First Take SA

MK Party Deputy President John Hlophe has been accused of sexual harassment by the party's former Mpumalanga convener Mary Phadi. Phadi claims Hlophe allegedly invited her to his hotel room with the intent of having sexual relations after a leadership meeting in Nelspruit last year. Phadi has reportedly detailed her allegations in a letter to MK Party President Jacob Zuma. Ms. Phadi spoke to Elvis...

The United Nations' permanent representative for Sierra Leone, Algeria,Guyana and Somalia, Dr. Michael Imran Kanu, has called for a political resolution as violence escalates in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kanu was speaking during Sunday's urgent UN Security Council meeting after nine South African National Defence Force soldiers, and two others, were killed during a rec...

The family of Calvin Moagi is mourning his death, after the South African soldier was killed in clashes with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Moagi was among nine South African soldiers who died near the city of Goma in eastern DRC. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the Moagi family spokesperson, Monageng Moagi

The GOOD Party will consult the Hawks following DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille's alleged admission that she had prior knowledge of police raids on Cape Town Mayoral Committee members' offices. This comes after raids were conducted on the offices of Alderman JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg on Friday. GOOD party Secretary-General, Brett Herron told our Senior Producer Ronald Phiri that Zille's acti...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is set to challenge the Expropriation Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill at the Constitutional Court. This move comes after the DA declared a formal dispute with its Government of National Unity partner - ANC over the two bills. The DA cites concerns over their constitutionality and the potential impact of the Bills on South Africans. To elaborate furthe...

A group of twenty-five survivors and families of activists who disappeared or were killed during South Africa's struggle for democracy have filed a court application seeking constitutional damages for what they have termed the political suppression of the apartheid-era cases. The group has enlisted the services of nonprofit organisation, the Foundation for Human Rights, which was formed in 1996 to...

The #PayTheGrants Campaign has welcomed a landmark court ruling, declaring SASSA's 2023 regulations limiting access to the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant as unconstitutional and invalid. #PayTheGrants Deputy Director, Elizabeth Raiters, hailed the Gauteng High Court's decision as a major victory for current SRD grant beneficiaries and those previously excluded due to SASSA's restrictiv...

A shocking report by the Bench-Marks Foundation has lifted the lid on the illicit gold trade in South Africa, revealing that licensed mining companies are buying gold from illegal miners. The study also exposed a complex web of illegal gold sales to scrap metal dealers, syndicates, security companies, and even police officers. To delve deeper into these findings and their implications, Elvis Press...

The ANC Youth League will today picket outside the Minerals Council South Africa in Rosebank, Johannesburg, in protest against the retrenchment of mineworkers and other industrial job losses. The demonstration, In collaboration with the National Union of Mineworkers Youth Structure, seeks to pressure authorities to take immediate action to prevent further job losses and safeguard workers' liveliho...

Lobby group AfriForum is threatening legal action against the Government of National Unity (GNU) after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the controvertial Expropriation Bill into law. The law was preceeded by a 5-year-long process of public consultations and parliamentary deliberations, with the aim of repealing the Apartheid-era Expropriation Act of 1975. The law also sets out instances where orga...

Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga is currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo assessing the operational conditions and welfare of South African soldiers deployed in the region. The visit comes amid reports from MONUSCO of ongoing heavy clashes between the M23, the Congolese Armed Forces, and other armed groups near Sake. Last year, six SANDF soldiers lost their lives i...

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

Legal Experts say the Mining industry can play a key role in addressing the scourge of gender-based violence. A new guideline published by the South African Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate aims to combat gender-based violence and femicide in the mining industry. The guideline, which came into effect last November requires mines to implement a code of practice to address GBVF risks and collabor...

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government, led by Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has committed to addressing the pressing issue of unemployed doctors in the province. Premier Mabuyane together with Director General, Mbulelo Sogoni, as well as Acting MEC for Health Sibulele Ngongo, met with leadership of Cosatu in the province and representatives of unemployed doctors to discuss their demands for per...

BOSA is calling for the abolition of the 30% pass mark in Basic Education, citing concerns that it undermines the intellect of South Africa's youth, entrenches mediocrity and low expectations. The party has gathered over 20,000 signatures in support of this move, which is part of a broader effort to rethink and rebuild the country's education system. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane has emphasized the ne...

The Institute of Race Relations says South Africa's minimum wage has led to a staggering 230,000 job losses in 2024 alone. The Institute says this represents 3.4% of the 6.7 million low-wage jobs in the country, where workers earn up to R7,500 per month. The IRR is blaming the mandated minimum wage of R27.58 per hour for this devastating impact. The Institute is urging the National Minimum Wage Co...

Foreign prisoners now outnumber local inmates in some correctional services facilities, putting a strain on South Africa's prisons. Parliament's Correctional Services Committee Chairperson Anthea Ramolobeng, who revealed the statistics yesterday says over 22,500 foreigners are currently incarcerated in correctional centers. She says the surge in foreign prisoners has significant implications for t...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will today open a criminal case against Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, at the Pretoria Central Police Station. The party alleges that Macpherson, in collusion with the Democratic Alliance, is abusing state institutions to serve the interests of white minority capital. Last year Minister Macpherson allegedly pressured a junior staff...

The South African Police Service has denied allegations that hospital admissions are being denied to rescued illegal miners in Stilfontein, North West province. This after the Mining Affected Communities United in Action organisation, MACUA expressed concerns about the health and treatment of the miners. To shed more light on this matter, Elvis Presslin spoke to Christopher Rutledge, Executive Dir...

A brazen shooting at the Lenasia Magistrates' Court in Johannesburg has raised alarming concerns about witness protection in South Africa. A witness scheduled to testify in a 2021 murder case was gunned down, sparking a massive manhunt by police to apprehend the suspect. This shocking incident bears a disturbing resemblance to a similar attack in November 2023, where a key witness in a police tort...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled South Africa's ambitious vision for its G20 presidency, aiming to elevate cooperation and collaboration among the world's leading economies to new heights. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ramaphosa emphasized South Africa's commitment to harnessing its presidency to consolidate G20 initiatives supporting African countries. To delve...

The Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, CAPRISA has expressed concerns over the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). CAPRISA Director Professor Salim Abdool Karim told our senior producer Ronald Phiri that Trump's executive order, suggests the US is relinquishing its leadership role in global health

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has strongly condemned Minister Parks Tau's announcement of a R100 billion Transformation Fund reportedly aimed at exclusively assisting black businesses. The DA views this move as a unilateral and irresponsible policy decision that undermines Cabinet and the Government of National Unity. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry &amp...

As President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he has reaffirmed the government's commitment to partnerships in addressing South Africa's pressing issues. With the country set to outline its priorities for the G20 Presidency, we'll explore the significance of this global gathering for Africa's economic growth. Elvis Presslin spoke to Dawie Roodt, Ch...

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced a groundbreaking plan to limit nicotine levels in cigarettes to minimal or non-addictive levels. If implemented, the move would make the United States the first country to take such drastic action to combat smoking-related diseases and deaths. The proposed rule would cap nicotine levels in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Elvis Presslin spoke...