New Orlando Pirates striker Kermit Erasmus says he is not afraid of competition.

Speaking at a press conference at the PSL offices this afternoon, Erasmus said competition is part of the game.

“Competition is everywhere, not just at Pirates. It’s healthy for players to compete & get the best out of each other,” Erasmus was quoted as saying on the official Orlando Pirates twitter account.
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SuperSport United head coach, Cavin Johnson, has expressed his delight at the Bafana Bafana call-ups to three of his playing squad.

Matsatsantsa’s captain, Bevan Fransman, as well as fellow defender Innocent Mdledle and midfielder Thuso Phala all made the cut, as Gordon Igesund chose his 28-man squad to take on Nigeria and Burkina Faso in international friendlies later this month.
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KV Kortrijk’s South African goalkeeper, Darren Keet, believes that he is deserving of a Bafana Bafana call-up, given his fine form over the last two years.

The 23-year-old is a first team regular in the Belgian Pro League and is regularly rewarded for his performances with accolades such as Goalkeeper of the Week and Month.
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The Siya crew can confirm that Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns have agreed on the transfer of Khama Billiat, although the winger is yet to agree on personal terms.

Officials close to the deal have revealed to the crew that Sundowns have agreed to offer hard cash and a player in exchange for the 22-year-old Zimbabwean, with the deal expected to be one of the biggest deals in PSL history.
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The South African Football Association (SAFA) have called a press conference tomorrow morning to deal with the issue relating to Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana.
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Johannesburg – South Africa needs to go back to basics to emancipate itself, Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele said on Wednesday.

“As people as a whole, we need to go back to basics… we need civic education and to get young people to learn what it means to be a citizen,” she said at a University of Johannesburg women’s month event.

Ramphele said South Africans did not undergo “orientation” before the advent of democracy in 1994, and therefore most carried deep wounds from the apartheid legacy.

“In 1994, we did not remove the heavy load in our psychological being. People [were] expected to embrace equality a few days after they were referred to as non-Europeans in Africa. South Africa has a second chance to work on its moral fibre.

“We have not lived up to the values embedded in the Constitution… we are at risk of losing our moral high ground.”

She said women should mobilise and oppose violence against women and children.

“We need to stand together against this scourge; otherwise women would continue to suffer as they do now.”

Ramphele said she hoped for a peaceful election next year.

“Next year, you have a choice… let us hope we will not have a Zanufication of South Africa. Stop complaining and start acting,” she said, referring to Zimbabwe’s disputed election winner, Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.

– SAPA

Potchefstroom – Voting in the Ward Nine by-election in Tlokwe, Potchefstroom, closed at 21:00 on Wednesday.

The gates to the Boikhotso Secondary School in Ikageng were locked and a police nyala was parked in front of the school.

Independent Electoral Commission officials were expected to start counting the votes.

Provisional results were expected later in the evening. The official results would be released on Thursday.

Supporters of the African National Congress, the Democratic Alliance, the Congress of the People and community members supporting an independent candidate continued to sing and dance outside the gates.

The ANC members carried a box wrapped in white paper, portraying a coffin. They stamped on the box, breaking it, while they sang.

“It is the death of DA, Cope and the independent candidate,” they sang.

ANC Ward 12 councillor Lulu Chao said the party was waiting for results, and then celebrations would start.

“We’ve already won, we are just waiting for the formalities,” he said.

ANC Women’s League provincial secretary Meago Mateng shared Chao’s sentiments.

“We have won. We are confident the people of Tlokwe have spoken. They will do us justice to say [the] DA stole Tlokwe. They have faith in us.”

She promised that the ANC would give the community better leaders in the future.

A scuffle broke out between the police and community members outside the gate to the school.

Community members were claiming that ANC members were trying to get into the locked voting station.

Police swiftly pushed the crowd back and things settled down.

– SAPA

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille was upbeat on Wednesday about improving the living conditions of residents in informal settlements, her office said.

“As part of our commitment to redress, and to creating a caring and inclusive city, the City of Cape Town has prioritised a massive allocation of resources to improve living conditions in informal settlements,” city spokesperson Solly Malatsi said in a statement.

The city’s spending was geared towards the poor and this was reflected in the way the budget had been structured, he said.

“This commitment to service provision is demonstrated in our budget breakdowns over the past six financial years.”

He said: “In terms of electricity provision, since 2006/07 we have increased our budget by approximately 287%. This year, an estimated budget of R292m has been budgeted for electricity provision to informal settlements.”

Malatsi said the city’s budget had steadily improved since 2006/07, by about 278%.

This year, about R292m had been budgeted for electricity provision to informal settlements, he said.

The budgets for water and sanitation, and the provision of solid waste management had also increased.

The number of toilets provided in informal settlements had increased from 14 591 to around 40 296 since 2006, said Malatsi.

A number of incidents in which protesters dumped faeces around the city were reported last month.

Malatsi conceded there were a number of informal settlements still in need of services.

“Despite this large-scale investment, there are certain informal settlements in the city where we cannot provide certain service types due to prevailing local conditions,” he said.

– SAPA

The man arrested in connection with the rape of a 4-month-old baby and a 7-year-old boy in Ceres, Western Cape, has been released, police said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who was arrested on Monday, was released on Tuesday night because he could not be linked to the case, police spokesperson Andre Traut said.

“Our search for the perpetrator continues.”

Provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer said on Monday that the baby had been sleeping in bed with her parents when a man snatched and raped her in the early hours of Saturday morning. The boy was in the house and was raped at the same time.

Lamoer said it was believed the man had been staying in the house, on a farm, at the time.

“The child is currently at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, where she had reconstructive surgery, and she will stay there for a long time,” Lamoer told reporters on the sidelines of a police memorial service in Kuils River.

“As you can see, there is a sick society outside. Some men can’t take the responsibility and we need to make sure this person is arrested.”

– SAPA

A Northern Cape couple was swindled out of almost R1m by a bogus traditional healer who disappeared with their cash, police said on Wednesday.

The couple, from Danielskuil, were conned when they responded to an advert by the “traditional healer” from Postmasburg, who allegedly promised wealth, health, and prosperity, said police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu.

“The healer promised to multiply their money as well as bless them with even better jobs and more wealth. The man visited the couple at their home in Danielskuil,” she said.

“Prof Latibu” disappeared with the couple’s money after they handed over close to R1m to him over a period of two months.

Naidu said the community should be wary of such promises, as scams like these were rife in the country.

“People must not be duped into believing that their money can be doubled. These tricksters are so professional that they can make one believe that one’s money has doubled.

“After a few sessions and once a victim releases large amounts of money, the person disappears with all their money.”

The suspect, believed to be a foreign national, was operating from Postmasburg, she said.

Naidu appealed to anyone with information that could lead to his arrest to contact Detective Warrant Officer Coetzer of the Danielskuil police on 053 384 0558 or 082 495 4681.

– SAPA