First Take SA

The Activists and Citizens Forum has welcomed the arrest of suspended acting Ekurhuleni Metro Police headJulius Mkhwanazi, describing it as long overdue. This follows serious allegations raised at the Madlanga Commission, where testimony from senior officials, including Crime Intelligence bossDumisani Khumalo, painted a deeply troubling picture of alleged criminality within law enforcement structures. The allegations first surfaced after KZN Police Commisioner Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi publicly claimed last year that organised crime has infiltrated the criminal justice system. We spoke to Activists and Citizens Forum Spokesperson, Dennis Bloem.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to brief media in Johannesburg today on relations between the ANC and the SACP. The briefing follows the ANC's Special NEC meeting held two weeks ago to discuss the SACP's decision to contest future elections independently. Ramaphosa and party officials will also report back on the ANC's Local Government Action Plan after the Councillor Roll Call convened in September last year. We spoke to Dr. Sydney Mufamadi, ANC and SACP Stalwart.

Suspended acting Ekurhuleni Metro Police head Julius Mkhwanazi will appear in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court this morning alongside a senior municipal official. The pair were arrested at the weekend and face charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. ActionSA has welcomed the arrests and is calling for Mkhwanazi's immediate dismissal from the City of Ekurhuleni. We spoke to Tumelo Tshabalala, ActionSA Ekurhuleni Spokesperson.

The Gauteng Department of Health has raised concern over a sharp rise in malaria cases and related deaths across the province. While malaria is both preventable and treatable, delayed diagnosis can be fatal. Health officials say the increase is partly linked to travel to high-risk regions such as Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as neighbouring countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. As the world marks World Malaria Day on the 25th of April, the department is urging residents to remain vigilant, seek early treatment and take preventative measures to curb the spread of the disease. We spoke to Tebogo Matjokotja, Programme Manager for Communicable Disease Control at the Gauteng Department of Health.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU has welcomed the 2026 increase in the Basic Conditions of Employment Annual Income Threshold from 1 May. The Federation has also raised serious concerns about past failures to adjust the threshold which governs access to overtime pay, CCMA protections, unemployment insurance and paid leave. COSATU is calling for a comprehensive review to expand coverage and strengthen labour rights. We spoke to COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator Matthew Parks