AmaZulu will look to continue their unbeaten run and further dent the Absa Premiership title hopes of Orlando Pirates when the teams meet at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday, kick-off at 19h30.

  AmaZulu extended their unbeaten run to six matches with a goalless draw away to Ajax Cape Town on Friday night. In that sequence they have kept five clean sheets.

  The Durban side has recorded three wins, four draws and three losses from their 10 home matches this season.

  Usuthu are placed 12th on the Absa Premiership log with 24 points from 22 matches.

  Pirates played to a third successive draw in the league when they were held to a goalless stalemate at home by University of Pretoria.

The Soweto side has recorded six victories and suffered two defeats from their 11 matches on the road this campaign.

   The Buccaneers are placed second on the Absa Premiership log with 42 points from 22 matches.

In head-to-head stats, AmaZulu and Pirates have met in 48 league matches since 1985.

  Bucs have traditionally dominated the fixture, claiming 22 wins compared to nine for Usuthu, while 17 matches have been drawn.

   AmaZulu have recorded six wins, 10 draws and seven defeats from 23 home matches against Pirates down the years.

  When the teams met earlier this season in Soweto they played to a goalless stalemate.

  AmaZulu’s line-up from their 0-0 draw with Ajax: Kapini, Hlongwa, Cele, Teyisa, Nyadombo, Madondo, Kgatla, Manqana, Malongoane (Mshengu 71’), A. Dlamini, G. Dlamini.

Pirates’ line-up from their 0-0 draw with Tuks: Meyiwa, Jele, Lekgwathi, Gcaba, Matlaba, Klate, Manyisa, Jali, Segolela (Masuku 80’), Mabena (Okonkwo 77’), Mbesuma (McCarthy 61’).

For more www.psl.co.za

Kaizer Chiefs will look to strengthen their hold on top spot in the Absa Premiership when they host Maritzburg United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday, kick-off at 19h30.

Chiefs extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 matches with a 3-0 away win over Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.

The Soweto side is unbeaten at home this season, with eight wins and four draws from 12 matches.

The Amakhosi are placed first on the Absa Premiership log with 50 points from 23 matches.

Maritzburg have won two of their last three league matches and defeated Chippa United 2-0 at home on Sunday.

The KwaZulu-Natal side has recorded four wins, three draws and three defeats from 10 away matches this term.

The Team of Choice is placed seventh on the Absa Premiership log with 31 points from 22 matches.

In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Maritzburg have met in 13 league matches since 2005/06.

The Soweto side has claimed five wins compared to four for the Pietermaritzburg team, while four matches have been drawn.

  Chiefs have won three of their six home matches against Maritzburg, suffering two defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season they played to a 1-1 draw in KwaZulu-Natal, with Mandaza and Majoro scoring for Amakhosi and the Team of Choice respectively.

Chiefs’ line-up from their 3-0 win over Celtic: Khune, Gaxa (Dladla 88’), Mathoho, Gould, Mashamaite, Masilela, Letsholonyane, Katsande, Tshabalala, Parker, Nkhatha (Majoro 68’).

Maritzburg’s line-up from their 2-0 win over Chippa: Walters, Evans, Awal, M. Booysen, Cloete, Sheppard (Matuka 80’), De Jongh (Mandaza 46’), Morton, Buckley, Isaacks (Petersen 70’), Malajila.

For more www.psl.co.za

The PSL’s disciplinary committee (DC) has confirmed that Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs have been charged for contravening certain rules within the league.

Pirates have been charged with contravening Rule 12.2 and Rule 12.3 after they failed to change to white shorts as the away side, in order to avoid a clash of colours, before their fixture against Chiefs on March 9, 2013, at the FNB Stadium. Bucs will face the DC on April 4.

Meanwhile Chiefs have been charged with contravening Rule 10.5, after they failed to allow their opponents, Polokwane City, access to their change room at least four hours before the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on March 16, 2013. They only allowed them access approximately one hour before the start of the game. Chiefs will appear in front of the DC on April 10 .

The PSL’s DC has also confirmed that Dynamos has been charged with contravening the kit manual after one of Dynamos’ players worse a jersey with a number different to the one displayed on his shorts during their NFD fixture against Roses United at Giyani Stadium on March 9, 2013.

Sivutsa Stars face two charges. The first charge is for contravening Rule 8.9.1 and Rule 10.1, after they failed to procure a doctor for the spectators in their fixture against Thanda Royal Zulu at Thulamahashe Stadium on November 28, 2012.

The club has also been charged for failure to arrive in the change rooms at the stipulated time (60 minutes before the start of the game) at the same game against Thanda. The second charge is for contravening Rule 8.9.2 in their fixture against African Warriors on March 10, 2013, at the Kabokweni Stadium.

Witbank Spurs face three separate charges for contravening Rule 8.9.4. Spurs allegedly failed to procure the services of a spectator doctor in their fixture against Jomo Cosmos at the Puma Stadium on March 9, 2013.

Secondly, they failed to procure the services of a spectator doctor in their fixture against Milano United on March 3, 2013, at the Puma Stadium. They also face a third (similar) offence in their game against Vasco da Gama at the Puma Stadium on March 16, 2013.

Roses United have been charged with contravening Rule 8.9.4 after they failed to procure a doctor for the spectators in their game against Vasco da Gama at the Botshabelo Stadium on March 3, 2013.

For more www.soccerladuma.com

Four people have handed themselves over to Durban police on Monday in connection with the killing of a British rugby fan in the city, 11 days ago. The fifth suspect is also expected to hand himself over this morning.

The four, who arrived at the police station at about six on Wednesday morning, are locked up in a meeting with their lawyer. Brett Williams was murdered at Kings Park almost two weeks ago after a Super Rugby match.

The 28-year-old UK citizen, who is also a former Royal Marine, died on the stadium’s outer fields after being kicked and punched to death in view of fellow rugby supporters. The suspects who are allegedly known, avoided arrest over the recent long weekend by negotiating to hand themselves.

Earlier, the Democratic Alliance’s Dianne Kohler-Barnard questioned this arrangement saying, “SAPS knows exactly who they are, but made absolutely no effort to arrest them, in fact they had a deal with their lawyers allegedly that they will hand themselves.”

“We don’t know now why such a deal has been done. As far as we have seen, a brutal murder had been committed and yet these people have been given preferential treatment. Violent rugby fans beat someone to death in public and absolutely nothing has been done.”

For more www.sabc.co.za

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A 35-year old lawyer has been granted bail of R10 000 in the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court in Rustenburg in North West. Mandla Gumbi was arrested on Monday after allegedly driving into a group of pedestrians in Ledig near Sun City.

Five were killed instantly and seven injured.

The accused was believed to have been under the influence of alcohol and allegedly speeding.

He has been charged with five counts of culpable homicide and reckless driving. 

“He was released on R10 000 bail and the matter was postponed to 10 June 2013 for further investigation. The matter was originally placed on the roll for the April 3, 2013 and it was later changed to April 2, at the discretion by the prosecution as long as the matter appears within 48 hours after the arrest,” says National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in North West Frank Lesenyego.

For more details www.sabc.co.za

Johannesburg – A woman died on Tuesday, apparently from inhaling insecticide after spraying for cockroaches in her Joburg inner-city flat and then closing the windows.

A man believed to be her partner was seriously ill in hospital on Tuesday night.

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

Johannesburg – Former president Nelson Mandela is making “steady improvement” under treatment for pneumonia and doctors say he is much better now than when he was admitted to hospital a week ago, the government said on Wednesday.

His doctors say he continues to respond satisfactorily to treatment and is much better now than he was when he was admitted to hospital on March 27, the Presidency said in a statement.

He has been visited by family and continues to make steady progress. – Reuters, IOL

Johannesburg – The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) denied reports on Wednesday suggesting it was massing troops in central Africa.

“The SANDF is not involved in any build-up of forces as reported,” spokesman Brigadier-General Xolani Mabanga said.

This came as President Jacob Zuma and a South African international relations and security contingent attended an Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas) summit in Chad.

Thirteen SANDF soldiers died and 27 were wounded in fighting in the Central African Republic (CAR) on March 23 and 24.

Of the 27 South African soldiers wounded in the fighting, 10 remained in hospital, said Mabanga.

Beeld reported on Wednesday that Gripen fighter planes, Oryx and Rooivalk helicopters, and three Russian freight carriers had been flying to Entebbe in Uganda, and to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Some left from Bloemfontein and others from Waterkloof Air Force base.

The newspaper reported South African troops were being deployed in Gemena in the DRC, 180km from the CAR capital Bangui.

The Times reported similar claims of regrouping in the DRC on its front page.

However, on inside pages, reporters in the CAR said military sources there stated claims of South African troops massing in Uganda and the DRC were “not credible”.

Another source told their reporters there were now only about 15 South African soldiers at the military base at Bangui airport, and this would be reduced to a handful of liaison officers in a few days.

Their source had also observed South African Hercules aircraft land and take off on Monday and Tuesday.

Commenting on reports in The Times that more South African soldiers would also be sent to the DRC, Mabanga said this was in line with a United Nations resolution for an intervention force there, following the deterioration of the security situation in the east of the DRC.

A number of meetings were held on the security situation there and the South African government had pledged to contribute forces from July, said Mabanga.

“We have not (yet), as SANDF, moved any troops or forces to effect that resolution or commitment,” he said.

The SANDF would wait for direction from government on whether to withdraw its forces from CAR.

“We are waiting for instructions from the commander-in-chief and the head of the Republic,” he said. – Sapa

Rustenburg – An R-5 rifle used to gun down a sangoma who performed rituals on Marikana mineworkers has been sent for tests to determine its origin, police said on Tuesday.

They were investigating the possibility that the gun belonged to  one of the two police officers killed during a strike by Lonmin mineworkers in August last year, spokesman Makhosini Nkosi said.

“Police are investigating that possibility… it has not been confirmed yet. Ballistic tests are being conducted.”

The sangoma, Alton Joja, 69, was at his home in the Ludeke Holt village in Mbizana, on Sunday, March 24, when five men armed with pistols and rifles entered his homestead. They shot him when he approached their car to ask what they were looking for. They fled the scene. Their car was later found abandoned and burnt out, with the rifle inside. Joja died on arrival at a local hospital.

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry on the Marikana killings heard last month that Joja was believed to have performed rituals on protesting Lonmin mineworkers before a shooting on August 16, during which 34 of them were killed.

Police had been trying to bring the sangoma to testify before the commission. – Sapa

Chippa United have appointed Roger Sikhakhane as their new technical director as they bid to evade the dreaded relegation axe.

Sikhakhane returns for his third spell at the club.

“Yeah I’m back and I will be on the bench tonight (against Golden Arrows) working with the head coach Wilfred Mugeyi,” he confirms to KickOff.com.

Sikhakhane guided the Chilli Boys into the top-flight, but he was replaced by Manqoba Mngqithi at the start of the season. He later returned as head coach, but was sacked in October.

Chippa are bottom of the log with 16 points from 22 matches.

For more http://www.kickoff.com