Daily Archives: May 23, 2014

Afro-pop singer Berita pulverizes her way to stardom


By Kgatliso Ramose
Johannesburg- She is beautiful,talented and got brain. The 23 years-old Afro-pop sensation recently graduated at Walter Sisilu University.

However the Thandolwethu hitmaker admitted that the journey was not a walk in the park “Studying financial course and work as a musician has been one of the hardest, but most rewarding thing I ever had to do” said sassy voice singer.

“There were times when I struggled to cope with exams and performing gigs but I carried my books along everywhere and it worked” she said.

Born Gugulethu Khumalo to Educator parents in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, Berita believes very much in education.

“The spirit of learning encourages an individual to be curious and courageous at the same time” said the Menziwa singer.

With stories of broke artists making rounds everyday due to lack of knowledge and back up plan, Berita wont follow that bad phenomenon.

“I encourage young people to empower themselves with knowledge about music industry and education that has nothing to do with music” she warns.

“This is so because when one reaches the heights of their dreams, they are able to grab all the opportunities with both hands, and also when things dont work as planned they can able to seek and take advange of other opportunities” she continued.

This year Berita travelled around Southern African countries performing and she decided to enrol at a music school afterwards.

“Its always been my dream to learn more about my instrument(guitar) and my craft. Initially when I passed high school, I asked my parents if I could study music and they didn’t approve so I ended up studying accounting” she said.

Her debut album Conquering Spirit won a Metro FM award and she is working on her second album.-TDN
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Bafana to prove critics wrong


Sydney- Bafana Bafana touched down at Sydney International Airport on Friday and went straight to the swimming pool where they relaxed for around 45 minutes.

The senior national team are here to play the Socceroos in an international friendly match on Monday at (19h30 Australian time) 11h30 SA time. The match will take place at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

Coach Gordon Igesund said although the 12-hour trip was energy sapping, he and the boys were in high spirits and ready to give a good account of themselves.

“The boys are really charged up. They have a point to prove and I have never seen such hunger and determination. This match might be a defining moment in their careers.

“These are the boys who will participate in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches and that journey begins here. Most of them are under 24 and need matches of this calibre to gain international experience,” said Igesund.

After the swimming pool session, the players played table tennis before supper and went straight to bed.

“We need to adjust to the different times. It is midday at home and here we have to go to bed. Bodies will take time to adjust but this is part of this great sport. A sportsman should adjust to different conditions urgently and all these players are great professionals,” said Igesund.

The team will train at 15h30 (Australian time) and will have the final training session at the match venue at 19h00.-TDN
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Sundowns striker Manqele to sign for Chiefs?


By Obakeng Maje
Joahannesburg- Mamelodi Sundowns striker Edward Manqele is likely to join Kaizer Chiefs in the next season after he made it clear that he wants out.

According to http://www.kickoff.com Mamelodi Sundowns official, Manqele also informed the club about his decision and said the club will not force him to stay.

“As we know Manqele was on loan at Moroka Swallows, he is due to return to Sundowns and he made it clear that he wants out. So it is Sundowns policy not to force players to play for the club while their minds are elsewhere” he told kickoff.com

Former Free State Stars striker hit to prominence back in 2012/2013 season after scoring 14 goals. He was snapped by Mamelodi Sundowns and had a disappointing season.

He was loaned to Swallows and scored 12 goals. Moroka Swallows made it clear that they will not keep Manqele due to his demanding salary.

Manqele let his desire known when he said he is keen on joining Kaizer Chiefs during transfer window, but the move did not materialised.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter said the club will sign offensive players and a 25 year-old strike makes the cut.-TDN
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Premier Mahumapelo congratulates newly elected NCOP Chairperson


North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has congratulated her predecessor, Thandi Modise on her election as Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

“Former Premier Thandi Modise’s exceptional performance in governance, visionary leadership, experience as Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature,  Member of Parliament and Chairperson of Committees in the National Assembly gives us confidence that she will continue to serve the country and provinces with utmost distinction in her new role,’ Premier Mahumapelo said.Mahumapelo who nominated Modise to be elected unopposed to the position said that the province will give Modise support in her new role because “her success is our success and our success will be her success as we will be accelerating service delivery building on the solid foundation she has laid.”
He added that Modise has not disappointed or failed to live up to expectation in any of the roles and contribution she made on behalf of the ruling party thus far. -TDN
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Teacher who showed porn in class condemned


Johannesburg – The National Congress of School Governing Bodies said on Thursday it was saddened by the allegation that a teacher had showed porn to a class at Edenglen High School in Gauteng.

“Teachers are role models and play a very important role to sharpen our children to reach their destiny,” the body’s secretary general Pastor Monokoane Hlobo said.

He said teachers should behave like parents to learners.

“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and appeal to the department of basic education and the South African Council of Educators to investigate and deal with matter as of yesterday.”

Facing suspension

Earlier, the Gauteng education department said a life orientation teacher who allegedly screened pornography on his class projector by accident was served with a notice of intention to suspend him.

“We have instituted an investigation into this matter with the view to act,” said spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane.

She said the pupils were receiving counselling.

“We are extremely disturbed by these allegations. The safety of children at our schools is a priority.”

According to a report in the Sowetan newspaper the Grade 10 teacher told pupils to busy themselves with work he gave them while he prepared an exam they were soon to write.

The teacher then reportedly began surfing pornographic sites, unaware his laptop was still connected to the class projector.

One mother was quoted as saying her daughter came home terrified, as the incident brought back memories of her sexual abuse when she was younger.

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Taung councillor rescued by police, community went beserk


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- The community of Ward 2 in Taung were allegedly up in arms after accusing their ward councillor Toloki Tlhaganyane with discrepancies.

On Thursday police we called to intervene after the community in Maganeng, Ntshwanahatshe villages and other neighbourhood forcefully removed some of workers from the project alleged they were hired by Tlhaganyane.

Even though the information amid the issue is unclear, the community accuses ward councillor for practicing nepotism.

Police rescued Tlhaganyane in a heated meeting and the community said they do not want him anymore.

Ward 2 community said they are sick and tired of Tlhaganyane as is been a while showing signs of lack of compatibility.

More information will follow as our attempt to get clarification from Taung police and Tlhaganyane were futile.-TDN
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Amajita ready to face Ethiopia


Johannesburg- South African Men’s U20 National Team head coach Shakes Mashaba is satisfied with the work his charges have put this week ahead of the second round second leg 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier to be played this weekend.

Amajita and Ethiopia meet on Sunday, 25 May 2014. The match has been moved from the Bidvest Wits Stadium (Milpark) to the Dobsonville Stadium, kickoff at 15h00.

Mashaba admitted that he needed to have the practice match to fine tune his boys and rectify some mistakes from the first leg in Addis Ababa two weeks ago.

“We opted to play the School of Excellence because they play more or less the same type of football as Ethiopia – the short passing game. I am happy that we managed to contain them, close them down and score four goals on top of that. In this game we have addressed three things – tight marking, going forward quickly and finishing,” said Mashaba after three 30-minute games played in Eldorado Park.

“So far the camp has gone well and I am happy with their fitness levels which we have been working on over the past few days. We have had some power sessions and I could even see in the practice that fatigue was setting in, but I am happy with the progress so far.”

South Africa has a 2-0 lead from the first leg and the coach has emphasized that the boys should not think much of the previous match.

“Playing at home has its pressures; it’s no more a luxury. We have told the players this coming match is a new one and they must forget about the lead. I told them that if we managed to score two away, what can stop them from scoring three here. So we have to guard against such things. We have been having meetings and what I am pleased about is that they are aware that the past match is gone, we have another challenge ahead of us,” said the coach.

“We are just worried about set-pieces – for and against us – we will be working on them in the remaining training sessions and we hope it will pay off. We all know that worldwide matches are won or lost through set pieces. If you get a set piece in front of goal you have to convert.“

Mashaba adds that his charges know what is at stake.

“Yes they are very much aware. They know for us to get to the 2015 U20 World Cup in New Zealand we have to do well in these matches so we can qualify for the AYC. The route looks short but it is difficult so we have to work hard to achieve our goals,” added Mashaba.

The squad has three training sessions left before the match on Sunday.

Today and tomorrow (afternoon) they will train in Eldorado Park, and on Saturday they will move to the match venue for their final training session at 16h00.-TDN
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Banyana upbeat ahead of the Comoros game


The Senior South African women’s National team, Sasol Banyana Banyana take on the Union of Comoros National team in the first leg of the African Women’s Championship qualifier match this Friday, 23 May 2014 at the Stade Said Mohamed Cheikh Stadium, scheduled for 14H00 South African time.

The crucial away leg match preparations went well under cool weather conditions on Thursday afternoon in Moroni, the Capital City of Comoros, in contrast to the scorching heat that welcomed Sasol Banyana Banyana upon their arrival at the Island.

Sasol Banyana Banyana have never played with Comoros in the past, and Coach Vera Pauw is confident of getting positive results.

“It is crucial for us to continue with the spirit and enthusiasm that we displayed in our last friendly match. Although we do not know much about the Comoros team, we have prepared with the same intensity that we did for our match against Ghana. We are not going into the game with the mentality that they are a weak team due to their current FIFA Ranking (Comoros are ranked 32nd in Africa and 132nd in the world as opposed to Sasol Banyana Banyana who are ranked 4th in Africa and 52nd in the world), we cannot afford to be complacent and undermine any opposition. We intend on building on what we have and compete the very same way as we did against Ghana,” she said.

This will be Pauw’s first test out of South Africa in charge of Sasol Banyana Banyana, having led the team to a 2-2 draw against Zimbabwe and a 1-0 defeat to the Black Queens of Ghana in the two friendly matches on home turf thus far.

Sasol Banyana Banyana go into the match with a full squad, with the inclusion of defender Letago Madiba, who prides her skills for Tshwane University of Technology in the Sasol Women’s League returning to the team after missing the friendly match against Ghana due to a knee ligament strain.-TDN
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SA Embassy visits Banyana Banyana in Comoros


South African Embassy visits Sasol Banyana Banyana in Comoros

The South African diplomat in Comoros, His Excellency Ghulam Hoosein Asmal visited Sasol Banyana Banyana at their hotel in Moroni on Thursday morning, to pass his best wishes ahead of their African Women’s Championship qualifier match against Comoros this Friday, 23 May.

Sasol Banyana Banyana take on the Union of the Comoros senior national women’s football team at the Stade Said Mohamed Stadium Cheikh, Mitsamiouli at 14h00 SA time.

In his address to the team, his Excellency Ghulam Hoosein Asmal expressed his gratitude and honour to have the South African Women’s National team in Comoros.

“It is an honour to have the team in Comoros. Everyone on this Island has warm feelings towards South Africa. Not many people know about Comoros, and the team is fortunate to be one of the few people to visit this country,” said Asmal.

“You are ambassadors of South Africa and your presence here is a picture of what South Africa is like; vibrant and colourful. Just as you have flown the South African flag with pride across the world, we know you will continue with that when you play tomorrow,” he added

His Excellency, Ghulam Hoosein Asmal was presented with a Sasol Banyana Banyana signed playing jersey by the South African Football Association National Executive Committee member and Head of Delegation, Mr. Jack Maluleka.

“This jersey will take a place of pride in the embassy, next to Nelson Mandela’s picture. It will be a lasting memory of Sasol Banyana Banyana’s visit to this country,” he concluded.
-TDN
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Services at standstill in parts of North West – DA


Johannesburg -The municipal offices in Sannieshof in the Tswaing local municipality in the North West have been closed for the past three months, the local DA said on Thursday.
“Residents cannot obtain any service a municipality is functionally obliged to render,” DA caucus leader in the area Carin Visser said in a statement.

Several problems had been experienced in all departments, including bulk water shortages since 2003.

Bulk water supply projects were cancelled by the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality and the money spent on a municipal building in Mahikeng.

There was also no disaster relief emergency water supply operational plan when needed.

“The rapid response unit of the premier could not resolve the problem…” said Visser.

The four emergency boreholes drilled in 2013 were still not connected to the network to relieve the bulk water supply problems and sewage reservoirs on residential and business properties were constantly overflowing.

“Equipment [was] not available to service the sites,” she said.

The waste water treatment works were neglected and dysfunctional and there was no control over dumping of raw sewage.

“The municipal tractors had also broken down causing no services in refuse removal,” said Visser.

Pending investigation

The licensing department in the area was closed down due to irregularities and a pending investigation, and there were no municipal burial services in the area.

Consumer accounts were not being sent out, and when they were sent out, the information and readings were inaccurate.

There was no consumer desk to report problems to. Roads were not maintained and had potholes and water damage.

Visser said the electrical supply in the area could not meet the demand of new developments and there was no public participation in the legal processes of council.

“The ANC-governed Tswaing does not comply with their constitutional or statutory obligations as a local municipality.”

She said provincial intervention was “the inevitable alternative as ANC governance continues to fail the people of Tswaing”.

The municipal manager could not be reached for comment.

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