First Take SA

The Presidency insists that budget processes for the upcoming National Convention comply with the Public Finance Management Act. This follows the withdrawal of several legacy foundations, including the Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko and FW de Klerk foundations, who cited insufficient funding and tight preparation timelines. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the organising team has been restructured to...

ActionSA has lodged a complaint against Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie with the South African Human Rights Commission. The complaint is over alleged racist remarks in old social media posts where McKenzie reportedly used Apartheid-era slurs against black South Africans. ActionSA is also taking action against Minister Dean Macpherson for allegedly using racially charged language against party supp...

A DA oversight visit to the Cape Town Deeds Office has reportedly discovered a troubling practice of racial classification. The party says South Africans are being forced to declare their race on a mandatory form when buying or transferring property. Land Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso admitted in a parliamentary reply earlier this year that no legal definition of race supports the regulation. Elvis P...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, 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 ACDP has strongly condemned a viral video falsely portraying the classified Coloured community in a degrading and incestuous light, calling it racist, defamatory, and rooted in colonial-era stereotypes. The Open Chats team has since issued an apology , which many critics deemed inadequate. Meanwhile, the Patriotic Alliance has opened a criminal case, the DA approached the Human Rights Commissi...

Several members of Operation Dudula have been arrested and are being held at Diepkloof Police Station. The group is accused of blocking foreign nationals from accessing public clinics and hospitals in the area. Operation Dudula claims its members are facing charges for allegedly impersonating Home Affairs officials. The group's president, Zandile Dabula, says the arrests are part of a broader effo...

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has denied that it owes R62-million in unpaid accommodation fees. The scheme refuted these claims after Private Housing Student Association (PHSA), which represents private landlords, claimed that this money is owed from January 2024 to July 2025. Kagisho Mamabolo, PHSA CEO, says landlords in private accommodation are at financial risk due to the l...

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela says claims of grade tampering and racial bias at UCT's Social Development Department are deeply concerning. Manamela is calling for answers from UCT's leadership, demanding clarity on internal probes and how academic standards will be upheld. This comes after allegations surfaced that UCT academics in the faculty of Social Development have allegedly been aw...

The South African National Editors' Forum, SANEF has slammed an alleged attempt by the Industrial Development Trust's CEO, Tebogo Malaka, to bribe Daily Maverick investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh. The incident, aimed at halting Myburgh's reporting on corruption allegations against Malaka, comes shortly after her suspension following a PricewaterhouseCoopers probe. The investigation unc...

The South African National Defence Force has issued a stern warning to its members over the rising trend of sharing explicit content on social media while in uniform. The Defence Force says such behaviour is a serious breach of military discipline and tarnishes the image of the force. The Defence Force insists personal freedoms do not override military values. Elvis Presslin spoke to SANDF spokesp...

Suspended Independent Development Trust CEO Tebogo Malaka faces possible criminal charges after allegedly trying to bribe a journalist. Video footage from the Daily Maverick shows Malaka and IDT spokesperson Phasha Makgolane offering R60,000 in cash to reporter Pieter-Louis Myburgh at a meeting near Stellenbosch. The bribe was reportedly to halt Myburgh's investigation into Malaka's affairs. This...

Opposition parties have criticized the appointment of ANC MP Soviet Lekganyane as chair of the parliamentary committee investigating allegations of police corruption made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The EFF, uMkhonto weSizwe Party and ActionSA expressed concerns over an ANC member leading the probe, citing potential bias due to the involvement of ANC figures like suspe...

The Pretoria High Court will today hear an application brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government to reinstate their opposition in a constitutional damages case. The case involves 25 families and survivours of apartheid-era human rights violations seeking R167 million in damages for the state's alleged failure to investigate and prosecute crimes recommended by the Truth and Reconcilia...

The South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) will  today lead a march to Tshwane House to demand the reinstatement of unfairly dismissed workers and payment of outstanding salary increases for City of Tshwane employees. Elvis Presslin spoke to SAMWU Tshwane Regional Chairperson, Lehlohonolo Maphatsoe

The National Freedom Party, NFP is demanding a full investigation into allegations of corruption involving KwaZulu-Natal's Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane. The party claims companies linked to the MECs' families improperly benefited from government contracts meant for disadvantaged businesses. Elvis Presslin spoke to NFP leader, Irvin Barnes

The Public Servants Association, PSA has condemned the dire conditions at Koster Hospital in North West. The Union is citing falling ceilings, leaking roofs, and dilapidated wiring that endanger employees and patients. The PSA is now demanding immediate intervention from the MEC for Health to inspect, shut down hazardous areas and fund urgent repairs. Elvis Presslin spoke to Labour Relations Offic...

Opposition parties have criticized the appointment of ANC MP Soviet Lekganyane as chair of the parliamentary committee investigating allegations of police corruption made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The EFF, uMkhonto weSizwe Party and ActionSA expressed concerns over an ANC member leading the probe, citing potential bias due to the involvement of ANC figures like suspe...

A senior police officer in Soweto has been involved in a tragic murder-suicide, sparking widespread concern about intimate partner violence within the police force. The National Shelter Movement of South Africa is calling for urgent action, including zero-tolerance policies against officers accused of domestic abuse. The organization says survivours of gender-based violence must have faith in the...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU, in Mpumalanga is set to lead a provincial march against gender-based violence and femicide in KwaMhlanga. Elvis Presslin spoke to COSATU Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary, Thabo Mokoena, to speak about the significance of this event and what the organisation hopes to achieve with the march

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says the SACP's decision to contest elections independently will have far-reaching implications for their alliance. Ramaphosa expressed the ANC's disagreement with the SACP's decision after a four-day National Executive Committee meeting in Germiston. To expand a bit more on the tensions within the Tripartite alliance, Elvis Presslin spoke to Political Analyst, Dr. Eb...

The South African Municipal Workers Union, SAMWU is concerned about the rising violence in municipalities. A recent report revealled that 148 local officials were murdered since 2018 - many of which were linked to exposing corruption. The union says this deadly trend threatens service delivery and silences accountability. Elvis Presslin spoke to SAMWU General Secretary, Dumisane Magagula

The Public Protector's office has confirmed it has no record of complaints from Zimbabwe's Human Rights Commission regarding Zimbabweans being denied healthcare in South Africa. It clarified that last year's visit from the Commission was a benchmarking exercise focused on practices, not an audit of South African services. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over rep...

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, 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

South African authorities have arrested a man found in possession of 56,000 child abuse images. The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has strongly condemned the crime, calling it a stark reminder of the urgent need to protect children. Elvis Presslin spoke to ATM MP, Vuyolwethu Zungula

The Progressive Forces of South Africa will hold a picket outside the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria today. The court is hearing a case about where former Zambian President Edgar Lungu will be buried. Lungu died in South Africa in June, and there's a dispute between his family and the Zambian government over whether he should be buried in South Africa or repatriated back to Zambia. Elvis Presslin...