First Take SA

Millions of Nigerians are anxiously waiting on results from this weekend's tightly contested presidential election among three frontrunners. The Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria was expected to start the collation of the presidential results last night. After two terms under President Muhammadu Buhari, many Nigerians hope a new leader can do a better job of tackling the widespr...

Diabetes South Africa in Gqeberha says there is a serious shortage of diabetes medicine in public health facilities. The organization says it has been asking for donations as diabetics cannot get insulin at clinics and hospitals in Gqeberha. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Megan Soanes, a Board Member of Diabetes South Africa in Gqeberha and Eastern Cape Health Department's Directo...

The government will provide Eskom with debt relief amounting to R254-billion over the next three years. The struggling power utility's debt currently debt stands at R423-billion. Presenting his budget speech in parliament yesterday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says the debt relief will allow Eskom to restructure and maintain its balance sheet. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Chris...

The University of Cape Town is yet to clarify media reports that it is set to part ways with its vice-chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng. It has been widely reported that Phakeng has been offered an early retirement package, and will be paid over  R12 million to leave the University before her second term expires in 2028. Her alleged exit follows the appointment of an independent panel of inv...

The man initially accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of Hillary Gardee says his life and career have been destroyed. Philemon Lukhele, one of four men accused In the case, is currently out on bail after spending eight months behind bars. Hillary, the daughter of former EFF secretary, Godrich Gardee was kidnapped and killed in Nelspruit last year. Her body was later found dumped on...

Labor federation Cosatu is expected to picket outside Parliament and the National Treasury ahead of the country's national budget speech today. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will table his budget this afternoon at City Hall in Cape Town. Cosatu says this year's budget needs to move away from ineffectual and failing budget cuts which further exacerbate our struggling economy. For more on this,...

The ANC NEC has ratified outstanding party deployments with Reverend Frank Chikane taking over the chairperson position of the integrity commission in the ANC, replacing George Mashamba. Chikane will be the one to hear what the commission recommended about the Phala Phala scandal. Newly elected Deputy President Paul Mashatile has been appointed head of the deployment committee. Meanwhile Free Stat...

The ANC in the Eastern Cape have welcomed the two life sentences handed down to former ANC Ward Councillor in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality, Lucky Bethwell Mbuzi. The High Court, Eastern Cape Division, sentenced Mbuzi for killing his political rivals; ANC members, Hleliphi Mashusha Thotshe and Comrade Mduduzi Madikizela in the lead-up to the previous local government elections....

Türkiye has been rocked by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit the country as it is still reeling from the effects of two previous earthquakes two weeks ago - which left over 46-thousand people dead. For the latest, Elvis Presslin spoke to Jasper Knight, a Professor of Physical Geography at the Wits University's School of Geography, Archaeology, and Environmental Studies

The Western Cape government says taxi operators continue to threaten and intimidate learner transport in Mfuleni, Cape Town. The operators have allegedly prevented about 1800 learners from going to schools. Principals have reported that some buses in Mfuleni were stopped and prevented from transporting learners, leaving children, some of them in primary school, stranded in the rain. To further dis...

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is encouraging all South Africans who are eligible to vote to register online to vote in the 2024 general elections. The IEC says it has instituted the 'Your Vote Is Your Voice' campaign as the beginning of its preparations for the elections. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the IEC's Electoral Matters Acting Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Granv...

Time to take 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...

Heavy rains and subsequent floods continue to cause huge damage in some parts of the Eastern Cape. Six people died at Coffee Bay after they were swept away by the floods. Many households have been left devastated. Schools and clinics have been badly damaged.  For a national picture of the floods, Elvis Presslin spoke to Lungi Mtshali, Spokesperson to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Trad...

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to table the National Budget Speech this Wednesday, in Parliament, Cape Town. According to the ministry of finance, the budget allocation speech will aim to strike a balance between competing national spending priorities and the limited resources available to the National Treasury. For analysis, Elvis Presslin spoke to Treasury Economist at Investec Te...

The South African Zionist Federation has accused South Africa of leading a campaign to remove Israel out of the African Union. This after senior Israeli diplomats were removed from the AU's annual summit in Ethiopia at the weekend. The Federation says this is a breach of protocol as Israel has Observer status. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the National Chairman of the Federation, Rowan...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to his deputy David Mabuza, who has asked to be relieved of his duties. Ramaphosa used his reply to the debate on his state of the nation address to thank Mabuza for the work he has done in government. It is expected that Ramaphosa will name his new ANC deputy, Paul Mashatile as the country's Deputy President in a much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle. Elvis...

Public service unions will embark on a full-blown indefinite strike this month to Intensify their fight against the government's unilateral implementation of a 3% wage increase. Unions will submit strike notices to the employer next week Tuesday - on the same day Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivers his budget speech. Wage talks collapsed last year when public service unions failed to convin...

Limpopo Health MEC Dr. Phophi Ramathuba has been found guilty of unprofessional conduct by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Dr. Ramathuba came under fire last year after a video of her ranting about Zimbabwean migrants abusing health resources in Limpopo went viral. The Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia - KAAX, along with several human rights and health advocacy organizations, laid...

Time to take 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

Military activities leading up to Armed Forces Day on the 21st of February this month will officially kick off today in Richards Bay, KZN. This is as Russia and China are expected to participate in Exercise Mosi II, a multilateral maritime exercise hosted by South Africa. Armed Forces Day commemorates the worst naval tragedy in South Africa's history - the sinking of the troopship SS Mendi In the...

Mobile network operator Telkom says it will begin a formal retrenchment process that could affect 15 percent of its workforce as it looks to restructure some of its operations. The group indicated that it would initiate cost-cutting measures across the group as a result of the difficult trading environment in South Africa. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Communications Workers Union's Ge...

Trade union Solidarity is taking the government to court over the new state of emergency with regard to the country's electricity crisis. Solidarity says if the state of disaster is allowed to continue, a dangerous precedent will be set. To elaborate further on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Solidarity's deputy chief executive for legal matters, Anton van der Bijl

The Government has declared a national state of disaster to respond to widespread flooding in various parts of the country. Higher than normal rainfall has caused severe flooding in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and the North West provinces. The South African Weather Service predicts that current heavy rains will persist. For more on this, Elvis...

Five people have reportedly been shot dead in Marianhill, west of Durban in KwaZulu Natal. The incident took place at two separate car workshops yesterday. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda

The Communication Workers Union, CWU says plans are underway to challenge the looming retrenchments at the South African Post Office. SAPO has issued a Section 189 notice, which will see around 6000 workers lose their jobs. The Post Office turnaround strategy will also see it cutting staff salaries by as much as 40%. The Post Office recently incurred a loss of R2.3 billion in the past financial ye...