First Take SA

Avis car rental has withdrawn its fleet from the City of Joburg due to non-payment allegedly by the DA-led multiparty government. This is according to ANC Joburg regional chairperson Dada Morero, who in a tweet, accused the multiparty government of "compromising the ability of the City to maintain road safety during the festive season" after some JMPD vehicles were withdrawn. The DA says the ANC is trying to collapse the City. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the City's MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services, Councillor Leah Knott

The fraud and corruption trial of former State Security Agency Minister, Bongani Bongo has been postponed once again - This time to June next year. He and 11 co-accused were appearing in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court in Mpumalanga yesterday for the start of their trial. But the defense attorney of one of the accused wanted additional information from the state. Last week, the matter was postponed to allow the state to provide the accused with information after he changed lawyers. The accused are facing 69 charges that include fraud, theft, corruption, and the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Advocate Bongani Bongo

Former speaker of Parliament and ANC NEC member Baleka Mbete is retiring from politics. She says she will not be available for re-election during the party's elective conference in December this year. Mbete who ran and abandoned her own ANC presidential campaign at Nasrec, Johannesburg in 2017 to back Cyril Ramaphosa told our senior Producer Ronald Phiri that she will endorse any presidential party candidate, who will have the majority support from delegates at this year's ANC elective conference in Nasrec

Disgruntled ANC Mangaung branches say the Interim Regional Committee has tempered with the nomination packages ahead of the party's elective conference. The members have threatened legal action if their grievances are not addressed. Members gathered in their numbers outside the provincial office demanding answers. ANC Free State Spokesperson Oupa Khoabane says they are in the process of resolving the grievances raised by some of their members. Elvis Presslin spoke to Mncedisi Ncokazi, a disgruntled ANC Branch Secretary in the Mangaung region

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Prasa has saved about R200 million by cutting 3,000 ghost employees. This was revealed by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula during a media briefing yesterday. He says 1159 employees at PRASA resigned following the launch of Operation Ziveze last year, aimed at identifying ghost employees at the parastatal. Mbalula says preliminary investigations have also revealed incidents of identity theft, and submission of fraudulent qualifications, as well as employees with serious criminal offenses. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Lwa-phe-sheya Khoza, Spokesperson for the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula

The Thulare Royal House of Bapedi Kingdom is accusing Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha of dragging his feet in issuing a certificate of recognition of Prince Morwamohube Thulare as Acting King of Bapedi. The royal house says since the court confirmed the family's decision to appoint Prince Morwamuhube and a letter was sent to the premier, there has been no correspondence. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Makoko Sekhukhune, Coordinator and Agent of Bapedi Kingdom Under King Morwamohube Thulare

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

ActionSA says its decision to withdraw from the DA-led multiparty coalition in Ekurhuleni was based on concerns about the instability of the minority government. The party also says its decision was in influenced by the fact that almost 60 percent of residents say things were not going in the right direction in the last 12 months. The party says a number of coalition agreements were not implemented. For some reaction, Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Corné Mulder, FF Plus MP and chairperson of the Coalition Technical Committee  

The Freedom Front Plus says ActionSA remains part of the Multi-Party Coalition in the City of Ekurhuleni. This follows reports of the party pulling out of the coalition due to its dissatisfaction with how the DA-led government is running the Metro. For clarity on the matter, Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Corné Mulder, FF Plus MP and chairperson of the Coalition Technical Committee.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says the NEC meeting at the weekend dealt with critical challenges facing the party. Ramaphosa was giving his closing remarks at the party's National Executive Committee Meeting in Nasrec, Johannesburg yesterday. He also presented his political report, in which he spoke about the alleged theft of millions of US Dollars from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. To elaborate further on the politics that transpired at Nasrec this weekend, Elvis Presslin spoke to Ongama Mtimka, a political analyst at Nelson Mandela University