North West Premier Modise is to deliver the keynote address at the International Anti-Corruption Day Provincial Commemoration Event. The programme for the annual event to mobilise communities to support the fight against the scourge of corruption is scheduled to commence at 10:00 am at the Mpeqeke Stadium in Kanana Location near Orkney tomorrow, Friday 7 December 2012.

Other speakers on the programme include Chairperson of the Moral Regeneration Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and Chairperson of the Public Service and Administration, Ben Mthembu.

The event is hosted in partnership with Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, Matlosana Local Municipality and is supported by the business sector and civil society organisations .Some of the aspects of the event are sponsored by Vodacom.

A learning networking gala dinner is to be held as from 6:00pm at Rio Peermont Hotel in Klerksdorp this evening

Polokwane – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe’s nomination from the ANC in Limpopo as party president will hardly dent President Jacob Zuma’s bid to be re-elected, an expert said on Thursday.

“Nominating Motlanthe will have little impact on the body politic of the Mangaung conference,” political analyst Elvis Masoga said.

“We have Zuma (nominated in) six provinces and Motlanthe with three.”

Motlanthe won the province with 268 votes, while Zuma secured seven.

After the announcement, a group of less than 20 people stormed out of the building to celebrate.

They said they did not want Zuma to win because he had expelled youth league president Julius Malema.

Limpopo nominated Motlanthe after Zuma supporters walked out of the conference venue, accusing provincial leaders of using bogus delegates and excluding 90 of their branches.

The conference was held on Thursday after it missed the second allocated deadline on Wednesday, as a result of disputes by Zuma supporters.

Masoga said: “It is extremely premature to celebrate because the same people who were excluded in the (provincial) conference are delegates to the (national) conference and will vote for Zuma in Mangaung.”

Masoga said Zuma supporters might have realised it was not worth fighting for a “slice, while we have loaf of bread at home”.

In their walk-out, delegates accused provincial leadership of misleading and cheating by allowing branches that did not pass audit to participate in the nomination process.

They said the credentials to the conference were not adopted, and as such bogus delegates were allowed in.

Limpopo nominated current ANC treasurer Mathews Phosa for deputy president and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to take over from Gwede Mantashe as secretary-general.

Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale was nominated as treasurer, North West premier Thandi Modise as national chairwoman and Thenjiwe Mtintso as deputy secretary.

The provincial nomination conference allows ANC members to nominate their preferred candidates for the party’s leadership, to be elected at the national conference in Mangaung later this month. – Sapa

1. “Football is the barometer of the health of the South African Nation Brand. We need to have winning teams and to achieve this we have to have the systems and processes in place to develop the talent pipeline. The establishment of the SAFA Development Agency and the deployment of SAFA CEO Dr Robin Petersen to drive it, gives a great degree of reassurance to corporate South Africa whom I hope will back this initiative all the way.”
Bobby Godsell (Chair, BLSA and Patron of the SAFA Development Trust)

2. “SAB have been involved with South African football for many years. The establishment of the Development Agency takes football development to a new level and provides an excellent vehicle for SAB to strengthen its relationship with the game.”
Vincent Maphai (Head of Corporate Affairs, SAB Millar SA and Patron of the SAFA Development Trust)

3. “The Department of Sport and Recreation has recently published the National Sports Plan, and we are delighted that SAFA has taken the lead in developing its own Technical Master Plan that aligns with our initiative.  The launch of the Development Agency by SAFA, and the deployment of Dr Petersen to head it up, gives us hope that there will be focused implementation from the country’s biggest sporting code. Also be advised that the Department will be hosting a MINMEC on Tuesday, 11th December 2012 and that SAFA will be invited to do a 15 Minute presentation on the Technical Master Plan.”
The Right Honourable Gert Oosthuizen, Deputy Minister of Sports and Recreation

4. “The Mapungubwe Institute (MISTRA) has just released a research report on the development of football in South Africa, which resonates with SAFA’s endeavours. The road to a South African football renaissance will be protracted; because for consistent and enduring excellence, there is no instant gratification – glory comes with plodding industry.”
Joel Netshitenze (Chair of the Mapungubwe Foundation and member of the National Planning Commission)

5. “I remember the feeling of excitement and exhilaration as we took the field for the opening match of the 1996 African Cup of Nations. I feel a similar sense of excitement when I learn of the plan to focus on football development. The successful implementation of the SAFA Technical Plan will create a rich talent pool that will ensure that future generations experience the same feeling as we did when we went on to lift the Cup in that 1996 tournament.”
Neil Tovey, (Captain of the South African winning team at the African Cup of Nations 1996)

6. “I played a lot of my career in the UK and have always been impressed by the development structures that can produce the likes of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott. It is vital that South Africa places a very strong focus on development and it is excellent that it is going to be the focus of a dedicated Development Agency.”
Lucas Radebe, (South Africa icon footballer and member of the South African winning team at AFCON 1996)

7. “SAFA is blessed to have had an individual like Dr Petersen to lead the team through what have been very challenging times. Having set the organisation back on track we truly appreciate that he has agreed to focus on establishing the technical foundation for a successful future for South African football.”
Kirsten Nematandani (SAFA President)

8. “Life continues to be a journey of exploration and I am really looking forward to help create the technical foundation for the future of South Africa as a great footballing Nation.”
Dr. Robin Petersen (SAFA CEO)

9. “SAFA has been through a lot of challenges over the last few years but I truly believe that the turnaround strategy driven by Dr Petersen will put the organisation back on track. It is now my challenge to turn strategy into successful implementation and I am confident that the Leadership team can do that; but first we need to support the LOC in hosting AFCON 2013.”
Dennis Mumble (SAFA COO)

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Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says he is looking forward to experiencing his first Soweto derby since he took charge of the team at the beginning of the season.

Finally succumbing to all the probing and quizzing about what he foresees happening in the epic match on Saturday, Baxter admitted that putting that match out of his players’ minds in the run-up to his team’s meeting with Ajax Cape Town had been a near-impossible task.

Chiefs turned on the style to demolish the Urban Warriors 3-0 through goals by Bernard Parker, Siboniso Gaxa and Siphiwe Tshabalala.

“We are going to recuperate and then we will be up for it. I am hoping the game will be a good game and I am hoping it is refereed in a strong way and the crowd show the best of South African sport,” Baxter said of the sold out clash.

While happy with how his team took charge against Ajax in the second half, Baxter had a few concerns with the troops for getting bogged down with thinking too much and then getting nervous and apprehensive. However, he commended them for playing excellent football.

“I was not happy with our possession and some of our decision making was not good enough but if we can just try and up our possession, especially on our transitions and if we can improve our movement and defend more solidly, we can take hold of the game,” Baxter said.

Baxter praised Tshabalala, whose stunning scorcher from about 25m was outstanding, even on an evening where all the goals scored were of a top quality.

“I took Shabba out because I thought he was brilliant. I thought that was the best game that he has played for me and if he plays that way he could play anywhere,” he said.

The wreckage of a military aircraft that went missing yesterday has been found, the South African National Defence Force has confirmed.

The wreckage of the SAAF Dakota was located in the vicinity of Giant’s Castle in the Drakensberg.

A search for survivors was under way, said Siphiwe Dlamini, SANDF spokesperson.

The aircraft had been flying from Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape when it went missing late yesterday morning.

The search was suspended yesterday due to bad weather, but a ground search continued.

Eleven people were on board.

According to unconfirmed reports, former president Nelson Mandela’s medical team had been on board.

The location of the wreckage was established late last night with the help of, among others, cellphone signals.

For more news go to http://www.citypress.co.za/

Fraud and corruption pose a serious threat to the stability and security of societies as they undermine democratic institutions and values of our hard won democracy, ethical values and justice, and also jeopardise sustainable development, effective service delivery and the rule of law, North West Premier Thandi Modise declared ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day to be commemorated tomorrow.

Premier Modise said that capacitating anti-corruption structures would serve to promote ethical culture, deepen an improved understanding of the many facets of the scourge of corruption and strengthen implementation of programmes to combat it.

Modise vowed that her administration which was acknowledged by the Department of Public Service and Administration for being the only province in the country with a functional Anti-Corruption Forum will spare no effort to uproot corruption syndicates that are plundering resources meant to improve the lives of the masses.

As a build-up to the 2012 International Anti-corruption Day Provincial Commemoration event to be held at Mpheqeke Stadium in Kanana Location near Orkney, the North West anti-Corruption Forum has been engaged in numerous activities in the past week to sensitize members of our various communities about the need to “Äct Against Corruption”.

Paramount amongst these activities was the ‘Door-to-door Campaign” within the Kanana location to educate members of individual households to join government by acting against corruption in their respective walks of life; disseminate relevant information to citizens about how to blow the whistle against corruption, and above all know where and how to report corruption.

Premier Modise is to deliver the keynote address at the event scheduled to commence at 10:00 am .Other speakers on the programme include Chairperson of the Moral Regeneration Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and Chairperson of the Public Service and Administration, Ben Mthembu.

The event is hosted in partnership with Matlosana Local Municipality and is supported by the business sector and civil society organisations .Some of the aspects of the event are sponsored by Vodacom.

Department of Health will use the opportunity to conduct free health Screening, Health Education sessions, Human Counselling and Testing at the event. Labour will use the Employment Services System of South Africa to capture details of curriculum vitae of unemployed communities and match them to available opportunities which includes; learnership, apprenticeship, internship and projects while others like Home Affairs and SASSA will exhibit and promote their services.

BY Obakeng Maje

 Johannesburg–South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Kirsten Nematandani, has confirmed that, as was the case when one-time SAFA CEO Dr Danny Jordaan was deployed to drive South Africa’s bid to win the FIFA World Cup, current SAFA CEO, Dr Robin Petersen “would take immediate and complete responsibility for establishing and driving the SAFA Development Agency”.

Nematandani describes this as “the country’s vehicle to implement the SAFA Technical Master Plan which will ensure that South Africa achieves its vision to be consistently in the top three in African football and in the top 20 in the world by 2022”.

“SAFA’s business turnaround strategy is now well in hand, having been approved at the SAFA AGM in September. Under Dr Petersen’s direction I can confirm that SAFA is back on track to deliver on its mandate. It has been a tough journey and has been not without its fair share of stress and controversy.

The vital remaining part of the SAFA plan is now to ensure success on the pitch on an ongoing basis. In this regard, Dr Petersen has driven the development of the SAFA Technical Master Plan which was also approved by the SAFA NEC and the SAFA AGM in September.”

“After careful consideration, the NEC has concluded that the Technical Plan needs to be driven within a focussed organisation and has accepted the recommendation from the CEO that SAFA establish a Development Agency which will be run as a Trust. We are delighted to confirm that we have already appointed some patrons including: Mr Bobby Godsell (BLSA); Mr Vincent Maphai (SAB); Mr Vusi Khanyile (Thebe); and Nolitha Fakude (SASOL). In addition there has been tremendous support from corporate South Africa and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.”

“SAFA is pleased to report that Dr Petersen has agreed to take complete responsibility for the Technical Plan’s successful implementation and will do so through the vehicle of the SAFA Development Agency. With immediate effect, given that corporate South Africa is finalising its Financial 2013/2014 budgets, Dr Petersen will become the CEO of the Development Agency.

We would like to publicly acknowledge the passion shown by Dr Petersen in establishing this Agency and look forward to working together to build the future of football, from a technical perspective, in South Africa.”

In response Dr Petersen stated:

“It has been an incredible journey getting SAFA back into match fitness but now I feel that it is right that I dedicate the next phase of my career to creating a lasting legacy in the form of the Development Agency and the implementation of the Technical Plan. In taking this step I draw inspiration from the successful precedent set by Dr Danny Jordaan when he agreed to focus on the World Cup bid.

There is so much to be done in terms of governance and the development of the business model that it will require total focus. I am extremely comfortable to leave SAFA in the hands of its executive team and will remain available in terms of continuity.”

SAFA has asked current COO, Dennis Mumble, to serve as Acting CEO. The change is immediate insofar that the Acting CEO needs to focus on the support required to host AFCON 2013 whilst the Development Agency CEO needs to concentrate on setting up the Agency and raising the necessary funding.

“We believe that we are extremely fortunate in having two such dedicated professionals who are willing to take up the challenge in the interest of football in South Africa,” concluded Nematandani.

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