Yearly Archives: 2012

Zuma ‘politically bankrupt’


mbalula and zuma

Johannesburg – Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has gone on the offensive against President Jacob Zuma, claiming he was a “politically bankrupt” leader who married “every week”.

Responding to allegations by Zuma’s lobbyists that he was an opportunist who wanted to switch allegiance because Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe’s campaign was fading, an angry Mbalula said on Sunday he had no time for a leader who thrived on corruption.

This came after some of Zuma’s allies told The Star at the weekend that Mbalula was not welcome in the president’s inner circle because he and Julius Malema had run an anti-Zuma campaign based on vitriolic and personal attacks rather than principle and leadership preference.

Mbalula dismissed as “propaganda” the Zuma camp’s claims that he agreed to back Zuma at a meeting at Luthuli House a fortnight ago.

He said Zuma’s lobbyists were the ones pursuing him, but he rejected them because of the ANC president’s poor leadership qualities and questionable private life.

The former ANC Youth League president said Zuma’s supporters had offered him the position of ANC deputy secretary or a spot in the party’s national executive committee (NEC) in exchange for his ditching anti-Zuma forces.

Zuma’s spokesman, Mac Maharaj, declined to comment on Sunday, saying he did “not make comments on party-political matters”.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za/

Kgalema “Wizard” Motlanthe wows fans


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JOHANNESBURG – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe dropped the political rhetoric and showed off his soccer skills at a friendly match in Alexandra on Sunday.

Political heavyweights faced-off in a match commemorating the relationship between South Africa and Italy.

The relationship between the two countries dates back to 1977 while struggle icon Oliver Tambo was in exile.

Nicknamed the ‘Wizard’, Motlanthe was excited to show off his skills.

“If I play closer to the goal posts, I will score, but if I play far away, there’s no way I’ll score here.”

For more details go to http://www.ewn.co.za

Sanders alleged killers due to appear in court today


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By Obakeng Maje

Pretoria- Three suspects who are accused of murdering a former world heavyweight boxing champion Corrie Sanders will appear in court today.

Sanders won the World Boxing Organisation’s heavyweight title in March 2003 by dropping Ukrainian Wladimir Klitsckho in the second round in Hanover, Germany. He retired five years later.

He was at the Thatch Haven Country Lodge, in Brits, on September 22 when armed robbers entered and began firing shots at random. Sanders was hit in the hand and stomach and died in the Kalafong hospital the next day.

Earlier on Monday, the three men accused of murdering Sanders appeared in the Brits Magistrate’s Court.

Paida Fish, 19, Samuel Mabena, 27, and Chris Moyo, 25, each face one count of murder and three charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Mabena also appeared in court three weeks ago in connection with the murder of farmer Mauritz Oberholzer near Brits on September 5. This matter was postponed.

The three were arrested in the Oukasie informal settlement, near Brits, a month ago after police received a tip-off, police spokesman Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

At the address where the men were arrested, police recovered a cellphone, vehicle key, purse, handbag, and cash believed to have been stolen during the robbery in which Sanders was shot.

“Police then went to a second address and a third suspect was arrested” Ngubane said.

The three men are Zimbabweans.

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Banyana to face Cameroon in a friendly


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By Obakeng Maje

The South African Senior Women’s National team (Banyana Banyana) will play an international friendly match against Cameroon on Monday, 22 October 2012 at the Omni Sports Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon. Kick-off is at 14h30.

 

The Sasol sponsored Banyana Banyana is in Cameroon finalising preparations for the CAF African Women’s Championship to be staged in Equatorial Guinea from 28 October to 11 November 2012.

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Sister: We want to improve our rankings


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By Obakeng Maje

Banyana Banyana central defender Amanda Sister has recovered from the quadriceps injury that side-lined her for the past week and back in training at the national camp in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

 

Prior to the Sasol sponsored-South African national senior women team’s departure to Cameroon, the Port Elizabeth-based player sat out of the two international friendly fixtures played against Zimbabwe as a precautionary measure.

 

 The 22-year-old Sister, who plays her club football for Liverpool Ladies (Sasol League Eastern Cape) has formed a solid partnership with Janine van Wyk in the centre of defence over the past two seasons, creating solidity in front of goalkeeper Thoko Mndaweni.

 

“I am just glad to be back training as it was not nice to be left in the stands watching while my team-mates played in the matches against Zimbabwe,” said Sister.

 

“We will want to be at our best when we play at the CAF African Women Championship 2012 as we look to improve on our world ranking of 56th place. Our opening match on October 28 against Equatorial Guinea is so key as many of our players who were in the team in at the CAF African Women Championship 2010 in Ekurhuleni, will want to set the record straight.”

 

Equatorial Guinea beat the South Africans in the semi-finals of the tournament two years back and in so doing, book themselves a place along with eventual champions Nigeria, at the FIFA women’s World Cup held in Germany last year.

 

“Losing to Equatorial Guinea left us shattered in having missed out on FIFA women’s World Cup qualification, but we picked ourselves up and qualified for the 2012 London Olympics along with Cameroon,” added Sister, who has been capped 36 times for her country.

 

Apart from midfielder Yola Jafta who is nursing a hamstring strain but is expected to be fit in time for selection for the opening fixture against Equatorial Guinea, all the players are hard at training in Yaoundé.

 

Following the Group A match against Equatorial Guinea, Banyana Banyana will face Senegal in Malabo on October 31, and will travel to Bata for their encounter with DR Congo on November 3.

 

A good run of form will see the South Africans play in the semi-finals in either Malabo or Bata on November 7, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on November 11.

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North West government to award busaries to needy students


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By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng- All matriculants sitting for their final year examinations as from tomorrow should remember that their parents, guardians, educators and government believes in them to succeed, North West Premier Thandi Modise said in a special message to the 2012 Matric class on Sunday.

 

“With fewer disruptions in learning and teaching in most parts of our province this year, we are confident that the 2012 Matric Class will do us proud and sustain the improvement in the results we have recorded over the past three years. We call on all students to remain focused on the task at hand and not to be distracted,” said Premier Modise

 

 Meanwhile, the North West Provincial Government has prioritised awarding of bursaries in Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mining and specialised fields in Agriculture to meet the skills needs of the province for deserving and needy students who excel in their examination.

 

   

Madigage to be buried at Driekop outside Polokwane


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By Obakeng Maje

Pretoria- Bafana Bafana assistant coach, Thomas Madigage who passed away on Thursday evening in a horrific car accident will be buried at his home area of Driekop, 120km east of Polokwane next Sunday, 28 October 2012. His memorial service will take place in Johannesburg on Friday, 26 October.

Madigage met his death late on Thursday when his Mercedes Benz crashed into two donkeys and then an oncoming vehicle’s trailer, in Burgersfort, 30 km from his home. Despite attempts to revive him, Madigage died on the scene.

Speaking after leading a high-powered South African Football Association delegation that went to console the Madigage family in Driekop yesterday (Friday, 19 October), SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani told the grieving family that the country had lost an individual whose life had touched many South Africans.

“Thomas represented every sector of society – the church, football and the community – and the outpouring of grief that has resulted from his sudden death is proof of his humble and well-loved nature. South Africa will never have another Thomas Madigage, and we as SAFA will work closely with the family in these times of mourning,” said Nematandani.

SAFA CEO, Dr Robin Petersen said he was still failing to come to terms with the fact that (Thomas) Madigage was no more. He said the fact that messages of condolences were pouring in from around the world, speaks volume of the impact Madigage had on people from all walks of life.

“We have no simple answers to Thomas’s sudden death. Thomas was humble and dedicated to his work, but at the same time full of life; he was truly a gift to the nation. He will be sadly missed,” said Dr Petersen.

Coach Gordon Igesund, who was part of the delegation that also included second assistant coach, Serame Letsoaka, team manager, Barney Kujane and head of national teams, Ace Kika, struggled to hold back tears when he met Madigage’s 84-year old mother, Pauline.

“Tommy was not only my colleague, he was an honest friend, wonderful person and I will not find another sincere individual like him. I have been robbed of a true friend,” said an emotional Bafana coach.

Madigage played 311 games during his illustrious career and scored 51 goals. He had four caps for Bafana Bafana and was assistant coach for Supersport United from 2004-2012, helping them win three successive league titles from 2008-2010.

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Madigage was not only my assistant, says Igesund


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Photo:(A crashed car that Madigage was driving)

By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-Bafana Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund is devastated by the untimely death of his assistant Thomas ‘Chincha Guluva’ Madigage, who passed away in a car accident in the early hours of Friday morning (19 October 2012).

 

“I have known Tommy for many years, he was not only my assistant, he was much more than that. He was a friend. Since working together, he had become part of my family. You can’t get a better human being than what Tommy was. He was humble, loyal, committed and sincere. He was so happy to be a part of the Bafana Bafana set-up and he had so much to contribute,” said Igesund.

 

The coach added that Madigage’s death was not only a loss to the national team, but to the whole country.

 

“Tommy, who was a committed ZCC member, still had so much to contribute to the country and his loss will be felt by all South Africans. He was so looking forward to the Nations Cup finals and it will be very difficult to participate without him. We will dedicate our Nations Cup campaign to him,“ added the head coach.

 

“My whole technical team, including assistant coach Serame Letsoaka and goalkeeper coach Alex Heredia are deeply saddened by the loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

 

Igesund concluded by saying that such tragedies placed football into the perspective.

 

“We often think that football is very important, but compared to this, it is nothing.”

 

Hamba Kahle Tommy!

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Chiefs crashed out of TKO


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Photo:(Backpage pix)

Bidvest Wits beat Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 to knock them out of the Telkom Knockout on Friday.

Matthew Pattison scored one goal and provided two assists, and deservedly received the Man of the Match award.

 

Chiefs were pushing from the first whistle, and in the fifth minute Siphiwe Tshabalala had a free-kick that found the head of Mulomowandau Mathoho, but Ryan Harrison parried the ball out.

 

Tefu Mashamaite managed to get a header on target from the resulting corner, but this time Harrison made a comfortable save.

 

Two minutes later Kingston Nkhatha had a great chance, after James Mayinga failed to control a long ball, but the striker hit just wide.

 

Wits opened the scoring against the run of play, when Pattison got away from his man outside the box and hit home from range, somehow beating Arthur Bartman.

 

Six minutes later the Clever Boys went 2-0 up when Papy Faty made his way between the central defenders and bundled Pattison’s free-kick into the net.

 

Chiefs had a couple of chances to get back into the game, with Siyabonga Nkosi bending a shot past the outside of the post and George Lebese hitting just wide.

 

Sweswe sent a header over the crossbar after another good Pattison free-kick a few minutes later.

 

Just after half an hour, Lebese had a run into the box and found Nkhatha, but the striker sent his header over the bar and Wits held onto their lead going into the break.

 

That proved to be Nkhatha’s last meaningful involvement in the game as he was replaced by Majoro straight after the interval.

 

In the 64th minutes Amakhosi found a gap, when Parker collected a pass from Lebese inside the box, turned, and scored.

 

Chiefs sent men forward in search of the equaliser, but Wits were the team to capitalise, when Pattison bowled forward and hit a pass to Koapeng to sidefoot home.

 

A few minutes later, however, Majoro lost his marker and hit home past an exposed Harrison.

For more details go to http://www.kickoff.com

Police discovered stolen stock


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By Obakeng Maje

Lehurutshe- Police discovered stolen stock at Nokaneng village after 18 sheep and 18 goats were stolen in its kraal.

North West police opened a stock theft after a villager realised that his livestock was missing.

“A case of stock theft was opened by complainant on Thursday after discovered that his 18 sheep and 18 goats were stolen from its kraal” Captain Nkala said.

Police received tip-off from a community member that missing stock were allegedly taken to Northam in Limpopo for auction.

“Police went there and the complainant only managed to identify 15 sheep and 7 goats. The investigations continue and any one with information can come forward” she said.

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