South African media darling and business mogul Khanyi Dhlomo has again found herself in the spotlight. But this time her latest venture has been tinged with the unwelcome whiff of scandal. 

For more http://www.mg.co.za

Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana will host their Soccer World Cup qualifier against Botswana in Durban on September 7, FIFA has confirmed.

According to the Sowetanlive website, the match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium will kick off at 15:30.

But the venue for the key match in Group A between leaders Ethiopia and the Central African Republic [CAR] has yet to be designated, suggesting it is likely to be played at a neutral venue rather than in Bangui. 

That will come as much relief to Ethiopia but a blow to South African hopes.

Ethiopia have a two-point advantage over Bafana in the standings after being stripped of three points by FIFA for using an ineligible player. 

The respite for Gordon Igesund’s team gives them a chance to still salvage prospects of going to Brazil, but SA must beat Botswana and Ethiopia fail at the same time if Bafana are to finish top of the standings and advance to the final phase of qualification.

Sport24

Harare – Zimbabweans began casting ballots on Wednesday in a fiercely contested election dominated by Robert Mugabe’s bid to extend his 33-year rule and overshadowed by suspicions of vote rigging.

The 89-year-old president, Africa’s oldest leader, is running for election for the seventh and perhaps final time, after a series of violent crackdowns, economic crises and suspect elections.

This time Mugabe vowed to step down if he lost and claimed the army – long the bulwark of his rule – would also respect any victory for Morgan Tsvangirai, his perennial rival.

But few are taking him at his word.

Even Tsvangirai, who was forced out of the race in 2008 after 200 of his supporters were killed, told CNN he took Mugabe’s promise “with a pinch of salt”.

Determined to cast their ballots, voters, some wrapped in blankets on a cold winter morning, started queuing up at least four hours before polling stations opened.

Voting appeared to be brisk in many urban areas, which have traditionally recorded strong support for Tsvangirai.

At polling stations set up in green tents on an open field in Mbare, the capital’s oldest township, several hundreds were standing in line.

At Epworth, a Harare township, 66-year-old Ellen Zhakata held back her tears after voting.

“I am happy to have cast my vote. I just want an end to the problems in our country,” she said. “All my children are outside the country because of the economic troubles here. I am so lonely. How I wish they could be working here.”

Economic crisis

Millions of Zimbabwean were forced to migrate to find work elsewhere after an economic crisis which was exacerbated by the violence-marred 2008 elections.

Some 6.4 million people, around half of the population of 12.9 million Zimbabweans, are eligible to vote at 9,670 polling stations across the country.

A candidate needs 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off and both Mugabe and Tsvangirai appear confident they can manage that feat.

Mugabe has focused his campaign on bashing homosexuals and on promises to widen the redistribution of wealth to poor black Zimbabweans.

Amid recovery from an economic crisis that saw mass unemployment and galloping inflation, Mugabe loyalists insist their hero is “tried and tested”.

Credible opinion polls are rare, but according to one survey by the US-based Williams firm in March-April, Mugabe could be in for a rough ride.

In a survey of 800 Zimbabweans, 61% said they had a favourable view of the MDC compared with 27% for Mugabe’s ZANU-PF.

The poll showed Tsvangirai leading in seven of 10 provinces and that only 34% of those who voted for Mugabe in 2008 back him for president this time around.

Tsvangirai hopes his plans to lure back foreign investors, create a million jobs in five years and improve public services will deliver a long-awaited victory.

Polling stations will close at 19:00. Final results are expected with five days.

The elections will also chose lawmakers and local government councillors.

In June, the Research and Advocacy Unit – an NGO – reported the existing roll included one million dead voters or people who have emigrated, as well as over 100 000 people aged over 100 years old.

AFP

Chairperson of Moral Regeneration Father Mkhatshwa has joined Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile in congratulating the North West for being the first province to host a Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Summit and a trendsetter in implementing resolutions of the National Summit held at Kliptown in July last year. . 

“You are a great province and the Moral Regeneration Movement is very very proud to be associated with you,” said Father Mkhatshwa who was speaking during the closing of the two-day Provincial Moral Regeneration and Social Cohesion Summit that commenced in Mahikeng on Tuesday.

Mkhatshwa said the North West province has always been a trendsetter  in activism within the Moral Regeneration Movement. “Once again you are becoming a leader in this area of work. With you we can only become a winning team, a winning country, a winning nation and we can all be very proud of your work,” said Father Mkhatshwa.

In his address at the summit on Monday, Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile also commended the North West Province for being the first province to host a summit on Social Cohesion following the resolutions of the National Summit on Social Cohesion. 

Minister Mashatile said it was appropriate that the North West was hosting the Provincial Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Summit during Moral Regeneration Month.-TDN

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