First Take SA

Interpol Secretary General, Dr. Jürgen Stock says his organisation will continue to support South Africa in fighting transnational organized crime. The Secretary General is on a two-day working visit in South Africa to strengthen and enhance police cooperation and to discuss technological tools and capabilities that could benefit South Africa in the fight against transnational organised crime. For...

The Al Jama-ah party has accused Airports Company South Africa, ACSA of profiling and victimising Muslim women at airports. The party claims Muslim women wearing hijabs (headscarves) and niqabs (face veils) are being asked to remove their headscarves by airport security. Al Jama-ah says ACSA's security tactics are tantamount to Islamophobia and a violation of freedom of religion. For more on this...

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on two individuals identified as South Africa-based alleged operatives of the Islamic State (ISIS). The US Treasury has identified Abubakar Swalleh and Zayd Gangat as key figures in the ISIS machinery, serving as financial backers who enable the terrorist group's activities across Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. For expert analysis, Elvis Presslin spoke...

Environmental groups have hailed President Ramaphosa's signing of the Climate Change Act as a significant milestone in South Africa's journey towards a sustainable future. This landmark legislation harmonizes policies to enable a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy. But Is SA on track to meet UN targets to combat climate change? To answer this and more, Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Guy...

ANC Youth League leader Collen Malatji has lambasted Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi for his cabinet appointments. Malatji has has characterized Lesufi's MECs as "celebrity" and "golden boy" selections that overlooked young leaders. Malatji also criticized the provincial MECs for their alleged absence during the critical campaign period, when the ANC needed their support to stem its decline. Malatj...

The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) is accusing the country's immigration officials of intentionally delaying Advocate Dali Mpofu's entry into Namibia. Mpofu was scheduled to represent the NEFF in a legal challenge against the Namibian electoral commission, which had deregistered the party for failing to submit required financial statements. The NEFF has denounced the delay as a political...

The Gauteng Health Department's failure to utilize R784 million allocated for cancer patients has led to a court case initiated by the Cancer Alliance, with lobby group Section 27 joining the fight. The case was postponed yesterday due to late document submissions by the respondents. Section27 attorney Khanyisa Mapipa discusses the background and implications of this case with Elvis Presslin

The Financial Intelligence Centre, FIC says certain business sectors are deliberately ignoring its directives, hindering South Africa's efforts to exit the grey list. The Financial Action Task Force greylisted South Africa in 2023 due to concerns over the country's ability to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. FIC says South Africa's continued presence on the grey list is attributed...

The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) is accusing the country's immigration officials of intentionally delaying Advocate Dali Mpofu's entry into Namibia. Mpofu was scheduled to represent the NEFF in a legal challenge against the Namibian electoral commission, which had deregistered the party for failing to submit required financial statements. The NEFF has denounced the delay as a political...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken legal action against the appointment of former Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The party is citing concerns over his suitability for the role. The DA argues that it is unacceptable for a former judge, who was previously impeached for gross misconduct, to be appointed by Parliament to serve on the very same co...

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has vowed to take decisive action against underperforming municipalities plagued by corruption and inefficiency. In a bid to restore effective governance, Hlabisa has announced plans to dissolve municipalities found misusing funds. This move comes in response to the 2022 State of Local Government Report, which reveale...

The head of the US Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle has stepped down amid mounting pressure and scrutiny following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The resignation comes as lawmakers and officials continue to raise questions about the security measures in place during Trump's July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, where the former president was injured in a shooting. Cheatle's de...

The City of Cape Town is intensifying its efforts to revitalize key central business districts by boosting law enforcement presence. As part of this initiative, additional municipal police officers will be deployed, with Bellville CBD receiving an 18-officer reinforcement. JTo discuss the impact of this initiative Elvis Presslin spoke to Derek Bock, CEO at Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement Dis...

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union, NEHAWU is threatening to ban to ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Bheki Mtolo over his derogatory remarks towards its members. During an ANC event in Kokstad, held to commemorate Nelson Mandela's birthday, Mtolo accused NEHAWU-affiliated workers for subpar service delivery in government departments, including SASSA, Home Affairs, and the Departme...

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has finalized its retrenchment process, with roughly 3,700 jobs affected across its operations in South Africa. The retrenchments are reportedly a result of the company's efforts to mitigate the financial impact of declining platinum group metal prices, which have significantly squeezed profit margins. The job cuts account for about 17% of Amplats' workforce, with...

A South African delegation is currently in the United States to lobby against a Senate review of the bilateral relations between the two countries. Last month, the House of Representatives passed a law requiring a comprehensive assessment of the bilateral relations, which could potentially harm trade ties and jeopardize South Africa's participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)....

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, 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

Minister of Police, Mr. Senzo Mchunu, has welcomed the arrest of four individuals, including a farm owner and two Mexican nationals, in connection with a secret laboratory uncovered in Groblersdal. The Limpopo Hawks and Limpopo SAPS collaborated on the operation, which led to the seizure of chemicals worth an estimated R2 billion. Elvis Presslin spoke to Chad Thomas, IRS forensic investigator

The Gauteng government has reiterated its dedication to ensuring timely payments to non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the province. Briefing the media at the weekend, Provincial Finance MEC Lebogang Maile announced that the province has committed to restoring the NPO budget to  R2.1 billion for the 2023/24 adjustment period. To discuss this further, Elvis Presslin spoke to Gert Jonker, CEO of the...

South Africa is witnessing a disturbing increase in the number of people going missing. According to experts, this surge can be attributed to a rise in depression cases triggered by severe economic hardships, as well as the growing prevalence of human trafficking. In light of this alarming trend, Missing Children South Africa is urging citizens to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings. T...

An inmate, accused of stabbing Janusz Walus, the killer of anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani, has reportedly not been formally charged. This despite the incident happening over a year ago. The accused inmate, Mandla Madonsela, a former member of uMkhonto we Sizwe and sergeant in the South African Air Force reportedly stabbed Walus' just two days before his controversial release on parole in Novem...

US President Joe Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris as his preferred Democratic Presidential candidate. This announcement follows his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, which he made on X on Sunday - less than four months before the election. Biden says despite his initial intention to seek re-election, he has decided not to run for presidency again, citing the best interests of h...

ACTIONSA leader Herman Mashaba appears to be reconsidering his previous stance on collaborating with the ANC. This despite his party's repeated assertions of never working with the ANC. Mashaba revealed on the sidelines of the recent Opening of Parliament in Cape Town that discussions are underway with the ANC regarding a potential partnership in Gauteng. Additionally, ACTIONSA is scheduled to hol...

A survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has found that over two-thirds of South African agribusinesses engaged in innovative activities from 2019 to 2021, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. survey Conducted by HSRC's Centre for Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII) for the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The survey included sectors s...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government is paving the way for a "cooperation nation" by initiating a National Dialogue. This initiative aims to stabilize governance in metros, improve service delivery, and ensure that qualified and capable individuals are appointed to senior municipal positions. Ramaphosa shared these plans during his address at the opening of parliament at the Cape Town Cit...