First Take SA

A growing number of South Africans are struggling to get a good night's rest, and the consequences go far beyond feeling tired. A recent local study shows that nearly one in three people experience nocturnal sleep problems, affecting everything from mood and concentration to productivity and long-term health. Experts warn that what many dismiss as "normal" poor sleep could, in fact, point to more...

The All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa will embark on a national shut down tomorrow, in protest against the hiring of foreign national drivers. The group claims its long-standing grievances submitted to the Department of Employment and Labour have not been addressed. Disruptions are expected on major highways including the N2 and N3 in KwaZulu-Natal as the forum demands government int...

The City of Johannesburg says it will act on a High Court ruling that dismissed Marble Towers owners' bid to stop the demolition of unlawful trade containers. The court ordered the building to halt illegal construction and submit compliant plans within 20 days. Mayor Dada Morero has welcomed the ruling, saying it strengthens the City's authority to enforce building and fire safety in the inner cit...

Lobby group AfriForum has filed a High Court application to reverse the renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town, citing unlawful process. The civil rights group says the 240-year-old Eastern Cape town holds significant cultural and historical value for residents. Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie maintains due process was followed, as his department faces thousands of objec...

A look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, author of Africa Is Open For Business and Africa Bounces Back

Civil society groups say Eskom's plan for up to 10 gigawatts of new nuclear power will drive up electricity costs, increase public debt and threaten sensitive coastal areas. They argue the Draft Scoping Report overlooks cheaper, faster renewable alternatives already identified in government studies. Producer, Tracey Boomgaard spoke to Dr. Anthony Reed, Energy and Environmental activist

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union has raised concerns over staff shortages, budget constraints and ageing infrastructure in South Africa's public healthcare system. The union says the challenges are affecting healthcare workers and impacting patient care nationwide. To unpack this further, we spoke to Donald McMillan, Managing Director at Allmed Healthcare Professionals, a s...

Police Major-General Feroz Khan's urgent High Court application against the police will be heard in Johannesburg today. Khan alleges officers abused a J50 arrest warrant to enter his Houghton home, citing changing reasons from defeating justice to a suspected drug search. No drugs were found, but police seized six cellphones, an iPad, a recording device and his firearm. He argues the devices were...

The SACP has rejected the ANC's criticism of the upcoming Conference of the Left, calling it arrogant and dismissive of working-class concerns. It says the ANC wrongly frames the conference as anti-ANC and ignores the reality facing the poor and unemployed. The party maintains Friday's conference is an open platform for debate and unity among progressive forces and insists it does not dilute class...

The Democratic Alliance in Tshwane, DA in Tshwane has rejected the proposed renaming of Wonderboom Airport, saying the city should rather focus on service delivery, infrastructure and economic growth instead. The party argues the airport should be used as an economic asset to drive investment, job creation and long-term sustainability. It is proposing a Public-Private Partnership model to improve...

ActionSA says it will  lay criminal charges today against eThekwini Municipal Manager, Musa Mbhele. The party alleges Mbhele misled Parliament during a SCOPA hearing on findings from a Special Investigating Unit report. We spoke to  ActionSA Member of Parliament, Alan Beesley.

The United National Transport Union, UNTU has accused PRASA of bad faith and underhanded tactics in a retrenchment process affecting over 600 workers. UNTU says its repeated attempts to engage PRASA leadership were ignored, forcing the union to take urgent legal action in the Labour Court. The union also alleges PRASA held separate talks with a minority union, raising concerns over transparency an...

ActionSA has written to Parliament's Speaker warning against delays to the Impeachment Committee. The party says the Committee's work must proceed unimpeded despite President Cyril Ramaphosa filing papers in the Western Cape High Court to review the Phala Phala panel report. We spoke to Lerato Ngobeni, ActionSA Parliamentary Chief Whip.

The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA has filed a formal complaint with the Magistrates Commission against Chief Magistrate Tuletu Tonjeni over rulings made in the Kwaggafontein court last week. The complaint concerns her handling of the State versus Madoda Johannes Sibanyoni matter, including convicting a prosecutor for contempt and issuing an arrest warrant. We spoke to Mbekezeli Benjamin, Res...

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs raised concern over the misuse of litigation by asylum and refugee applicants, saying it delays processing and undermines the system. Chairperson Mosa Chabane said the Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa, RAASA received 2,733 judicial review applications. The Committee is calling for specialised courts and stronger system integration to stop duplicate...

EFF MP Veronica Mente says former Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe is being made a sacrificial lamb after the ANC ordered her resignation as MP and Women's League President. Tolashe was found guilty by the ANC's Integrity Commission and accused of misusing Chinese car donations meant for the league. Mente questioned why Police Minister Senzo Mchunu remains in office despite recent revela...

Security guards and cleaners will today march to Joburg Mayor Dada Morero's office to demand insourcing and the reinstatement of workers they say were unfairly dismissed. Unions say outsourcing has left staff underpaid and without benefits while institutions avoid accountability. We spoke to Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU)

New government statistics released ahead of Child Protection Week reveal a rise in sexual violence cases involving minors as perpetrators, including hundreds of reported rapes. Nearly 9,000 child abuse cases have also been recorded nationwide. Nelson Mandela Children's Fund Chief Programmes Officer Karl Muller warned the trend signals a normalisation of abuse that requires urgent national interven...

March and March founder Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has called on government to declare a state of emergency to address illegal immigration in South Africa. She wants refugee applications halted and mass deportations of undocumented foreign nationals to begin immediately. Speaking during a media briefing last night, Ngobese-Zuma says underfunding of the Border Management Authority is a major concern and...

BOSA leader Dr. Mmusi Maimane says failed governance and corruption in countries like Zimbabwe, Uganda and Mozambique are driving South Africa's immigration crisis. Speaking at Constitution Hill on Africa Day, he outlined a five-point plan to strengthen border security and immigration management. Dr. Maimane urged more funding for the Border Management Authority, faster processing of asylum seeker...

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has released the list of MPs nominated to serve on the Phala Phala impeachment committee. Most parties met Friday's deadline, while the ANC submitted its nine members and one alternate over the weekend. The PAC and GOOD party opted out, citing that their sole MPs serve in the executive. The PA and Al Jama-ah have confirmed their participation. The Committee f...

A look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, author of Africa Is Open For Business and Africa Bounces Back

COSATU is urging the South African Reserve Bank to keep interest rates unchanged at this week's Monetary Policy Committee meeting. The federation says rising inflation is driven by global factors, not local demand. COSATU warns that any repo rate hike would further strain struggling workers and slow an economy already facing low growth and high unemployment. We spoke to COSATU Parliamentary Coordi...

A 13-year prison sentence handed to an illicit cigarette trafficker in Limpopo is being hailed as a potential turning point in the fight against tax crime. Tax Justice South Africa says the ruling should set a national precedent, as illicit trade continues to cost the country an estimated R100 billion a year. To discuss this further we spoke to Tax Justice South Africa founder, Yusuf Abramjee.

Former President Thabo Mbeki says the Phala Phala saga is a personal issue for President Cyril Ramaphosa, not an ANC matter. Speaking to SABC news specialist correspondent, Sophie Mokoena, Mbeki welcomed the Constitutional Court's decision to set aside Parliament's 2022 vote against impeaching Ramaphosa. The case relates to allegations of 580,000 US dollars stolen from the President's Limpopo farm...