First Take SA

The Human Sciences Research Council has launched the first South African study of HIV prevalence in transgender women. The council says it hopes to contribute towards a deeper understanding of how HIV affects the transgender women population in the country. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Lead Reseacher at the Human Sciences Research Council Allanise Cloete

Eight prospective students have been injured after a stampede and hit-and-run incidents at the Capricorn TVET College in Polokwane in Limpopo. Thousands of applicants formed long queues outside campus hoping to register for the 2018 academic year. Registration has now been suspended until Monday. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela

North West police are monitoring the situation in Rustenburg, where several houses were torched overnight as community members attacked suspected drug dens and brothels. Scores of foreign nationals were chased out of town. The protesters also attacked suspected drug addicts in town. One police official allegedly caught dealing with drugs, was also arrested. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to North West pol...

PM Live WhatsApp Voice Notes 10/01/2018

The Economic Freedom Fighters wants the National Assembly to create rules and procedures similar to those used in removing members of the judiciary, when impeaching a sitting President. The Subcommittee on the Review of the Rules of the National Assembly has completed its deliberation on a draft procedure concerning section 89 of the Constitution, in compliance with the Constitutional Court order...

Cape Town mayor, Patricia De Lille has accused the DA's Cape Metro Executive of making decisions without consulting branches and members. She was reacting to a statement by the regional structure, calling for her removal as Cape Town mayor. She has challenged the Metro Executive to provide proof that it consulted all branches and members. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Patritia de lille

President Jacob Zuma has appointed Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to lead the judicial commission of Inquiry into State Capture. This follows his announcement last night to institute a Commission to look into the matter. Meanwhile Corruption Watch has welcomed the announcement of the establishment of a Judicial commission of enquiry into state capture. However the Watch dog urges "vigilance to...

The Democratic Alliance says it is disappointed that some sections of the Party are ventilating their thoughts regarding City of Cape Town Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, through the media. De Lille has accused the DA's Cape Metro Executive of making decisions without consulting branches and members. She was reacting to a statement by the regional structure, calling for her removal as Cape Tow...

Higher Education Minister, Hlengiwe Mkhize, has raised concerns over what she calls misinformation around the issue of free higher education. Mkhize has lashed out at political leaders who've advised students to go to institutions of higher learning without applying, saying that undermines institutional processes. She met students of the Buffalo City TVET college and University of Fort Hare in Eas...

Swedish clothing giant H&M has withdrawn from sale a green sweatshirt with the inscription - "coolest monkey in the jungle". This after a controversial advertisement featuring a photo of a black child modelling the sweatshirt appeared on the company's website. The company has apologised on its Twitter account, saying it will investigate the online shopping ad which sparked outrage on social media....

The Chairperson of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) will tomorrow update the media on the preliminary findings of the RSR's investigations into the cause of this morning's train crash in Germiston on the East Rand. More than 226 passengers were injured after a train failed to stop and hit a stationary at the Geldenhuys train station. The injured have been transported to various hospitals. Tsepis...

Parents who send their children to the country's private schools, find themselves paying exorbitant amounts for school uniforms each year. This has prompted the Competition Commission to launch a year-long investigation into what it calls anti-competitive behaviour in the school uniform industry. Thabile Mbhele compiled this report

The uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association, MKMVA, says the ANC's newly-elected national executive committee must be given the opportunity to deal with growing calls for former party president, Jacob Zuma to resign. Addressing members of the media in Johannesburg, MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe has also called upon party members to desist from calls for Zuma to step down. Tsepiso Makwetl...

A letter written almost 30 years ago and attributed to one of six young girls, who disappeared without a trace in 1988 and 1989, could be a fake one. Anne-Mari Wapenaar and her friend Odette Boucher were kidnapped on the 22nd of September 1989. Their disappearance was later linked to the now deceased pedophile, Gert van Rooyen and his girlfriend Joey Haarhoff. The Afrikaans TV current affairs show...

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa - PRASA says it's yet to account for four of the 19 deceased commuters in the deadly Free State train crash. PRASA today has held meetings with families of the deceased. Nineteen people were killed and over 200 others injured when a Shosholoza Meyl train travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg collided with a truck before bursting into flames betwee...

The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) would like to warn all the CCMA users about a scam going around aimed at defrauding people of their money. CCMA Users are advised that there is a person targeting CCMA Users under the guise of helping them get their default awards, the same person is also targeting applicants for Commissioner positions requesting payment to be includ...

Patricia De Lille has submitted reasons to the DA as to why she should not resign as Cape Town Mayor. De Lille was given a deadline until the end of Friday to make submissions. This follows her suspension from DA activities late last year, after a sub-committee of the party's federal executive found sufficient concerns about the management and governance of the city. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to our...

Some concerns have been raised following Eskom's reinstatement of two of its senior executives. According to a letter from the power utility's CEO Shaun Maritz, a disciplinary process has cleared Matshela Koko and Prish Govender of any wrongdoing. Koko will resume his position as Eskom head of generation, while Govender has been reinstated as head of group capital. Allegations against Koko related...

Messages of condolences are pouring in for National Poet Laureate and liberation struggle giant Professor Keorapetse Kgosietsile. The 80 year old Kgosietsile passed away earlier today in Johannesburg after a long illness. He is the former husband of Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete with whom he had three children. As an influential ANC cadre in the 1960's, he went into exile in the United States...

The Economic Freedom Front (EFF) has reiterated their call for academically deserving students to walk in at any university or college of their choice to apply for places. The call follows President Jacob Zuma's announcement of free university education. The EFF has also condemn statements by the Universities of South Africa, which announces that there will be no walk-ins allowed at universities....

National Poet Laureate and liberation struggle giant Professor Keorapetse Kgosietsile has passed away. The 80 year old Kgosietsile passed away earlier today in Johannesburg after a long illness. He is the former husband of Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete with whom he had three children. As an influential ANC cadre in the 1960's, he went into exile in the United States where he made an extensive...

The City of Johannesburg says they have sent out a team to speak to protesting residents of Protea Glen extension six, south of Johannesburg. Residents are protesting over poorly built RDP houses which fell to the ground when a tornado hit the area this past weekend. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Spokesperson to the Speaker of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Council, Lillian Kolisang, who sa...

Residents of the tornado struck Protea Glen extension six, south of Johannesburg are protesting. They've barricaded roads including the R559 towards Randfontein west of Johannesburg. Its not clear what their protesting about. The area was hit by a tornado over the weekend causing extensive damage to many homes. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubele, who says police a...

Time now for our weekly edition of TRENDSWATCH where we take a look at news that dominated social media this week. Our producer Molebogeng Sebidi

The Constitutional Court has dismissed the appeal of civil rights organisation Afriforum and trade union Solidarity against the University of Free State's language policy. The two organisations are against the university's policy to make English the primary medium of instruction from 2017, while providing sufficient scope for multi-lingualism across the university. AfriForum had initially argued t...