Nigerian pastor TB Joshua will on Thursday memorial service for the South African relatives of those who were killed in the collapse of his Lagos church building.
A spokesperson at Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations says 44 South Africans have flown to Lagos to attend the ceremony. This follows the September disaster in which 116 people, including 81 South Africans and four others based in this country, were killed.
The victims’ relatives arrived in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
Joshua is said to have paid for their travel. The remains of 11 South Africans are yet to be positively identified. After the incident, Joshua had said he would visit the families in South Africa but it is no longer clear if he intends on keeping his word.
-Sapa
– Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has named the team that will take on neighbours Zambia in an international friendly match scheduled for Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
The match takes place later today (Sunday, 4 January 2015)
Kick-off is at 15h00.
The match is the first phase of preparations for the CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations Equatorial Guinea 2015 tournament which starts from 17 January to 8 February 2015.
Mashaba has selected the bulk of players who did duty in the qualifiers with Darren Keet in goals, assisted at the back by central defenders Eric Mathoho and Rivaldo Coetzee, while Anele Ngcongca, who will captain the side, and Thabo Matlaba will be the fullbacks.
“This is a very important match for all of us as it is for preparations for AFCON 2015. We did well in the qualifiers and in the last friendly against Cote d’Ivoire, this is also our last match at home before we depart for the tournament so let us leave the country with something to smile about when we are gone.
“We cannot afford to break the momentum we are on now and even though we know that Zambia is a very good side but let’s just go out there and work hard to get a victory that will please all of us, especially our fans who have been behind us all the way,” said Ngcongca.
The midfield has a different look about with Oupa Manyisa, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Thamsanqa Sangweni and Mandla Masango given the nod. Tokelo Rantie and Bongani Ndulula have been entrusted with getting goals.
Andile Jali and Patrick Phungwayo have not be considered for the match as they are both nursing knee injuries which are not too serious, but have been left out as a precaution, while Dean Furman is only expected in camp on Monday, 5 January.
Bafana Bafana starting XI vs Zambia: Darren Keet (GK), Anele Ngcongca (C), Thabo Matlaba, Eric Mathoho, Rivaldo Coetzee, Thamsanqa Sangweni, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Mandla Masango, Oupa Manyisa, Bongani Ndulula, Tokelo Rantie
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
Johannesburg –
City Power is working on new technologies to mitigate the effects of power cuts, it said on Friday.
These included installing smart meters, which would enable efficient management of electricity consumption, it said in a statement.
“Expanding the geyser control systems to more residential areas across the city, and the installation of solar water heaters will contribute to the reduction of the cost of heating water.”
Eskom has been battling to meet demand for electricity.
Meanwhile, the City of Tshwane said rain had affected cables supplying the Onderstepoort substation, causing power outages in Onderstepoort, Vastfontein and Haakdoornboom. Technicians estimated repairs would be completed and power restored by midnight. – Sapa
Johannesburg – South Africa lost a record number of rhinos in 2014 as big animals across Africa were relentlessly poached to meet rising demand for horn and ivory in newly affluent Asian countries or to provide meat to fighters in the bush.
From South Sudan, where conservationists say elephants are being slain by both government forces and rebels, to South Africa, where more than three rhinos are poached every day, there is an arc of illegal animal slaughter across the region.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
Mahikeng- – Two men were stabbed and killed in Mahikeng, North West police said on Friday.
At Lomanyaneng, near Mahikeng, a fight broke out between two men in Lotlhakane village and a 26-year-old man allegedly stabbed a 25-year-old in the chest on New Year’s Day, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.
“The victim was taken to Mahikeng hospital where he was certified dead on arrival,” said Mokgwabone.
In the second killing, a 29-year-old man stabbed a 27-year-old to death with a knife during a fight. He died on the scene.
The two men were charged with murder and were expected to appear in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court soon.
Johannesburg – Police arrested 21 drunk drivers on the N2 near Butterworth on New Year’s Day, Eastern Cape police said on Friday.
“Butterworth police and Mnquma Traffic Officers arrested 21 drunk drivers on Thursday, 1 January at about 20:00,” said Captain Jackson Manatha.
All the suspects were on their way home from Eastern Beach in East London when they were arrested.
Each suspect would be granted R2 000 bail.
They would appear before the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court soon, he said.
Johannesburg – A man who tried to rescue a friend who nearly drowned after diving off Shark Rock Pier, Port Elizabeth, is presumed drowned, the NSRI said on Friday.
On Thursday, the first man began struggling in the water after he jumped from the pier, National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Craig Lambinon said in a statement.
His 25-year-old friend dived in after him to try and help him.
Bystanders rescued the first man, but his friend got into difficulty.
“[He] was last seen by eye-witnesses lying face down in the water and being swept out to sea by rip currents.”
Despite extensive searches, there has been no further sighting of the man, who is presumed to have drowned.
Police divers were searching for him.
Cape Town – Newly appointed Zimbabwean Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has reportedly praised President Robert Mugabe, describing him as a “fountain of wisdom”.
According to the News Day, Mphoko, who was recently appointed as one of the two vice presidents of Zimbabwe after the sacking of Joice Mujuru, said Mugabe was full of wisdom, adding that wisdom was the “prerogative of age”.
For more http://www.news24.com
Klerksdorp- A 10-year-old boy has drowned this afternoon at a swimming pool at a lodge on the R30 in Klerksdorp in the North West Province.
ER24 paramedics arrived on scene and found a group of bystanders that had gathered around a swimming pool. On the floor lay the body of a young boy.
On assessment, paramedics discovered that they young patient had no signs of life. Unfortunately there was nothing more paramedics could do and he was declared dead on scene.
”It is believed that the boy had been underwater for roughly 45 minutes when he was apparently pulled from the water by an unknown man” Er24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said.
Local authorities were on scene for further investigations.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
The Guardian 