First Take SA

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says increasing the level of confidence in democracy and touching the lives of South Africans with  increased service delivery will help stop his party's worrying electoral decline. The ANC has been experiencing serious electoral decline over the years after having dipped to 46 percent in the 2021 local elections, and to 40 percent in the 2024 national polls. Wit...

South Africa is marking three years since a devastating blaze at the Usindiso Building in Johannesburg killed 77 people. The fire ripped through the five-storey hijacked property in the Marshalltown district, displacing hundreds of inner-city residents. An attorney and Executive Director of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa, SERI, Nomzamo Zondo says 12 of the deceased victims sti...

African Traditional Medicine Day has been marked in Mpumalanga on Sunday. The commemoration looked at research and development efforts to advance traditional medicine. This year's theme centres on using traditional medicine to help achieve universal health coverage in the African region. National Health Departmental Spokesperson, Foster Mohale elaborates.

As Women's Month draws to a close, Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Tandi Mahambehlala will host a dialogue in Tshwane on young women in the built environment. The discussion under the theme "Building Pathways, Opening Doors and Shaping the Cities of Tomorrow" will focus on leadership, transformation and access to opportunities. The Department says it wants women meaningfully represented acros...

A 37-year-old man arrested by the Hawks at OR Tambo International Airport is due in the Specialized Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge today. He faces charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering linked to the R635 million Tembisa Hospital tender scandal. The Hawks allege hospital officials colluded with service providers to split contracts below R500,000 to bypass formal tender processes....

Trade union Solidarity has backed the safety record of South African pilots following social media backlash over a stadium flyover. The display saw twin Airlink commercial jets fly less than 50 feet above Cape Town Stadium ahead of Saturday's Springbok-All Blacks test match. Critics questioned whether the low-altitude stunt breached civil aviation laws or put rugby fans at risk. However, Airlink c...

The Western Cape High Court has ruled unlawful occupiers can be evicted without alternative accommodation where the occupation is linked to serious crime.  The judgment follows a Transnet case over 161 people on properties in Woodstock and Salt River that police linked to robberies, drug dealing and cable theft. The court found the city had engaged in good faith and that a lack of housing is...

The women's wing of the South African National Taxi Council, SANTACO has launched a national summit in Gauteng to combat gender-based violence. The initiative brings together government officials, transport leaders and community stakeholders to address female passenger safety and industry transformation. We spoke to SANTACO National spokesperson, Rebecca Phala to discuss the summit, the challenges...

The GOOD Party and Rise Mzansi have formed a strategic alliance to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections. The two political organisations have jointly submitted candidate lists across 32 municipalities spanning five different provinces. Leadership from both parties stated the agreement extends past mere resource-sharing to offer a distinct alternative to traditional party politics. We spoke...

Access to swimming skills and facilities remains limited across the country, with a only a few  South Africans having the lifesaving aquatic skills.  In North West, only One Olympic size public pool remains functional in the whole province, while many others have been left dilapidated. The custodian of the swimming, the potchefstroom based JB Marks Municipality says the maintenance of th...

Police say cases of illicit drug manufacturing facilities discovered on farms in Limpopo since 2020 are alarming.  Drug manufacturing laboratories have been raided in Marble Hall, Grobblersdal and recently in Musina.  A joint operation by the Hawks and SAPS led to the discovery of 600 million crystal meth farm at Musina last week.  Five people were arrested. They are scheduled to ap...

The Western Cape government is spending around 65-million-rand into its water resilience programme. This as it prepares for a hot and potentially prolonged summer. According to the province - the funding forms part of a longer-term water resilience programme. Immediate focus are on protecting water supplies and preventing municipalities from running out of water. Lerato Dlalisa reports.

The Democratic Alliance, DA says it will demand answers from the Public Investment Corporation, PIC over the loss of hundreds of millions of rand invested in Efora Energy on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund. The DA says more than R760 million was invested between 2011 and 2018, but the value of the Government Employees Pension Fund stake has since fallen sharply with Efora's shares...

The MK Party has expelled two Members of Parliament, Dr. Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala and Pumlani Kubukeli, with immediate effect. Speaking to SABC presenter Bongiwe Zwane, Dr Litchfield-Tshabalala said she is confused by the decision and raised concerns about how her removal was handled. Expelled MK Member of Parliament, Dr. Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala speaks to Bongiwe Zwane.

Former Hawks head Dr. Godfrey Lebeya has denied knowing murder accused Katiso "KT" Molefe or contacting him before a police operation at Molefe's Sandton home in December last year. Lebeya finished reading his statement to the Madlanga Commission on Thursday and will return later for cross-examination. He also defended the Hawks' presence at the home and gave evidence on a missing cocaine consignm...

The Special Tribunal has ordered former Nkandla architect Minenhle Makhanya to repay R147 million for unlawful security upgrades at Jacob Zuma's home. The SIU says costs rose from R27.9 million to R216 million under Makhanya, who approved extras like tunnels and lifts without proper tenders. The Tribunal ruled his appointment was unlawful and he certified work not required by security assessments....

Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi is appearing in the Germiston Magistrates' Court today over fraud and corruption charges linked to blue lights fitted to vehicles linked to Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala. This is the fifth arrest warrant issued against him. His lawyer attorney, Shafique Sarlie says the defence has not yet received the charge sheet and other suspects are expe...

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

The Joburg Crisis Alliance has condemned the City of Johannesburg's appointment of Lesiba Arnold Malotana as Head of Public Safety. The group says the decision ignores calls for ethical and accountable governance, citing unresolved integrity issues, ongoing investigations and a reported high-risk lifestyle audit. The JCA is calling for the appointment to be rescinded, a legal review of council's d...

Western Cape Police Commissioner, Sizakhele Dyantyi, says investigations are at a crucial stage, following Wednesday morning's shootout between police and a suspect in Knysna, which left a policeman dead, as well as the suspect. Police were following up on leads in the recent deaths of Knysna's former Mayor, Aubrey Tsengwa and two others, when the shootout occurred. Sagree Chetty reports.

The South African Automotive Masterplan 2035 is under review, and labour is pushing for changes. MISA says the current plan focuses too much on vehicle manufacturing and ignores hundreds of thousands of jobs in dealerships, workshops and fuel stations. The union has told the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition the retail motor sector must be included. We speak to MISA spokesperson, Phaka...

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo is calling on residents to plant more trees ahead of Arbor Month in September. The city says its tree population is ageing and under pressure from development, illegal felling, fires, pests and climate change. We speak to Joburg City Parks and Zoo Senior Manager, Jenny Moodley on why expanding the urban forest is urgent and how residents can help.

South African salary earners may have had some relief from easing inflation in July, but economists warn that the pay squeeze is far from over, as pressures on the economy persist. According to the latest PayInc Net Salary Index, average nominal net salary - which is the money paid to workers after deductions - increased further to R21,642. The index tracks take-home pay for about 2.1 million Sout...

The EFF's motion to remove National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, has been defeated. The motion related to Didiza's decision not to oppose President Cyril Ramaphosa's urgent interdict application in the Western Cape High Court to halt the Parliamentary impeachment process against him. During the debate in the House, EFF leader, Julius Malema, argued that Didiza has not shown impartiality and cho...

The Democratic Alliance, DA is in the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg today seeking to have the Finance Minister's power to raise VAT declared unconstitutional. The party argues tax rates should be decided by Parliament, not by ministerial proclamation. Last year the DA successfully blocked a proposed 2 percent VAT increase through the courts. For more we're joined by COSATU Parliamentary Coo...