First Take SA

Former DA MPL in Gauteng Makashule Gana says he is building a political alternative to contest the 2024 elections, in order to fulfil the 1994 promise for all South Africans. He says a new formation is needed as current political parties have betrayed that promise. Elvis Presslin spoke to Makashule Gana, a former DA MPL in Gauteng Makashule Gana.

Today South Africa celebrates media freedom and commemorates Black Wednesday. It is on this day 45 years ago after Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko was murdered in detention, the apartheid government arrested editors and banned three publications and 19 Black Consciousness organisations. Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr Glenda Daniels, associate professor of media studies at Wits University and SANEF Gauteng Convenor...

Billions in assets and properties belonging to former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste have been attached by the South African Reserve Bank. The bank executed the order yesterday after the Western Cape High Court earlier this month granted the reserve bank's application to attach all assets linked to Jooste. Elvis Presslin spoke to SABC Economics Editor, Tshepo Mongoai... 

Transnet has signed a three-year wage agreement with the United National Transport Union (Untu), the majority union at the state-owned ports and rail operator. The deal, which comes after a week-long nationwide strike, includes a six per cent wage increase for this year and five point five per cent for the following year. The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has not accepted the offer. Elvis Presslin spoke to UNTU president, Steven Leshabane and Satawu secretary-general, Jack Mazibuko...

Ministers will no longer receive free water and electricity after President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the withdrawal of the new Ministerial handbook. This follows public outcry over the amendments which exempted ministers and their deputies from paying for water and electricity at their state-owned houses. The DA gave the President an ultimatum to scrap the Ministerial Handbook or face mass protests. The party accused Ramaphosa of secretly abusing his power by dishing out expensive perks to his ministers. Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration, Dr Leon Schreiber... 

TALKING POINTS:

***West Africa Hopes to Strengthen Cocoa Prices With New Members Cameroon, Nigeria

***And in Uganda... Entebbe Airport Records Decline in Passenger Traffic

***And lastly, Kenya Airways Wins 4 Awards at the Prestigious World Travel Awards

Lobby group AfriForum is calling for a boycott of Dis-Chem following its moratorium on hiring white people. This after the pharmaceutical retailer's CEO Ivan Saltzman through a now leaked letter told managers to effect the moratorium to improve the company's employment equity profile and effect transformation. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Ernst van Zyl, a campaigns officer for strategy and content at AfriForum

The newly launched party All African Alliance Movement has endorsed former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as their president. The party launched its election campaign for the 2024 national elections in Soweto at the weekend. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the party's general secretary Bishop Meshack Tebe

A DA ward Councillor in the City of Cape Town is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's court today on charges of rape. The incident allegedly took place after the woman approached the 56-year-old Councillor for employment. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to the DA's provincial executive committee member and former Cape Town mayor, Mr. Dan Plato

Businessman and diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg has defended his decision to foot former President Jacob Zuma's legal bills. This follows Zuma's decision to privately prosecute state Advocate Billy Downer and Journalist Karyn Maughan. Zuma has accused Downer of leaking his confidential medical records to Maughan - which the pair have denied. Our senior producer Ronald Phiri spoke to Mr. Liebenberg who says he has every right to spend 500-thousand on a president that is being persecuted