North West Premier Thandi Modise and Limpopo’s Cassel Mathale are likely to get the chop as the ANC tries to clean up its image ahead of next year’s elections.

There has also been a strong push for the Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet to be axed. Four ANC national executive committee members this week told The Sunday Independent the ANC would sack the three premiers by next month.

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

Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund is happy with his side’s performance after they advanced to the semi-finals of the Cosafa Cup after defeating Namibia 2-1 at the Nkoloma Stadium in Zambia on Saturday.

Two second half goals from Jabulani Shongwe and Hlompho Kekana were enough to see South Africa go through and will face either Zambia or Mozambique in the last four.

This was as good start for Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund after a disastrous preparation which saw several players pull out of the squad which travelled to Zambia.

“This game was very important to us because our preparation was not very ideal,” said Igesund.

“We only had two training sessions here in Zambia but the boys did very well. 

“It was tough out there and you could see that we needed to work together more because at times our game was disjointed — reason being it was the first time this team played together.

“We are happy to be in the next round of this tournament, and with more hard work I believe we will get better as a team.”

The experience of goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands, who was the captain, as well Hlompho Kekana, Lerato Chabangu and Mzikayise Mashaba helped the team on the day, while the duo of debutants Buhle Mkhwanazi and Tshepo Gumede were solid and played like seasoned campaigners.

Sibusiso Khumalo was substituted in the first half in a tactical move by Igesund, bringing on Ruzaigh Gamildien to add more numbers forward.

Not only did South Africa take control, Gamildien was also chosen Man of the Match.

Shongwe came on at the start of the second half for SA and made his mark just four minutes later, his powerful shot not stopped by the Namibia goalkeeper — giving Bafana Bafana a one-nil lead.

Kekana’s experience showed when he collected a ball at the edge of the opposition box to fire home a cracker of a two nil lead in the 71st minute.

Namibia was fortunate to be awarded a penalty after Shongwe was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area.

Second-half substitute Willy Stephanus converted after a retake –Sandilands had saved the initial shot which was judged to have moved before the kick was taken.

But it was not enough to derail South Africa’s mission to get into the next round.

In an effort to get more goals, Igesund brought on striker Katlego Mashego for the exhausted Chabangu, but the score line remained the same.

SA play their next match on Wednesday, July 17 at the Levy.

SAPA

Cape Town – Eskom is preparing for years of legal wrangling to recover costs incurred by the delays from key suppliers at Medupi which have seen the power suppliers costs rise from R87bn to an estimated R105bn, excluding interest.

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini and the federation’s deputy president Zingiswa Losi both testified against General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi at a commission of enquiry this week.

The Sunday Independent reported that Dlamini and Losi have emerged as star witnesses in the case of political disloyalty and maladministration that threatens to unseat the federation’s boss.

Affiliated unions opposing the general secretary have in the past three weeks made written submissions to members of the commission, labour lawyer Charles Nupen and Petrus Mashishi, former leader of a municipal union. 

SizweNtsalubaGobodo was appointed to look at allegations of financial misappropriation regarding the new Cosatu building in Johannesburg and unions argue that Vavi has lost the support of the majority of the affiliates.

The unions claim that the Cosatu boss has been misrepresenting the position of the federation and portrayed it as an opposition to the Jacob Zuma administration.

One of the affiliates, Popcru, has provided evidence of Vavi’s alleged involvement in the sale and purchase of Cosatu buildings. Vavi has meanwhile maintained his innocence saying should he be found guilty he will step down. 

The probe into Vavi conduct is the culmination of a protracted battle between him and Dlamini, who is seen as Zuma’s ally.  

  News24

Johannesburg – The AbaThembu Royal House apologised to President Jacob Zuma on Saturday after comments made by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and said his removal as king was not yet finalised.

“The royal family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu is very disappointed with his latest disrespectful statements that he expressed to the president of Republic of South Africa,” the family spokesperson Nkosi Daludumo Mtirara said in a statement.

“… the royal family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu wish to extend [an] apology to the state president for finding himself a victim of disrespectful insults from our nephew, child and cousin.”

Mtirara said despite the resolution taken on 29 September 2012 to immediately remove Dalindyebo as king, the family was unable to “completely dissociates itself from those extremely crazy” comments Dalindyebo made towards Zuma.

He said Dalindyebo’s fate had not yet been finalised as the family was waiting for government to implement its resolution before the family can begin the process to determine his fate, Mtirara said.

On Wednesday, Dalindyebo said Zuma dealt mercilessly with perceived opponents after he handed a petition to officials of Zuma’s office at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

‘Shower mentality’

“He flushes people like condoms. Like yesterday. He thinks he can flush kings, he flushes his ministers like condoms,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the president has a habit of not condomising. We don’t like people with that kind of attitude. His behaviour is a shower mentality.”

Zuma announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.

Dalindyebo said he expected a “practical response” from Zuma to his petition.

“He must tell AbaThembu about his intentions and AbaThembu need to direct him to the rightful place. I cannot be ordered to his office. He must come [to] my office,” he said.

“I am king unto him, he’s just a Zulu boy.”

‘Naughty nephew’

On Saturday, Mtirara said as long as government does not implement the resolution, the family cannot remove Dalindyebo as king.

“He remains our naughty nephew, brother and cousin who is no longer eligible to preside over customary ceremonies due his unacceptable conduct and impurities emanating from it,” he said.

“Albeit the royal family confirmed the removal of Dalindyebo from the highest office for the Kingdom of AbaThembu, it has observed that he still pretends to others that nothing has happened.”

Mtirara said the family has isolated him until his fate was determined.

In October last year, Dalindyebo criticised Zuma during a speech in Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape making it clear that he did not approve of Zuma or his government despite earlier endorsing Zuma for a second term.

He likened government leaders to cats who feed on milk while cows are starving due to drought.

SAPA

Marange – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe accused his political rivals Saturday of wanting to bring back “white people” and took a swipe at gay rights as campaigning gears up ahead of the 31 July election.

Mugabe, 89, clad in a white church robe and holding a biblical staff, appealed to thousands of members of an indigenous church in eastern Marange to support his bid for re-election after 33 years in power.

“We made a mistake in 2008 to vote for the people who love the white people. Voting for people who want to bring back the white people and thinking that there won’t be any development without white people,” he said.

The veteran leader will go head to head at the ballot box with longtime rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, 61.

The vote will end the pair’s tense power-sharing government that was forced by the chaotic 2008 polls.

Speaking in the diamond rich area, about 200km east of the capital Harare, Mugabe pushed his message of indigenisation of the economy.

“The rich resources that our country is endowed with are for the black people, this is our country. And those who must rule this country must be black people,” he said.

Mugabe also attacked gay marriage, saying it was alien to Africa and criticised US President Barack Obama for urging Africa to respect gay rights on a recent visit to the continent.

“You heard it when Obama came to Africa saying Africa must allow gay marriages even women to marry each other so they can wed if they want,” he said.

“God destroyed the earth because of these sins. Weddings are for a man and a woman, who when married they bear children,” he said.

Mugabe who once said gays and lesbians are worse than pigs and dogs, said animals are better off because they know their sexual orientation.

AFP

Cosafa Cup

Result: Bafana 2-1 Namibia

Date: 13 July 2013

Bafana Bafana moved into the semi-finals of the Cosafa Cup with a 2-1 win over Namibia on Saturday afternoon.

The opening 45 minutes were played at a frantic pace but neither side was really able to carve out decent chances to take the lead.

For more http://www.soccerladuma.com

Cape Town – Amid souring relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa, a report on Saturday claims that an apparently secret document alleges an outlandish plot by President Robert Mugabe to assassinate President Jacob Zuma, and a top diplomat.

The Guardian reports that Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has clashed with the rival Movement for Democratic Change over the document, said to be from intelligence sources, which claims a plan to hire a Lebanese murder squad to assassinate Zuma, and his chief mediator in Zimbabwe, Lindiwe Zulu.

The Zanu-PF party has dismissed the document as ” hogwash”, while the MDC said the threats should be taken seriously.

According to the Guardian, the report, of unknown authorship, is persuasively detailed but at times written in excitable language strewn with grammatical and spelling errors.

It comes after Mugabe last week branded Zuma’s chief mediator Zulu, as “some stupid, idiotic woman” and a “little street woman” after her failed attempt to force a postponement of elections.

The Guardian report said the supposedly leaked document contains a paragraph headed: “Lebonese assasins” (sic), and reads: “On Monday this week Mugabe hired six Lebanese nationals to try and assassinate Lindiwe Zulu, who is Zuma’s advisor. 

“The six met clandestinely with Mugabe yesterday to be briefed by him on the details of their mission … The six were told they must not concentrate on Zulu only, but should also pay attention to Zuma himself, and if they get a chance to do so they must assassinate him as well – but everything must appear as an accident.”

It further adds: “Mugabe promised the six Lebonese [sic] an undisclosed fortune in cash if they succeed in getting rid of the two who [sic] South Africa senior officials who are giving him a lot of trouble.”

But, a Zanu-PF spokesperson insisted it was a “set-up”. “To be frank with you, it’s all rubbish and hogwash to think a head of state like president Mugabe would set up something like that. 

“We have a disagreement with Lindiwe Zulu but it would not go to that extent.” 

Asked about the alleged plot against Zuma, “You should not take it seriously. It’s a typical set-up in Zimbabwe to try and cause some confusion before the election because we are going ahead with our election according to our laws whether they like it or not,” the Guardian reported Rugare Gumbo as saying.

News24

Sebokeng – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will become the new ruling party in South Africa, leader Julius Malema said on Saturday.

“We are going to take this government and once we take it, we are not going to negotiate, we are going to take our land,” he said at an EFF rally in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg.

“We are going to take it because its our land.”

He told a cheering crowd that he would not be intimidated by anyone.

“They will say all sorts of things about us, but they will never shake us,” he said.

“If they want to disrupt our meetings, we are waiting.”

Malema urged residents not to be scared.

“We must never be intimidated. We all have a right to be involved in politics.”

He told residents that the EFF was there to defend them.

“There is no one who is going to tell us this is a no-go area. We can go anywhere in South Africa,” he said.

“There is no one who’s going to take your pension. We are here to defend you.”

Malema was at the rally with businessman Kenny Kunene, and expelled ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu.

Arrogant

He said earlier that the African National Congress needed Jesus to return to earth, because the party had become arrogant.

“They [said they] were going to rule until Jesus comes back. What kind of statement is that?” he asked.

“They need Jesus. So Jesus has come back they must go out. They are not the Alpha and Omega”.

He said the people of the country were the “Alpha and Omega”.

“You must exercise power. We can take over this government,” Malema said.

In March 2009 President Jacob Zuma told African National Congress supporters in Mpumalanga that the party would rule until Jesus returned.

Malema, who previously held the position of ANC Youth League president, was expelled from the party in 2012.

He launched the EFF “protest movement” on Thursday.

He said at the time that the EFF had a plan that included the non-negotiable principles of land expropriation and nationalisation of mines, both without compensation.

It was also strongly opposed to foreign land ownership.

“[There will] never be foreign ownership of land, that is what we will do when we take over.”

Malema warned South Africans on Thursday to prepare for the sacrifices that would come with the EFF’s envisaged revolution.

“There will be a day [when] we will wake up without bread on the shelves. We will learn to make our own bread.”

He said the EFF would have firm anti-corruption policies.

Malema is facing corruption charges in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court.

He is accused of making nearly R4m from corrupt activities. He is out on bail of R10 000 and faces charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West police are investigating a murder case of a North West University student who was allegedly stabbed to death on Friday.

Katlego “Gutta” Rantlhane was allegedly bludgeoned yesterday at Lapalaka, in Mahikeng.

North West police spokesperson Kelebogile Moiloa could not confirm the incident, however promised to look at the matter.

“We have not yet received that incident report, however I will look into it and come back to you” sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said.

According to other reports, Katlego Rantlhane was allegedly involved in squabble with other patron and that led to a fight.

He was allegedly stabbed to death, even though the full details of the incident are little bit sketchy.

Rantlhane was a third year student and studying Transport Economics(Bcom) at North West University in Mahikeng.

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