Nedbank Cup

Full-Time: Maluti 4-1 Pirates

Date: 23 February 2013

Venue: Charles Mopeli Stadium

Maluti FET College handed Orlando Pirates their heaviest defeat of the season as the SAFA Second Division side smashed the Sea Robbers 4-1 at the Charles Mopeli Stadium on Saturday.

The minnows had the brightest of starts when they hit the Sea Robbers on the counter in the first minute as Lucky Mokoena was slid in and with Senzo Meyiwa way off his line to charge down the ball, the striker slipped the ball past him. Bheki Nzunga tried to chase down the ball but he could only help it over the line as they fell behind after just 47 seconds.

Pirates settled but Maluti were looking to strike on the counter at every opportunity. Mohlolo Khuse was also brave between the sticks for the home side as he made two telling saves.

First, in the 12th minute, he smothered a shot from Rudolf Bester after he had been played in at the far post before the stopper frustrated him again five minutes later with a similar stop.

Maluti then responded perfectly when a free-kick was lofted in behind the defence and Mashale Rantabane came storming in to finish with a perfect diving header.

The home side was brimming with confidence as they had the Pirates defence scrambling five minutes later but they hit the side netting.

Pirates were finding space in the middle of the park but their final pass was mostly lacking. The visitors almost pulled a goal back with two minutes left in the half but Jabulane Rantho was on the line to nod a chipped effort away from goal as Maluti held onto their two-goal lead.

The Sea Robbers would have been under pressure to find a way back into the game after the break but things just got worse as 11 minutes in Mokoena made it 3-0 to Maluti with a sensational looping header that gave Meyiwa no chance.

Just a minute later Maluti had a chance to add another when Happy Jele was adjudged to have pushed in the area although the decision looked very harsh. For Pirates fans, justice was done though as Meyiwa went the right way to catch a poor spot-kick.

The stopper stood up immediately and launched an attack which ended with Manyisa being found in the middle where he turned and lashed a low shot home.

Pirates pressed forward but were unable to make the most of their chances. Takesure Chinyama should have scored when he was found free in the middle but headed over.

Maluti found the extra energy needed as they put in some inspired defending and they were not yet done humiliating their star-studded opponents.

With nine minutes to go a cross was nodded back across goal and Rantabane nodded home from close range as the Pirates defence was non-existent.

The stunned Buccaneers were unable to get back to their game in the final few minutes as they slumped to an embarrassing defeat.

Maluti: Mohlolo Khuse, Jabulane Rantho, Lucas Penze, Mashale Rantabane, Thubang Ngolela, Tumelo Mokwa, Tsietsi Maduna, Malefetsane Rankati, Molibedi Mokoena, Mokoena Lucky.

Pirates: Senzo Meyiwa, Bheki Nzunga, Thabo Matlaba, Happy Jele, Ayanda Gcaba, Lehlogonolo Maselesa, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Oupa Manyisa, Sifiso Myeni, Rudolf Bester, Collins Mbesuma.

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.com

By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-The South African Football Association (SAFA) has resolved to set up a Commission of Enquiry to look into the FIFA Match Fixing Report.

The Association also accepted the report from the FIFA investigation team as its own.

The independent Commission of Enquiry will be appointed in consultation with SASCOC and the Ministry of Sport and Recreation as soon as possible. The Commission must submit its findings and recommendations within 3 months of its establishment.

The NEC appointed SAFA Vice-President, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, together with the Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Mr Poobalan Govindasamy and his Ethics, Fair Play and Security Cluster Committee counterpart, Mr Jan Koopman, to interface with the Commission on behalf of SAFA.

Any possible disciplinary measures against anyone mentioned have to await the outcome of the Commission.

SAFA will write a letter to FIFA to advise them of its decisions.

It was also resolved that SASCOC be informed on the NEC resolutions regarding the Match Fixing issue and appointed a delegation to meet with it regarding the establishment of the Commission of Enquiry.

North West Premier Thandi Modise has called for stability in the mining sector. She made the call during her State-Of-the Province Address, during the official opening of the North West Provincial Legislature in Mahikeng.

Her speech highlighted achievements of in the previous financial year, and the government’s future action plans. But opposition parties remain unconvinced and say the speech was a rehashed version of what was said in previous years.

“We are calling for the speedy recovery of the miners and the union members both sides who were injured. We also call all the stakeholders to find an amicable solution to the recent crisis in the sector in the province.”

This after Monday clashes between Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members at Anglo American Platinum.

The ruling party in the province believes it is on course to achieve its priorities in education, health and breaking the back of poverty.

African National Congress Chief Whip Gordon Kegakilwe says: “We are happy with the speech. We must work together with our government to ensure that we move forward and we implement what the speech is saying. We are looking forward for the MEC’s to take queue from what the premier has said.” 

However, opposition parties remain unimpressed. They say the speech was, uninspired and without real substance.

Democratic Alliance Provincial leader Chris Hatting says: “We understand that the premier is in a very difficult situation. She hasn’t got the leaders in government to support her, she hasn’t got the cooperation of her own executives to support her but she was very vague on every issue.”

Congress of the people member Nikiwe Num also says: “The premier vaguely talks about corruption in fact the danger is that in the cabinet today she is sitting with people that are not only alleged but who even confessed that indeed they misused state funds.”

The road users have been complaining about the poor state of the roads

Meanwhile, Modise says at least R80-million will be spent on the maintenance of roads in the province. Modise says most work will be done through contracting small-scale contractors. 

Another R200 million has been budgeted for the 2013/2014 financial year. The road users have been complaining about the poor state of the roads in some parts of the province.

In response United Christian Democratic party Deputy President Tedie Moerane says: “If roads are to be built in the province and there is only one road that cannot be handled like the Koster and Lichtenburg road its over three years that road cannot be resolved and it cannot be delivered so how do we believe the premier when she says there will be a roll out of roads in the province?”

The state of the province address marks the official opening of the North West, provincial legislature.  

By Staff Reporter

North West Premier Thandi Modise has called on leaders in her province to unite and work together for development and the benefit of communities. Premier Modise made the clarion call in her State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered in the provincial legislature on Friday.

“This session, more than just an annual ritual, reminds us that regardless of how much or less we feel about each other, however how much we may detest the sound of each other’s voice. We remain the advance team upon whose shoulders lies the future of the people of this province,” Modise reminded members of the legislature and the packed public gallery.

The Premier appealed to leaders across the political divide to rise above the subjective opinions they hold about the development of the province and unite themselves behind the unifying elements without which the province would remain in a regressive mode.” 

Independent criminologist, Laurie Peters-James says the state has a lot to investigate to prove that it has a water-tight case against Oscar Pistorius. Peters-James however maintains that Pistorious also has a case to answer.

However, she says the state did not have enough reasons for continuing to hold him.

“I don’t think that exceptional circumstances were proof enough, and the state had little reason to keep him in cells because they don’t have the forensic evidence back as yet at this stage. So I think the judge made the right decision by giving him bail.”

Peter-James added that the decision taken by the magistrate is right at the moment, explaining that it’s much safer for Oscar to be out than being in prison.

Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority says granting Pistorius bail is not expected to affect the charge against him.

Pistorius has been charged with pre-meditated murder. This after his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed at his Pretoria east home on Valentine’s Day.

Pistorius was granted R1 million bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority in North Gauteng Meduphi Simasiku says the state state is  happy and confident of the case that they have  been handling.

Simasiku added that a bail application doesn’t mean acquittal.

“We still have a case to deal with, and we respect the judgement or the ruling of the court up to so far,” he said.

A man shot and injured four people before turning the gun on himself in Rasimone, North West police said on Friday.

“He had a case of assault laid against him by his girlfriend last year. The man asked her to withdraw the case, and he threatened her with a firearm when she refused,” said spokeswoman Colonel Emelda Setlhako.

The woman refused to leave with the police and be accommodated at a place of safety.

The man shot her in the stomach later that night, before turning the gun on himself.

“It emerged that he had shot and injured three other people in another shack on the same block.”

The four were taken to hospital for treatment. -Sapa

One person died and eight others were injured after the bakkie they were travelling in overturned near Deben in the North West, paramedics said on Saturday.

“Paramedics arrived to find the bakkie lying on its side. One person was declared deceased on the scene,” said ER24 spokesman Derrick Banks.

The bakkie overturned on a gravel road just 10 km outside of Deben.

The remaining eight patients, who included the driver were transported to Kuruman hospital for treatment.

-Sapa

By Staff Reporter

Turn-around strategy to revamp municipalities and traditional councils

The North West Province is expecting a noticeable difference in municipalities and traditional councils following the newly developed 2016 Turn-around Strategy, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Friday.

Premier Modise said that the strategy is intended to revamp, realign and re-energize municipalities and institutions of traditional leaders to maximize accountability, effective service delivery and good governance. It was developed after challenges encountered were relooked into and interventions declared where necessary.

“The strategy will mainly concentrate on leadership alignment, Clean Audit by 2014, capacity building, financial management and viability as well as stability and governance in traditional councils,” said Modise

The Premier said implementation of the strategy would be accompanied by a proper monitoring and evaluation on the ground. A comprehensive report would be submitted to reflect on progress made which would also recommend a way forward.

Johannesburg – Oscar Pistorius’s official website, oscarpistorius.com, has had a massive revamp in recent days.

This is thanks to a PR drive his team launched after he was accused of killing Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius’s family have decided to devote his official website to the latest news about developments as well as messages of support they are constantly receiving.

The website is also open to Pistorius’s fans from all over the world, who have been posting messages of support on the website and Bible verses, wishing him luck and praying for him.

 It also contains a copy of the affidavit that was read by his lawyer in court on Tuesday, explaining events that he said had led to the shooting of his girlfriend.

What is missing, however, are all the logos of his sponsors. A week ago, when one clicked on the logos of his sponsors, such as Nike, on his website, the page would open to an article. Now, those logos have been removed, after his sponsors dropped him.

The website has, among others, a picture gallery, media articles and messages of support.

Despite huge interest in the Pistorius story worldwide, there were only four listed under “media articles” on Thursday afternoon.

Two were from last year, informing his fans that the athlete would be appearing on Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN as well as on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The other two articles are recent opinion pieces written by people blasting Pistorius’s critics and those “that have already judged him”.

One of the opinion pieces is from Duncan Reyburn, who claims he went to school with Pistorius and happens to work “at the university that Oscar used to go to, on a campus just one block away from the prison where he has been held”.

In his article, Reyburn, a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, makes that South Africa is to blame for Pistorius’s actions.

“I know that Oscar, whether he is guilty of murder or not, would have benefited from being the product of a culture that promotes thought over action. But, sadly, Oscar is the product of our culture. He is, whether we like it or not, a product of us – we’re reactive, terrified, wounded people.

“I have no judgment yet on Oscar’s guilt. Having been the victim a few years ago of a violent attack in my own home, I completely and fully understand the possibility that Oscar could have acted the way he did because he was afraid, because he wanted to protect his girlfriend,” Reyburn says in the article.

Matthew Syed, who writes another opinion piece that appears in The Times of London, blasts Pistorius’s critics, saying that what was happening was “quantity of cod psychology (fake psychology) that has been unleashed” since his arrest. There’s also a statement from Pistorius’s uncle Arnold on behalf of the family.

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

By Staff Reporter

Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza has announced the 22 players for the forthcoming annual 12-Nation Cyprus Women’s Cup scheduled to take place from 6-13 March 2013. The new-look squad has five new faces.

The final selection for the Cyprus Women’s Cup squad took place following an intense work out which saw the national team coach and his technical team trim down the squad from the original 25 players to 22.

The squad has been training at the North West University, High Performance Centre in Potchefstroom since Monday.

The five new players to make it onto the squad are goalkeepers, Kaylin Swart who plays her club football for University of the Western Cape Ladies club, Mahlatsi Mogola of the Tshwane University of Technology Ladies football club, TUT Ladies FC central midfielder Zanele Chiya and Vuyo Mkhabela of the UWC Ladies FC. Shiwe Nongwanya of Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies completes the contingent of the new caps to the Banyana Banyana squad that will travel to Cyprus.

Swart, Mkhabela and Nongwanya are graduates of the SA U-20 Women’s National team (Basetsana).

The squad sees the return of two key players, Nomathemba Ntsibande and Gloria Thato who were not part of the squad during the national teams’ London Olympics campaign and the African Women’s Championship hosted by Equatorial Guinea last year.

The bulk of the squad is made up of the players that took part in the London Olympics and coach Mkkhonza is hoping that the experience carried from the Olympics will assist the team in climbing up the rankings after this year’s Cyprus Cup competition.

The Sasol-sponsored and high-riding Banyana squad though, will be without the services of three overseas-based players. These are Russia-based Nompumelelo Nyandeni who has to honour club commitments, Kylie-Ann Louw and Roxanne Barker who have both been held back due to study commitments at their respective universities in the United States.

Head coach, Joseph Mkhonza said he was confident the squad selected has what it takes to conquer the world and will try some new combinations before Monday’s departure.

“The players worked very hard during the training camp and they all showed a lot of potential which made selection all tougher for me and the technical team. We have included new young players coming from the Basetsana squad and I am looking forward to seeing them perform to the best of their ability in the Banyana Banyana squad,” said Mkhonza.

UWC Ladies FC goal-minder Swart said she was excited at her first call up to the Banyana Banyana squad saying it was always her ambition to play for the senior national team.

“A call up to the senior women’s national squad has really been a huge fillip for me. I have been working hard for this position and I am glad that the coaches saw the potential in me. Being one of the youngsters in the squad, I hope to gain the required experience and grow as a national team player and see myself becoming a regular player in the Banyana Banyana squad,” said Swart.

Kaylin has been a key member of the junior women’s national teams playing at the U17 (Bantwana) and U20 (Basetsana) national teams. She represented the Bantwana during the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup played in the Caribbean in 2010. 

Nomathemba Ntsibane has welcomed the national team call up after an extended absence from the national team, missing out on the Olympics and the African Women’s Championship in the process.

“It’s exciting to be back in squad after a long absence. I have been working hard throughout my rehabilitation and it is nice to be back with the girls again.”

Cyprus Women’s Cup Fixtures:

 Tournament scheduleGroup A – LarnacaEngland

Italy

New Zealand

Scotland

Group B – LarnacaCanada

Finland

Netherlands

Switzerland

Group C – Aija NapaNorthern Ireland

Republic of Ireland

South Africa

South Korea

Wednesday 6 March14.30 New Zealand – Scotland                          GSP, Nicosia

17.30 England – Italy                                           GSP, Nicosia

14.30 Canada – Switzerland                              GSZ, Larnaca

17.30 Netherlands – Finland                               GSZ, Larnaca

14.30 South Africa – South Korea                       Tasos Marko,Paralimni

17.30 Northern Ireland – Republic of Ireland  Tasos Marko,Paralimni

Friday 8 March14.30 Italy – New Zealand                           GSZ, Larnaca

17.30 Scotland – England                            GSZ, Larnaca

14.30 Switzerland – Netherlands               GSP, Nicosia

17.30 Finland v Canada                               GSP, Nicosia

14.30 Republic of Ireland – South Africa    Tasos Marko,Paralimni

17.30 South Korea – Northern Ireland       Tasos Marko,Paralimni

Monday 11 March14.30 England – New Zealand                    GSP, Nicosia

14.30 Italy – Scotland                                    GSZ, Larnaca

17.30 Netherlands – Canada                      GSP, Nicosia

17.30 Finland – Switzerland                         GSZ, Larnaca

14.30 South Africa – Northern Ireland          Tasos Marko,Paralimni

17.30 South Korea – Republic of Ireland    Tasos Marko,Paralimni

The 22 Banyana Banyana players for the Cyprus Cup:

No.NameClub  

1Andile DlaminiSundowns Ladies FC  

2Lebogang MabatleHalleluyah Zebra Force  

3Nothando VilakaziPalace Super Falcons FC  

4Jermaine SeoposenweUWC Ladies FC  

5Janine van WykPalace Super Falcons FC  

6Zamandosi CeleDurban Ladies FC  

7Nomathemba NtsibandeSprings Home Sweepers  

8Silindile NgubaneDurban Ladies  

9Amanda DlaminiUJ Ladies FC  

10Mary NtswengTUT Ladies FC  

11Noko MatlouUJ Ladies FC  

12Robyn MoodalyAlexandra Ladies FC  

13Gabisile HlumbaneKovsies Ladies FC  

14Refiloe JaneSundowns Ladies FC  

15Kaylin SwartUWC Ladies FC  

16Andisiwe MgcoyiSundowns Ladies FC  

17Nocawe SkitiCape Town Roses FC  

18Zanele ChiyaTUT Ladies FC  

19Mahlatsi MogolaTUT Ladies FC  

20Vuyo MkhabelaUWC Ladies FC  

21Gloria ThatoTuks Ladies FC  

22Shiwe NongwanyaBloemfontein Celtics