First Take SA

President of the United Africa Movement and Ethiopian businessman, Hailey Shamebo has issued a strong call for South Africa to take decisive action against rampant crime. His remarks follow police confirmation that 32 kidnapped Ethiopian nationals escaped from captivity in Lombardy East, Johannesburg. Authorities have arrested 34 suspects so far and are investigating possible human trafficking lin...

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has been hit with a R450 million budget cut for the 2024/25 financial year, reducing its budget from R6.092 billion to R5.642 billion. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng attributes this significant reduction to the department's poor performance. Mervyn Cirota, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements, discusses the implications of this budget cut...

US political commentator and Senior editor-at-large and in-house counsel at Breitbart News Joel Pollak has extended well wishes to Leo Brent Bozell, nominated by President Donald Trump as the next US ambassador to South Africa. Bozell, founder of the Media Research Center, succeeds Reuben Brigety amid strained US-SA relations. His appointment surprised many, as Pollak was widely expected for the r...

The ANC has reportedly approached Build One South Africa (BOSA) to negotiate support for the 2025/2026 budget in Parliament. With the April deadline fast approaching, BOSA has outlined certain conditions for backing the budget. To elaborate further on these conditions Elvis Presslin spoke to BOSA Leader, MMusi Maimane

The African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association (AUBBTA) is planning a national shutdown in protest against various grievances, including the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as SADC Chair and President of Zimbabwe. The association is demanding intervention from the South African Presidency and the Zimbabwean Embassy. Elvis Presslin spoke to African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association Cha...

One suspect in the Soshanguve mass shooting is set to appear in court today, following his arrest in connection with the weekend's tragic events that left six dead and four hospitalized. The suspect, an undocumented foreign national from Zimbabwe according to police. To shed more light on this developing story, Kgothatso Ramautswa, CEO and Founder of Saam Sokolo Security spoke to Elvis Presslin&nb...

The South African Municipal Workers' Union, SAMWU has condemned the alleged ongoing failure to pay workers' salaries in six municipalities across four provinces. Samwu General Secretary, Dumisane Magagula spoke to Elvis Presslin to elaborate further on their concerns

The National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, has strongly defended police officers using force against criminals, saying police must act decisively when under attack. His remarks follow violent incidents across multiple provinces, where armed criminals engaged in deadly shootouts with police. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to South African Police Service Head of Communicati...

A disturbing report from the University of Johannesburg has uncovered alarming levels of cancer-causing chemicals in the Klip River, a vital water source in Gauteng. The study reveals high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which pose a significant threat to aquatic life, livestock, and human health. To elaborate further on the research, Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Mathap...

ActionSA has announced that it will not support the national budget as the April deadline for approval looms. This decision comes after a meeting between ActionSA and the ANC on Friday, where the ANC expressed confidence that a solution would be found. However, ActionSA, along with other parties like the EFF and DA, have made it clear that they won't vote for the budget due to its proposed increas...

The High Court in Pretoria has ordered that a stateless child born to refugee parents from Rwanda be granted South African citizenship. The landmark ruling has significant implications for others in similar situations. Specialist Immigration Lawyer, Ashraf Essop says the judgment is binding and can be relied upon by those affected. Mr. Essop spoke to Elvis Presslin

South Africa's former ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool met with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation yesterday, following his abrupt expulsion from the US. Rasool's diplomatic status was revoked after he linked former US President Donald Trump to white supremacy during a webinar. The Department has confirmed the meeting, but details remain scarce, with a formal report set t...

The South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has launched the #NoMoreRaceLaws Bill, urging Parliament to repeal all race-based statutory provisions in South African law. This move aims to address the country's lingering apartheid-era racial classification system, which the IRR argues is at odds with the Constitution's non-racialism foundation. Elvis Presslin spoke to Hermann Pretorius, Head...

The Economic Freedom Fighters in Mpumalanga is set to lead a service delivery march to the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality today. At the heart of their protest are pressing issues such as rampant corruption, poor service delivery, and lack of access to essential services. The party says Key concerns include the ongoing water shortages, neglected municipal roads, and unfair employment practices. F...

The Department of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), is set to launch the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum in Pretoria today. This initiative aims to intensify efforts to combat corruption in the sector. To discuss this significant development, Elvis Presslin spoke to ActionSA parliamentary Chief Whip, Lerato Ngobeni. ActionSA has been...

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

New data from the Teddy Bear Foundation reveals a shocking reality that out of over 5,000 in child abuse cases reported in five years, only 4% resulted in convictions. The foundation says Court delays, staff shortages, and technical failures force victims to relive their trauma repeatedly. Many lose faith, abandoning their pursuit of justice. The foundations urge urgent reforms, specialized courts...

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, will today lead the official World TB Day commemoration and launch the National End TB Campaign in KwaZulu-Natal. The event aims to highlight the devastating impact of tuberculosis and mobilize national efforts to eradicate it. This year's theme, 'Yes! You and I Can End TB – Commit, Invest, Deliver,' calls for urgent action. The campaign seeks to diagnose 250...

A manhunt is still underway for suspects who killed 5 Community Policing Forum members in Soshanguve, Pretoria. The 5 people were shot and killed in Marry Me Informal Settlement on Friday. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Saam Sokolo Security CEO and Founder, Kgothatso Ramautswa, who is part of the manhunt

Former South African ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool is standing firm by his remarks about US President Donald Trump leading a global white supremacist movement. Rasool, who returned to South Africa on Sunday, reiterated that he has no regrets about his remarks. Elvis Presslin spoke to Western Cape COSATU secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, to discuss this matter further

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) says South Africa is facing an imminent Avian Influenza disaster. The organization cites government's failure to act in the face of a looming outbreak which threatens the poultry industry. For insight into this critical issue, Elvis Presslin spoke to NSPCA Veterinarian, Dr. Bryce Marock

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) strike has brought attention to the department's financial struggles, with former MMC for Community Safety, Letlhogonolo 'Tlhogi' Moseki, pointing fingers at the ANC/EFF coalition's financial mismanagement. Moseki argues that despite an unchanged budget model, EMPD officers are now facing overtime cuts, sparking concerns about the allocation of...

BOSA will today hold a briefing on its legal action to compel the GNU to provide water to South Africa's most vulnerable citizens. This is on the back of a national crisis that has seen citizens in different muncipalities across the country go for weeks without water. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to BOSA Deputy Leader and member of Parliament, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster

The People's Movement for Change is marching to Parliament today to urge President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene against what they believe are harmful narratives about South Africa. The Movement argues that these negative messages threaten the country's unity and dignity on the global stage. To elaborate further on this issue, Elvis Presslin spoke to Grant Harmse, Head of Communications at the Peop...

Nearly 70,000 Afrikaners have expressed their interest to relocate to the United States under President Donald Trump's refugee offer. The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA has formally submitted the details of over 67,000 South Africans to the US embassy in Pretoria, following Trump's executive order prioritizing refugee status for Afrikaners. To discuss this development Elvis Presslin...