Former Zimbabwe international Ian Gorowa’s name has become the latest to be added to the long list for the vacant Platinum Stars head coach job.

Already several CVs from within the border and abroad have been piling up for the job at the Phokeng headquarters.

Ian Palmer and Neil Tovey headline the list of local coaches being considered in the race to find the man to take over from Cavin Johnson.

Gorowa is currently without a club after being elbowed out of the assistant coaching job at Ajax Cape Town in April when Muhsin Ertugral took over.

The 41-year-old has lengthy coaching experience in South Africa, having started out as a development coach at Ajax in 2002 before moving on to the senior team two years later. He has also coached at Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns, where he also held several other posts within the club.

Word reaching KickOff.com is that if Stars don’t keep Allan Freese – who served as assistant to Johnson – the club intends appointing someone who has previously coached in the domestic league.

ALSO READ: Allan Freese takes charge as caretaker coach

Freese has spent the better part of the opening two days of pre-season stuck up in marathon meetings with the club’s administrators, who reportedly keen to give him a chance of heading the club’s technical department.

Whispers within the Phokeng offices have also suggested that if Freese is handed the job, the club will also consider bringing in an experienced coach to stand as a technical advisor.
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Kaizer Chiefs will look to defend the Gauteng Cup to be staged on July 21 at a venue still to be announced.

Amakhosi won the pre-season tournament last year after beating Bidvest Wits 8-7 on penalties in the Final at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.

The tournament, organized by the Gauteng Sport Department, is also expected to feature University of Pretoria, Bloemfontein Celtic and another team to be named during the official launch at the PSL offices on Wednesday.

As reported by KickOff.com over the weekend, Chiefs have already been invited to participate in another pre-season tournament to be played at Mbombela Stadium on July 13 before taking on Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup two weeks later.
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Former President Nelson Mandela’s condition remains unchanged in hospital and doctors continue to do their best to ensure his recovery, well-being and comfort, the Presidency said on Tuesday afternoon.
President Zuma thanks the South African public for ongoing support and understanding.

“We must support him and support his family. We must demonstrate our love and appreciation for his leadership during the struggle for liberation and in our first few years of freedom and democracy by living out his legacy and promoting unity, non-racialism, non-sexism and prosperity in our country”, said President Zuma.
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“[He] has by his own action defined himself outside the ANCYL and the mother body,” convenor Mzwandile Masina told reporters in Johannesburg.

“As he continues in his new-found hobby of insulting the organisation, we have to communicate that he is no longer one of our own.”

He said the decision was made by the African National Congress Youth League NTT and not by the ANC.

The NTT had spoken to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe about its decision.

“We are not speaking for the ANC, we are speaking on the decision we have taken as the ANCYL.”

ANCYL spokesman Bandile Masuku said the NTT would follow up with the ANC.

Last year, Shivambu was suspended from the ANC and the ANCYL for three years.

Recently, the former spokesman had become vocal in his criticism of the ANC, President Jacob Zuma, and the ANCYL NTT, through statements on behalf of the Economic Freedom Fighters — the political party recently launched by expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema.
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Controversial millionaire Kenny Kunene visited the Pretoria Heart Hospital on Tuesday to pay his respects to former president Nelson Mandela. Kunene was flanked by bodyguards and carried a huge bunch of red roses, daisies and lilies.

Kunene told the crowd that South Africa must promise Madiba to keep his legacy alive. He says Madiba’s life is in the hands of God now, and what they need to do as South Africans is to promise him wherever he is lying that the spirit of ubuntu, forgiveness and reconciliation, that he has so much lived for.

He says they will persevere and make sure that this country remains stable.

The Presidency says former President Nelson Mandela’s condition remains unchanged. Madiba’s health has been described as critical since it deteriorated on Sunday.

In the latest statement, President Jacob Zuma again thanked the public for the ongoing support. He says doctors continue to do their best to ensure his recovery, well-being and comfort.

Zuma has also called on the world to plan to do their 67 minutes of goodwill on Madiba’s 95th birthday on July 18. Zuma says the country must make it the biggest International Mandela Day ever. Madiba’s family have held a meeting at his retirement home in Qunu, Eastern Cape.

However, Mandela’s granddaughter Ndileka has down-played the significance of a family meeting taking place at Qunu in the Eastern Cape. Such meetings frequently take place in African culture when a loved-one is ill.

Madiba’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe and several other close family members as well as family friends like United Democratic Movement leader, Bantu Holomisa and Public Service and Administration Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu all jetted into Mthatha this morning for the family meeting. The meeting was held at Madiba’s home in Qunu.

Law enforcement officers kept a visible presence while a strong contingent of local and international media armed with their cameras ready to capture any possible action, remain camped outside the Mandela Household along the N-2 road at Qunu outside Mthatha.

South Africans are continuing to leave flowers at former president Nelson Mandela’s Houghton home in Johannesburg. Increasing numbers of Tshwane Metro Police officers are being deployed at the Pretoria hospital where Madiba is preparing to spend his 18th night.

The Tshwane Metro Police have deployed more than 10 officers to control the crowd that has formed at the entrance. They have also closed off the ends of the street. The media contingent has also grown rapidly over the past two days. Traffic is being affected in the street next to the hospital, where the media is camped out.
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Cosatu has applauded the Competition Commission for penalising 15 construction companies for being involved in a multi-billion rand rigging cartel.

However, the labour federation agrees with criticism that the fine imposed is a drop in the ocean.

The Commission has fined 15 construction companies a total of R1.4, 8 billion for being involved in a rigging cartel.

Cosatu’s Vusumusi Bengu says the fine should have been considerably higher and the money should be used to help government deliver services to the poor. Bengu says these collusive companies have robbed the poor and the workers.

“The money that has been stolen from the poor and the workers should be channel towards improving the conditions of the poor and the workers. These people should be sent to jail for being criminals. They are robbing and stealing from the poor.”

Meanwhile, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA), believes that the collusive behaviour by construction companies impacted negatively on the costs of the construction of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).

OUTA’s Wayne Duvenage has called for part of the fine imposed on the companies to be allocated to roads agency SANRAL’s repayments for the GFIP.

Duvenage says he wonders what the extent of the collusion was on GFIP and how much those roads would have cost if that collusion had not taken place.
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The dumping of human waste in Cape Town International Airport’s departure terminal was unacceptable, the Western Cape ANC said on Tuesday.

“Such behaviour is unacceptable and the ANC condemns it without reservation,” spokesperson Phillip Dexter said in a statement.

“This disgusting, pseudo-militancy is nothing more than anarchy, displaying a lack of any political or revolutionary consciousness or maturity.”

Western Cape police said five people were arrested at the airport following the incident. They would appear in court once charged.

Acting airport spokesperson Deborah Francis said the group apparently pretended to be passengers and carried plastic bags through to the domestic and international departures terminal around 1.30pm.

“It happened literally within a few split seconds.They threw it, jumped back into the cars and sped off,” she said. Police then caught them.

Dexter said it was alleged that some people in the group were African National Congress members. “If that is so they have acted outside of any ANC mandate or structure and against the ANC’s policies, strategies and tactics. If any ANC member is found to be involved in this criminal behaviour, they will face the swift and appropriate disciplinary action of the organisation,” he said.

Two weeks ago, 183 people were arrested on public violence charges at the Esplanade train station in Woodstock, Cape Town, for carrying portable flush toilets and human waste in blue municipal bags placed in milk crates.

They apparently also sang freedom songs which included a reference to Western Cape premier Helen Zille as a dog.

The group appeared in court, were released on warning, and told to return on August 2 after further investigation.

The State was unsuccessful in its bid to block bail for former councillor and ANC Youth League member Andile Lili, and Yandani Kulati and Thembela Mbanjwa.

At the start of the month, a group of people in Khayelitsha threw human waste at a bus and cars used for transport to a green economy event hosted by Zille.

A day before that, two men dumped faeces on the steps of the Western Cape legislature in a protest about portable flush toilets (PFTs).

The protests were linked to the apparent dissatisfaction by some people over sanitation in informal settlements and rolling out PFTs.
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Government says its rural development drive is slowly bearing fruits. President Jacob Zuma visited Muyexe village outside Giyani in Limpopo, on Tuesday, to monitor progress made since it was declared a presidential project in 2009.

Whilst some projects are yet to be completed, government has built a Post Office, satellite police station and a multi-purpose centre. Four years ago, it was identified as a pilot project for development. On Tuesday, the President assessed the progress.

Muyexe village, north east of Giyani, is historically, an area with little or no development.

In 2009, President Zuma declared it as one of the pilot projects for rural development. There has been some progress albeit slow.

Muyexe resident, Joyce Ngwenya says their lives have changed. The area now boasts a service centre with a computer lab and a 24-hour healthcare centre.

Children at the early childhood centre are now accommodated. There are new gardens and a water purification plant. Road infrastructure and no electricity are pressing issues.

Rural development is one of government’s five priorities.
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Kenyans are feeling left out as US President Barack Obama begins his tour of Africa on Wednesday.

Obama will skip Kenya, the birthplace of his father Barack Obama Snr, during his tour of Africa. While the Kenyan government has remained mute over the apparent snub, Kenyans are talking.

70-year-old Wilson Odhiambo is one of the people left shocked by Obama’s decision not to visit Kenya.

“I am greatly disappointed, he’s our son why does he refuse to come to see his people, honestly,” says Odhiambo.

Odhiambo comes from Obama’s father’s ancestral village – probably the reason why this apparent snub is close to his heart.

He is however not alone, many Kenyans feel the World’s most powerful man whom they fondly refer to as their “son” is ill-informed.

An official at the White House has hinted at the Crimes against Humanity charges facing President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto as the reason why Obama will not come to Kenya. Some Kenyans seem to agree with him.

Nairobi resident Laura Okall says: “The charges that they are facing are so huge, you cannot just wish them away.”

Obama last visited Kenya in 2006 when he was still a US Senator. His snub is however seen as a strategic move.

“To me what he is doing is avoiding a backlash of criticism not so much the Kenyan situation,” says political analyst Maina Muturi.

Kenya has never hosted a sitting American Head of State. Many Kenyans had hoped Obama would be the first not only because of Kenya’s strategic position in the region’s but also the strength of his ancestral roots.
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