First Take SA

The Public Servants Association is conducting a strike ballot among its members this week on whether to commence with its first full-blown public sector strike in over a decade. This is as Public sector unions and the government remains at odds in terms of wage negotiations. Unions are demanding a 6.5% wage increase while the government is offering unions 2%. Elvis Presslin spoke to Claude Naicker, Spokesperson for the Public Servants Association...

The Congress of the People, COPE is blaming the ANC for its decline in membership and electoral support. Briefing the media on the state of the party yesterday, the party's deputy chairperson, Willie Madisha said the ANC sent its members to infiltrate and destroy the party. Elvis Presslin spoke to COPE's Deputy president, Willie Madisha 

The Congress of South African Trade Unions will embark on a national strike next week Wednesday. COSATU says the strike is in response to the ongoing load shedding, fuel price hikes, and escalating food prices. The federation says the strike also represents a push back by the workers, against the ongoing class warfare directed at them by both public and private sector employers. Elvis Presslin spoke to Cosatu National Spokesperson Sizwe Pamla

Raila Odinga has rejected the results of Kenya's presidential election saying that the figures announced on Monday were null and void. According to the official results, Odinga narrowly lost to Deputy President William Ruto. Odinga has accused the head of the electoral body of blatantly disregarding the constitution. The 77-year-old long-time opposition leader was running for president for the fifth time. He has challenged the results in the previous two elections, including successfully in 2017. Elvis Presslin spoke to SABC's East African Correspondent Ms. Sarah Kimani 

Judgment has been reserved on the application to have former president Jacob Zuma's medical parole reversed. The matter was heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein yesterday. The Democratic Alliance contends that former Correctional Services Commissioner, Arthur Fraser, erred in judgment in believing that he was entitled to release Zuma on medical parole. Elvis Presslin spoke to DA MP and Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services member, Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach...

Kenya's President-elect William Ruto has promised to oversee an open and all-inclusive government after he was declared the winner of the presidential election. Ruto narrowly beat his rival, Raila Odinga, taking 50.5 percent of the vote, according to the official results. The announcement was delayed amid scuffles and allegations of vote-rigging by Odinga's campaign. Elvis Presslin spoke to Africa Affairs Analyst and Channel Africa's head of the Kiswahili service, Mr. Nixon Katembo... 

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ANC NEC member, Nomvula Mokonyane says a criminal case has been opened following the discovery of bogus delegates at the North West provincial conference. Briefing the media yesterday Mokonyane said the alleged duplicates would not compromise the election's outcome. The party's North West Conference has been marred by persistent delays, legal challenges, and allegations of registration rigging. The conference has now been adjourned for two weeks. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to North West Political analyst Prof. Andre Duvenage

The eldest son of late King Goodwill Zwelithini, Prince Simakade has been pronounced the new monarch by some members of the royal family. This after he performed the entering of the kraal ceremony at the Enyokeni palace at Nongoma at the weekend. The ritual was done privately. Entering the kraal is one of the key rituals following the death of an AmaZulu monarch and entails the recognition of a successor. The government has recognized King MisuZulu kaZwelithini as the new monarch, a decision Prince Simakade's legal team is preparing to challenge in court. To discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Gugu Mazibuko, a Cultural Expert at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy has called on the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy to outline how it plans to tackle illegal mining, following the gang-rape of eight women in Krugersdorp west of Johannesburg last month. Parliament visited several abandoned mines following the incident. This as the department says the government needs an estimated R49 billion to rehabilitate about 6 000 mines abandoned by mining companies. For more on what came out of the site visit, Elvis Presslin spoke to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr. Sahlulele Luzipo