First Take SA

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party Youth League (MKYL) has condemned violent attacks on Gauteng Youth Brigades protestors allegedly by police and the provincial Department of Education. A group of 32,000 teacher assistants, who were employed as part of the Youth Brigade programme in public schools across the province, are demanding permanent employment following the termination of their contracts last mon...

The ANC is holding a critical meeting in Boksburg, Johannesburg, as it seeks to recover from a significant electoral decline. The party is holding a three-day NEC session followed by a three-day NEC Lekgotla to strategize and develop a plan to regain support after losing 17% of the vote in the recent May 29 election. To elaborate further on the matter Elvis Presslin spoke to Political Analyst, Dr....

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 Green Connection has welcomed TotalEnergies' move to withdraw from two offshore gas projects in South Africa. The Company is citing economic challenges as the reason for its exit. The decision marks a significant victory for environmental advocates, as it halts the development of the Brulpadda and Luiperd gas fields, located off the southern coast of South Africa. Elvis Presslin spoke to Liz M...

Richard Wilkinson, the legal representative for the six suspended matric girls, has dismissed claims of racial exclusion at Pretoria Girls High School. The six girls, along with six other white pupils, face disciplinary hearings next week for their involvement in a WhatsApp group last year that allegedly contained racially charged messages, micro-aggressions, and complaints about black students. W...

The 9th Southern Africa Malaria Research Conference is taking place from July 31 to August 2, 2024, at the Future Africa Campus, University of Pretoria. Organized by the South African Medical Research Council's (SAMRC) Malaria Research Group, this year's conference explores the theme "Malaria Elimination: A Moving Target?" - a timely topic that highlights the persistent challenges in achieving mal...

A devastating collision between a bus and a train at a level crossing in Mafube village, near Middelburg, Mpumalanga, has claimed the lives of at least five school children. The bus driver allegedly fled the scene after the incident. 20 other children are critically injured, and the death toll is expected to rise as the situation continues to unfold. For the latest development Elvis Presslin spoke...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Amendment Bill into law. The newly enacted legislation strengthens the Independent Police Investigative Directorate's (IPID) autonomy, granting it the authority to probe serious offenses committed by police officers, regardless of whether they were on or off duty. This Amendment Act, born out of a comprehe...

The Gauteng Health Department has been allocated a budget of R64.8 billion for the current fiscal year, with a total of R202.6 billion earmarked for the department over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. Provincial MEC for Health & Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, presented the department's budget to the Gauteng legislature, outlining plans to enhance the public healthcare system in the p...

The Independent Policing Union Of South Africa is calling for immediate police reforms and improved resource allocation to local police stations. This call comes in response to the tragic events in Kanana, Northwest, where unknown assailants fatally shot eight people at a tavern in the early hours of Saturday morning. for more on this Elvis Preslin spoke to Bethuel Nkuna President of Independent P...

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane is set to attend the final day of disciplinary hearings at Pretoria High School for Girls today, following allegations of suspected racism that led to the suspension of 12 learners. In a swift move, the department removed 8 of the suspended learners from their prefect positions yesterday. Additionally, the school's principal has been suspended for 3 months pen...

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, POPCRU has revealed an alarming increase in police officers committing suicide, citing poor working conditions as a major factor affecting their productivity. The union in a statement urges the police management to play their role in attending to stress caused by the lack of resources within the sector. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to POPCRU spok...

South Africa's population has surpassed 63 million, according to the latest 'Mid-year Population Estimates' report from Statistics South Africa, Stats SA. The country's population has grown by nearly 836,000 people, representing a 1.33% increase between July 2023 and July 2024. Notably, women make up over half of the population, with approximately 32 million females. For expert insights into these...

Today is World Ranger Day, a day dedicated to honouring brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our planet's natural and cultural heritage. The  Day is observed annually on the 31st of July - to honour the many rangers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty, battling poachers daily to safeguard endangered species like rhinos and abalone. For more on this Elvis P...

Controversy continues to surround Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina's eligibility to compete, with Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie weighing in on the debate. Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and Mozambican mother, Adetshina's heritage has sparked intense scrutiny on social media, with some questioning her South African identity and suitability as a nat...

It's unclear whether former President Jacob Zuma will appeal his expulsion from the ANC at this stage. The  ANC earlier confirmed that the party's National Disciplinary Committee resolved to expel Zuma after he was found guilty of prejudicing the integrity of the party by acting in collaboration with Umkhonto weSizwe party. The NDC also upheld the suspension of the ex- ANC Provincial Treasurer in...

President Nicolás Maduro has been declared the winner of Venezuela's presidential race in a disputed election. With 80% of ballots counted, the National Electoral Council (CNE) head Elvis Amoroso, who is seen as a close ally of Maduro, announced that the incumbent president secured 51% of the vote, narrowly beating his main opponent who garnered 44%. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Cosatu...

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has strongly condemned recent incidents of racism at Table View and Pinelands High Schools in Cape Town. The union says it is unacceptable for racism to continue 30 years into South Africa's democracy, particularly during Mandela Month. These incidents include a disturbing social media video showing pupils at Pinelands High School auctioning off...

The Democratic Alliance is urging President Cyril Ramaphosa to initiate a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into all projects undertaken by the National Skills Fund (NSF). This call comes after an exposé by Nexus Forensic Services revealed that R123 million was misappropriated from the NSF to purchase luxury cars and a farm. The report implicates Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovatio...

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 Joburg Crisis Alliance will tomorrow (Saturday) march against City mayor Kabelo Gwamanda's administration. The alliance made up of several civic organizations is calling for the resignation of Gwamanda over what it deems the current deteriorating situation in the city. We caught up with the Executive Director at Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Neeshan Bolton

The Democratic Alliance in Tshwane has announced its intention to report EFF regional chairperson Councillor Obakeng Ramabodu to the South African Human Rights Commission and pursue criminal charges against him. The decision comes after Councillor Ramabodu made controversial statements during yesterday's City Council meeting, including a desire to "moer (hit) a boer" and a statement expressing a d...

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has refuted allegations of unfairly targeting Muslim women during passenger screening and searching. ACSA is responding to claims made by the Al Jama-ah party, which accused the company of profiling and victimizing Muslim women at airport security checkpoints. ACSA says its screening process is designed to strike a balance between ensuring security and respecti...

The ANC has withdrawn its motion of no confidence against Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink, citing concerns over service delivery and financial management in the metro. However, the party has acknowledged that a successful motion would require support from other parties in the local unity government, and plans to engage in consultations. To discuss this development further, we were joined by Tshepo Ma...

The Black Business Council (BBC) has hailed the signing of the Public Procurement Bill into law, citing its potential to transform public procurement by ensuring efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and integrity. Joining Elvis Presslin to discuss the implications of this legislation is BBC CEO Kganki Matabane