First Take SA

The national office of the ANC has slammed the decision by Northern Cape Premier, Sylvia Lucas, to reshuffle her cabinet on the eve of a provincial elective conference. The ANC says the reshuffle was done without proper consultation. In a strongly worded statement the party says the decision smacks of blatant arrogance. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC's National Spokesperson Zizi Kodwa.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) says it will appeal a ruling by the North Gauteng High Court granting service provider Net1 permission to continue making deductions from social grant beneficiaries' accounts. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to SASSA Spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi..

A potentially dangerous social media game, which has been linked to 130 teen deaths in Russia, is making its way to South Africa. The Blue Whale Game an online game targets teenagers enticing them to commit suicide. After downloading the app into a smartphone or computer, the user is then assigned tasks including self-harming, watching horror movies, and waking up at odd hours. On the 50th and fin...

Tsepiso Makwetla speaks to SABC economics editor, Thandeka Gqubule about her book titled 'No Longer Whispering to Power: The Tenure of Thuli Madonsela'

Disgruntled residents of Finetown in Johannesburg have vowed to continue with their protest until Gauteng Human Settlement MEC Paul Mashatile comes and address them. They says they want land to build their own houses. A Gauteng government official was dispatched to the area and met with the protesters. The protest which started in Eldorado Park on Monday, has since spread to Enerdale, Finetown and...

The Helen Suzman Foundation says it has approached the Constitutional Court for relief against the President and the National Assembly. The foundation says President Zuma has established a pattern of irrational and unlawful behaviour without proper regard for the Constitution. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Chelsea Ramsden who is a Legal Researcher at the Helen Suzman Foudation...

President Jacob Zuma's lawyers have asked the Democratic Alliance (DA) to provide the so-called intelligence report that he supposedly used to fire former finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan. The news of the intelligence report came to the fore after Zuma had recalled the Gordhan and his Deputy from an investor roadshow in the UK and US. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Chairperson of the DA's Federal Execu...

68.5% of top management positions at South African companies are still occupied by white South Africans, this according to the Annual Employment Equity Report. The Employment Equity Commission for South Africa has released its 2016/17 report, showing the current state of the country's workforce at the highest level. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to the Commission for Employment Equity Commissioner, Themb...

Judge Bashir Vally gave his reasons for ordering President Jacob Zuma to explain why he reshuffled his cabinet. Judge Bashir Vally last week ruled that President Jacob Zuma should explain his reasons for his Cabinet reshuffle after the DA took the matter to court. Judge Vally said Zuma has accepted that the exercise of his power must meet the test of rationality. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Associat...

Solidarity says the recent comments by the Premier of the North West province, Supra Mahumapelo are indicative of the systemic problem currently faced by white South Africans. On Sunday, while addressing the crowds at the funeral of the 16-year-old Matlhomola Mosweu, Mahumapelo said his government is prepared to meet with white people to discuss with them this reconciliation, healing and renewal....

Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane is investigating claims that police were planning to fire live ammunition at protesting residents in Eldorado Park - south of Johannesburg. The MEC is visiting the area following violent protests over the lack of housing, jobs and poor service delivery in the area. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Political Analyst Elvis Masoga about the spate of prote...

There have been reports of a high number Malaria cases in Limpopo. Some people say the disease has already claimed a number of lives in the province. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Thabiso Teffo Spokesperson for the department of health in Limpopo

Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has apologised for his role in the Marikana massacre, saying that it was never his intention to have 34 miners killed. Addressing students at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, the deputy president said his role at Lonmin was to prevent further killings. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Advocate Andries Nkome, who represents the injured and arrested Marikana mine workers

French President elect Emmanuel Macron has vowed to unite a divided and fractured France after his victory over Marine Le Pen in the country's presidential elections. Macron is the eighth and youngest president of France's Fifth Republic. France is also looking to the 39 year old former economy minister to resucitate the stagnant economy following years of mass unemployment among other issues. Tse...

The Economic Freedom Fighters says the National Foundation Dialogue initiative is a repetition of the failed Convention for a Democratic South Africa, or CODESA. Former presidents, Kgalema Motlanthe, Thabo Mbeki and F.W. de Klerk along with former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka launched the forum to address some of the challenges the country is struggling with. The EFF says the failures o...

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago says the recent political instability has complicated the work of the Reserve bank. Governor Lesetja Kganyago spoke to Tsepiso Makwetla at the World Economic Forum in Durban

The 2017 World Economic Forum on Africa, underway in Durban. The three-day meeting takes place under the theme : inclusive growth - responsive and responsible leadership. It's attended by several African leaders and hundreds of business and civil society representatives. Health Minister Aaron Mostwoaledi is attending the meeting and spoke to Tsepiso Makwetla about African health systems

As we mark World Press Freedom Day, human rights organisation Amnesty International says persistent attacks against journalists and media owners are threatening press freedom and the growth of independent media across Southern Africa. The 3rd of May was set aside by the United General Assembly to highlight the importance press freedom and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the...

President Jacob Zuma says the 2017 World Economic Forum on Africa should come up with strategies of how to reduce the gap between the rich and poor. He was speaking to journalists on the side-lines of the three-day meeting underway at the Durban International Conference Centre. The meeting is attended by several African leaders including Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and dozens of business le...

Human rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch says armed groups in Central African Republic have killed at least 45 civilians in apparent reprisal strikes over the past three month. The organisation says violence pitted armed groups against one another in the central province of Ouaka, which is at the border of the mainly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south of the country. Bongi Gwala spoke to...

According to a report by Oxfam titled- Starting with people - A human economy approach to inclusive growth in Africa, there are now 50-million more people living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa than there were in 1990. The report further states that the poverty levels in Africa have gone down more slower that anywhere else in the world, this despite one point six of the world's ten fastes...

DNA test of the 18 learners killed in the tragic accident near Bronkorspruit have finally been concluded. Family members will be issued with the results and death certificates on Wednesday. At least 20 people died when the taxi transporting the pupils home from school collided with the truck on Groblersdal Road; near Bronkhorspruit. Bongi Gwala spoke to Mpumalanga Community Safety spokesperson Jos...

Speeches at the COSATU May Day rally in Bloemfontein, Free State were cancelled earlier. This after some members of the Labour Federation started heckling and shouting that President Jacob Zuma should not address them and that he must resign. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to COSATU Free State's Provincial Secretary, Monyatso Mahlatsi and political analyst Seven Friedman

The Banking Association of South Africa (BASA) has expressed relief that President Jacob Zuma has signed the FICA Bill into law. BASA has been at the forefront of those urging the President to sign the Bill. Zuma took about two months to approve the Bill after Parliament passed it. BASA says the signing of the Bill will ensure that banks in the country remain on the cutting edge of global best pra...

The African National Congress says what happened in Bloemfontein at the COSATU May day rally is a learning curve for the alliance. This after the rally was cancelled due to some members COSATU heckling and shouting that President Jacob Zuma should not address them and that he must resign. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC's National Spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa..