she can study the contents of the mysterious second docket in the murder case which she only got hold of last Wednesday. The date of the next sitting is yet to be determin...

Murder, kidnapping, and hijacking are on the increase in Gauteng and the country at large. Gauteng has reported a more than 45 percent increase in murder between January and March this year. This is according to the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela. The number of killings using firearms is also increasing at an alarming rate. Elvis Presslin spoke to Jonathan Deal, fo...

National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has rejected requests by the United Democratic Movement, UDM and the African Transformation Movement, ATM to Initiate a parliamentary action against President Cyril Ramaphosa following allegations of corruption after the burglary on his Phala-Phala farm In Limpopo. For more Elvis Presslin spoke to ATM leader Mr. Vuyo Zungula

Day one of water-shedding at the Kouga Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape commenced yesterday (Monday), due to the low levels at the Impofu dam and with the Churchill dam reaching below the 10% mark. Affected areas include Jeffery's Bay, Humansdorp, and the greater St Francis area. Elvis Presslin spoke to Water crisis Spokesperson for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Joint Operations Centre...

The trial into the murder of soccer star, Senzo Meyiwa is expected to resume this morning following a postponement yesterday. This is after the defense for four of the accused, advocate Malesela Teffo raised objections to a lengthy postponement. The matter was expected to be adjourned until later this year following the request by defense counsel for accused number 5, Advocate Zandile Mshololo. Th...

A case of corporal punishment against two educators will be heard before the Gauteng High Court today. SECTION27's law division intends on taking the South African Council of Educators (SACE) to court for failing to train teachers and what they view as "lenient sanctions" on two teachers accused of assaulting learners in their classroom. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Demichelle Petherb...

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 Special Investigating Unit, SIU has refuted reports of issuing an apology to former Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize over the Digital Vibes scandal. For clarity on the apology, Elvis Presslin spoke to Mr. Kaizer Kganyago, Spokesperson for the SIU

Three former senior officials from the Office of the Chief Justice have been accused of benefiting from a 225 million Rand I.T subcontract. The trio, former Chief Financial officer Casper Coetzer, former Case Management Director Yvonne van Niekerk, and former Spokesperson and Chief Director of court Administration Nathi Mncube are accused of facilitating the process which led to the awarding of th...

The ANC in the Western Cape province has dismissed reports that the party has expelled member of the provincial legislature, Danville Smith following his arrest last week. Smith was charged with theft of motor vehicles and fraud along with two other suspects. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC spokesperson in the Western Cape, Sifiso Mtsweni