Daily Archives: April 6, 2014

SAFA President lauds Grand Parade Investments


Johannesburg-SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan has praised the SAFA Under 17 National Championships sponsors, Burger King and Grand Parade Investment saying such tournaments give hope to the youth. 

Speaking at the final day of the championships on Sunday, 6 April 2014 at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto, Dr Jordaan said GPI’s venture should open avenues for other corporate to do likewise.

“This is a new beginning for South African football, thanks to GPI through their subsidiary company Burger King. I would also like to thank Supersport for the live broadcast of the final between Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits,” said Dr Jordaan.

The SAFA President said the week-long tournament had been wonderful for the players and talent scouts, and also provides a sound foundation for future Bafana Bafana squads.

“Our junior teams have not performed to our liking but through such tournaments, everything should now start to fall into place. There is massive talent throughout the country and such tournaments give coaches a platform to identify our future stars,” he said.

The SAFA president said the fact that Chiefs and Bidvest Wits had reached the finals of the U17 Championships should give provincial coaches a wake-up call to up their game.

GPI Executive Director, Alex Abercrombie said his company believes in the future hence they decided to get associated with the youth of this country.

“We want to make this relationship with SAFA a long term association as we believe that if you invest into the future, you are building a great nation. This, to us, is a long-term investment.

“If we have an organised youth football structures, we can be guaranteed of a great Bafana Bafana squad. I would like to take this opportunity to call upon other corporate to look into investing in our youth activities as this is part of building a good tomorrow,” said Abercrombie.

SAFA’s chair of Competition Committee, Nomsa Mahlangu said such tournaments were critical because they prepare for strong national teams.

“We as SAFA want to provide the Technical team with the best possible assistance and there is no better support than providing them with an opportunity to identify talent through such tournaments,” said Mahlangu.-TDN
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Emerging farmers plead with land Bank


Mbombela – Emerging black farmers in Mpumalanga have called upon the Land Bank to provide financial services to them, too and not exclusively to commercial farmers.

The farmers were responding to a statement made by the bank last week that the government has approved a R1.5bn guarantee to the bank following the Fitch ratings agency’s upgrade of its national long-term rating.
For more http://www.news24.com

Review presidential medical unit- DA


Johannesburg – A total of R48.5m has been spent on the Presidential Medical Unit since 2009, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

DA spokesperson David Maynier said Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula revealed this in response to a parliamentary question.

The unit, which was being operated by the SA Health Military Services, was responsible for the health and wellness of the President, his deputy president, former presidents, former deputy presidents, and heads of State visiting the country.

“The Presidential Medical Unit appears to have almost limitless resources,” said Maynier.

“It is staffed by an average of 56 medical personnel; has the use of an average of 67 vehicles; and an average annual budget of R9.7 million.”

Maynier said in the meantime, One Military hospital, which was responsible for the medical treatment of the country’s defence force members was under severe staff shortages and this compromised the healthcare received by the members.

He said it was probable that the same unit was responsible for operating the multi-million rand clinic built at President Jacob Zuma’s private Nkandla home.

“I will, therefore, be writing to… Mapisa-Nqakula, requesting her to conduct a full review of the resources available to the Presidential Medical Unit, with a view to streamline the number of staff and identify savings given the poor state of the South African Military Health Service,” said Maynier.

SAPA

Cops called to separate Cosatu affiliates


Durban – Riot police were called into a Durban hotel to keep Numsa members separated from other members of Cosatu affiliates on Sunday morning.

Newly-reinstated Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi had been excepted to address a Numsa shop-steward meeting at the Coastlands Hotel in the Durban city centre.

However, when the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) members arrived they found the venue they had booked was occupied by various Cosatu affiliates, including SA Democratic Teachers Union members.

On both sides, numerous members were singing and chanting some of whom had various weapons like umbrellas and sticks while others wore T-shirts bearing President Jacob Zuma’s image.

Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA KwaZulu-Natal secretary Cassim Lekhoati could be seen negotiating in a bid to secure alternative venues for the two different groups.

It is understood that the hotel opened the venue to Cosatu-affiliated members without realising that it had in fact been booked by Numsa.

Suspension set aside

In August last year, Cosatu said Vavi had been put on special leave pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing relating to his affair with a junior employee.

In July, the employee accused him of rape. He said they had an affair. The woman subsequently withdrew a sexual harassment complaint against him.

Following Vavi’s suspension Numsa, an ally of his, lodged an application in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg challenging the decision.

On Friday, the High Court set aside Vavi’s suspension.

Cosatu had been split between affiliates supporting Vavi and those supporting his suspension.

SAPA

Woman tells Zille that all politicians are corruption


Durban – A woman wearing a Jacob Zuma t-shirt told Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille on Saturday that she would be voting for the ANC because they were corrupt.

Helen Zille was welcomed and applauded by supporters in a number of Durban suburbs she visited as part of the party’s 2014 national election campaign.-Sapa

Sundowns stun Chiefs at FNB


Johannesburg – A goal in the 76th minute from Teko Modise gave Mamelodi Sundowns a crucial 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs to take them level on points with Chiefs at the top of the Absa Premiership.

The opening ten minutes belonged to visitors Sundowns who attacked down the right flank and kept the pressure on Chiefs fullback Siboniso Gaxa who likes to push forward, a clear tactical ploy to stop Gaxa attacking.

Hlompho Kekana had the first real shot on goal after 13 minutes but his long range effort was well wide and never troubled Itumeleng Khune at all.

A minute later Lebogang Mokoena rifled in a shot from range and this time it did test Khune who had to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner as the visitors were asking all the questions.

Then, in the 16th minute Siphiwe Tshabalala’s dangerous cross was tipped away by Kennedy Mweene with Kingston Nkhatha lurking just behind him and ready to pounce.

In the 21st minute Chiefs’ in-form defensive midfielder, Willard Katsande, made a great run up field and beat Thabo Nthethe before cutting inside and unleashing a powerful shot, but he got his direction totally wrong.

In the 39th minute George Lebese wasted a good chance when, at the back post following a corner kick, he got his first time volleyed effort horribly wrong. Reneilwe Letsholonyane sent the follow up shot way over the bar.

On the stroke of halftime Chiefs almost took the lead when George Lebese got in a powerful shot from the right side of the danger area, but Kennedy Mweene made a strong save.

Chiefs came so close to scoring the opener in the 52nd minute when Morgan Gould got onto a Tshabalala corner and angled his header back across goal only to see the ball come off the crossbar and back into play. Nkhatha got onto the rebound and headed the ball back onto the bar.

Ten minutes later Chiefs had a very good chance to score when Nkhatha got inside the area and composed himself brilliantly, before curling a shot past Mweene’s fingers but also just past the far upright.

Then in the 76th minute Sundowns opened the scoring through Teko Modise whose floated ball into the danger area evaded the defenders and his own man Khama Billiat, who tried to get a head to it, but the ball sailed past Khune and into the far corner of goal.

There were some nervy moments for both sides in the final few minutes and some strong tackles flying in too as Sundowns held on to win.

Backpagemedia

Transformation lagging- Mbalula


Johannesburg – The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said athletics, cricket, football, netball and rugby are falling behind with transformation and development.

Sam said an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) had been created to monitor the progress of federations.

“On 25 March we received the pilot study on the status of transformation in sport and the findings were shocking,” said Mbalula at a Sascoc general meeting held at Olympic House on Saturday.

“Little has been done to transform and the issue of grassroots transformation and participation of blacks is declining drastically.

“We found poorly maintained infrastructure and a lack of willingness to transform despite the agreement as in the Sports Charter.”

Mbalula then announced far-reaching measures to address the issues at stake.

The quota system as instructed in the national Sports Plan of 2011 will be aggressively implemented said Mbalula.

“We will insist on a change from a 50-50 proportion to a 40-60 representation both provincial and nationally.”

Development plans from the five bodies – athletics, cricket, football, netball and rugby – will be sought according to the minister.

Mbalula warned of harsh punishment if there was any form of resistance to these measures.

If any resistance was met, Mbalula said government could : withdraw funding to bodies that fail to comply; withdraw national colours to federations holding back, rule that utilising bidding and hosting regulations to be illegal, de-register any body that fails to transform and bar sponsorship to anyone hostile to transformation.

Sam, meanwhile, warned there was an air of complacency about South African sport.

“In sport its simply not about you as an individual in the Federation,” said Sam.

“It’s the total commitment to what you are doing and not bailing out when the boat starts leaking.

“When the boat starts sinking then we see the true leaders standing up and I must warn you that we at Sascoc are committed and every day Sascoc CEO, Mr Tubby Reddy, refers to our plan that extends to 2017.”

On the subject of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland in July and August, Chef de Mission, Patience Shikwambana, said 17 sports codes would be represented by Team South Africa including three that will include Elite Athletes with Disabilities (EAD).

No qualifying events as such will be used for team selection said Shikwambana.

Sascoc would be guided by the International Federations and the Sascoc selection criteria superseded the International Federation’s criteria. “Individual and team athletes must rank in the top five in their events amongst the Commonwealth nations,” said Shikwambana.

“Deadline for final team lists is 31 May and at this early stage, the projected team size is 152 (with 86 male and 66 female competitors).

“At the last games in New Delhi, India, Team South Africa won 33 medals and team management are targeting 36 medals at these Games.”

SAPA

Dewani must face justice- Anni killer


Cape Town – Zola Tongo, one of Anni Dewani’s killers, has spoken out and said the young bride’s husband, Shrien, must face justice in South Africa, reports the Sunday Times.

According to the newspaper, Tongo, who is serving an 18-year prison sentence for his role in the killing, has said Dewani must “do the right thing”.

He said that although Dewani had ruined his life, he had forgiven him and that as a reborn Christian he would continue to pray for Dewani’s health to improve so that he could stand trial.

The Dewanis were on honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010 when Annie was murdered. Her body was found in Khayelitsha. At the time, Tongo had been the Dewanis taxi driver.

Tongo claims Dewani paid him to arrange for Annie’s murder.

Dewani will be extradited from Britain on Monday and is expected to make a brief court appearance in Cape Town on Tuesday.

News24

Malema desperate to settle tax bill


Cape Town – Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema is on an all-out quest to reach an agreement with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in a bid to avoid being disqualified from parliament.

According to the Sunday Times, Malema has called Ivan Pillay, SARS’ acting commissioner, on numerous occasions on his cellphone to settle his R16m tax bill.

Malema told the Sunday Times that he has offered to pay R4m in cash in addition to the properties already seized that are valued at around R4m.

He said that he did not have the cash personally but that good Samaritans were willing to help him.

The North Gauteng High Court granted a provisional sequestration order against Malema in February. This was at SARS’ request.

 Malema and anyone else who did not want the order to be made final has until 10:00 on 26 May to give reasons as to why this should not happen.
– News24