Orlando Pirates defender Happy Jele says the 4-0 demolition of Golden Arrows serves as a warning to Kaizer Chiefs ahead of the Soweto Derby on Saturday.

The Champions League finalists ran riot against Arrows in the Telkom Knockout last-eight on Wednesday, with Lennox Bacela plundering a hat-trick to go with a strike from Kermit Erasmus at Orlando Stadium.

And while Jele expects Chiefs to be out for revenge over their MTN8 exit at the hands of Bucs a month ago, he backs his team to trump their neighbours again.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Ernst Middendorp says it is understandable Bloemfontein Celtic failed to hit top gear against Moroka Swallows in his first game in charge of Phunya Sele Sele.

Celtic needed a late own goal from Roger da Costa to salvage a point on Tuesday after Lerato Manzini’s opener was eclipsed by a brace from Swallows veteran Siyabonga Nomvethe at Free State Stadium.

“We did not really go into gear number five and six but with a new coach coming in that is understandable,” Middendorp told his club’s official website.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter admits that the absence of Knowledge Musona is a huge blow to his side for this weekend’s Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates.

Musona will miss the big game on Saturday at FNB Stadium due to a shoulder injury he sustained when scoring in a Telkom Knockout quarter-final clash with Free State Stars last week, which Amakhosi eventually won 4-2 on penalties.

It is uncertain how long the Zimbabwean striker will be out for as further tests are needed to ascertain the damage.

“It is a blow to lose your top player,” Baxter says.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Bafana Bafana will play world and European champions Spain in a friendly at Soccer City on November 19.

The match will mark a welcome return for La Roja to South Africa’s home of soccer where they won the 2010 Fifa World Cup through an Andres Iniesta goal in the Final.

Safa president Danny Jordaan said the encounter will kick-start a number of high-profile games featuring top footballing nations against Bafana.

“It is the new Safa executive’s mission to make Bafana Bafana world-beaters again and we have lined up top-class sides to play our men’s senior national team,” said Jordaan.

“We could not have asked for a better start of this campaign than with the game against the reigning Fifa World Cup champions.

“It is a dream come true for many soccer fans to once again see the likes of Iniesta and Xavi in action at the venue where they made history by lifting their first World Cup trophy. This is going to be a block-buster of a game.”

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said it was excited to be coming back to South Africa.

“We wish to demonstrate our gratitude for the wonderful hospitality of the South African sports authorities and the support of the country’s football fans during the 2010 South Africa World Cup, where Spain was proclaimed champion for the first time in history,” said Spanish Football Association president Angel Maria Villar Llona.

“At the end of the match, played on 11 July 2010 at the same stadium, the top officials of the RFEF expressed their thanks for the support received and promised to return to South Africa to play a friendly match, in the same way we did in Vienna after winning the Euro 2008.”

Safa CEO Dennis Mumble added: “We are excited by this honour to play Spain and we ask all football lovers to rush to buy their tickets for this rare occasion as soon as ticket sales open. More information will be released in the next few days.”

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services21

For more http://www.kickoff.com

Swartruggens- The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the North West province welcomes the statement by the provincial cabinet that it has requested that the toll at the Swartruggens plaza be reduced to R58. COSATU was surprised by the increase to R75, which was pronounced by the new minister of transport in August 2013.

“We shall not however agree with R58 until our members have been consulted and the provincial government led by Premier Thandi Modise has confirmed and agreed that the toll gate is expensive for the poor people of the NW, and that its cabinet has by undermined by both Sanral and the National Minister of Transport” Cosatu spokesperson in North West Solly Phetoe said.

COSATU said this is an indication that there is no synergy between the spheres of government, as one sphere can disagree with the other, and they ask themselves with whom did the minister consult before she decided on the increase, as they are now aware that the provincial government was not consulted.

“COSATU has been raising its concerns with the department for the past two years and they are not willing to listen to the request. COSATU took a resolution in the past provincial shop steward council which was held on 11th October 2013 to intensify the campaign until the demands are met” Phetoe said.

COSATU said their immediate demand is that while there are consultations and engagements going on the payments at the toll plaza must be suspended, because if they continue the people of the province and the neighbouring countries continue to be robbed their hard-earned money.

“We will be going back to the toll gate on 25th October 2013 from 12h00 as part of the intensification of the program to continue to register our dissatisfaction in the manner in which the department is handling this matter. COSATU once again calls on all the affected citizens to join the activity and those who have pressing matters to avoid using the road” concludes Phetoe.

The picketing and drive slow will be starting at the Marikana toll plaza on the N4 to the expensive toll gate from 12h00 to 18h00. – TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
(Edited BY Obakeng Maje)

President Jacob Zuma on Thursday announced the government’s Fetsa Tlala food production initiative aimed at fighting poverty and hunger.

“The thrust of Fetsa Tlala is to produce enough food to meet the population’s food needs now and in the future,” Zuma said in a speech prepared for delivery.

He told residents of Kuruman in the Northern Cape that there was a time in the country when households had gardens and grew their own vegetables and fruit.

They kept chickens and livestock, something the government wanted to revive with the new programme.

“Through Fetsa Tlala all under-utilised agricultural land must be put under production. We are encouraging people to go back to farming.”

Zuma said the programme was an addition to the accelerated agricultural production programme launched in seven provinces in 2012.

Through that initiative about 135,000 hectares of under-utilised agricultural land was put under production, with maize and beans being the main commodities.

“We have worked further on the programme and reached this phase when we are ready to take food production to a national level, and to launch Fetsa Tlala.”

At least R2 billion would be made available for the programme as part of comprehensive support to farmers, for distribution to provinces.

Zuma said the initiative intended putting a million hectares of land under production for maize, beans, and potatoes.

“In some provinces the focus will be on livestock instead of vegetable production, for example here in the Northern Cape.”

Zuma said the government wanted to increase the availability of and access to locally produced food products.

– Sapa

A woman has been arrested at the Beitbridge border post for possession of explosives and detonators, Limpopo police said on Thursday.

The woman was on a bus, travelling from Zimbabwe, when police searched her luggage on Wednesday evening, said Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.

“While busy searching the suspect’s luggage, (police) members were surprised to discover 26 plastic cartridges and 100 detonators.”

The bomb disposal unit were called to the scene and confirmed that the woman was carrying explosives.

She would appear soon in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on charges of unauthorised importation, supply or possession of an explosive or incendiary device, or part thereof.

Sapa

Durban – The government’s rural safety strategy launched in 2011 has failed, the IFP said on Thursday.

The strategy had not had any real effect, said Inkatha Freedom Party agriculture and rural development spokesman Henry Combrinck.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Nelspruit – An Mpumalanga co-operative governance department official and his wife appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on corruption charges, the Hawks said.

Former head of department Sam Ngubane, who is now the department’s chief director of development and planning, and his wife Angel, who also worked in the department, were arrested earlier in the day, said Captain Paul Ramaloko.

Ngubane allegedly received R2 million in kickbacks, through his wife’s account, for a tender awarded to Takitsi Trading in 2008 as part of the department’s Water For All project. The contract was cancelled after three months, because of over-expenditure, but the company allegedly continued to be paid.

The couple would appear again on Friday. They remained in custody.

“The arrest of two (Takitsi) company directors is imminent,” Ramaloko said.

The Democratic Alliance welcomed Ngubane’s arrest and hoped it would send a message to all those in public office who were considering involvement or were involved in tender corruption, said DA human settlements spokesman James Masango.

“(The Water For All project) served as a haven for mismanagement of funds and the total disregard of thousands of communities across the province who suffer because they have no access to clean water,” he said.

Sapa