Ajax Cape Town will take on Supersport United in the final of the SAFA U19 Championships taking place in Bloemfontein.

The battle for gold will be staged on Thursday, 1 May 2014 at Clive Solomon Stadium.

Many in the crowd had hoped for a Bloemfontein Celtic/Free State final. But it was not to be.

“Supersport United was the first team to qualify for the final when they defeated crowd favourites Bloemfontein Celtic 2-0 in the first semi final, while Ajax booked their place in the final with a convincing 3-1 win over the host province.”

Sidney Mtshweni opened the scoring for Matsatsantsa in the 21st minute. However, the Pretoria side suffered a setback in the 37th minute when Jaisen Clifford was given his marching orders following a second bookable offence. He will miss the final.

“Despite playing with 10 men, Supersport United still managed to get the assurance goal in the 45th minute through Nelson Maluleke” Matlhomola Morake said.

Ajax captain Yagan Sasman led from the front when he scored his side’s first goal in the 23rd minute for a deserved 1-0 half time lead.

In the second half, the coastal side continued from where they left off when Curtly Poole made it 2-0 soon after resumption.

“Free State pulled one back six minutes later but any hopes of a remarkable comeback were dashed when Ajax scored through Olwethu Nguye midway through the second half” Morake said.

SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan and several SAFA NEC members are expected to attend the final on Thursday.

Free State and Bloemfontein Celtic will face off in the battle for bronze later on Wednesday, (30 April) at 16h00.

SEMI-FINAL RESULTS

1st Semi Final

Bloemfontein Celtic 0 – 2 SS United

2ND Semi Final
Ajax Cape Town 3 – 1 Free State

3rd/4th Place Play offs – 16h00

Wednesday, 30 April

Bloemfontein Celtic vs Free State
-TDN
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Johannesburg – A man was seriously injured when he attempted to jump on to a moving Gautrain carriage in Sunnyside, Pretoria, Tshwane Emergency Services said on Wednesday.

The man broke both his legs and sustained severe head injuries, said spokesperson Johan Pieterse.

“The man was chased by the police on Tuesday, then he tried getting into the moving Gautrain. We don’t know where was he running from but the police will know.”

Police spokesperson Sergeant Asnath Melatsi said the man was spotted by a domestic worker at a house near Devenish street railway station.

The man ran and jumped over the fence between the house and the railway tracks. He fell several metres before he jumped onto a moving Gautrain where he fell again.

“He was arrested for trespassing. At the moment he is in hospital under police guard.”

Gautrain spokesperson Errol Braithwaite said train services were temporarily delayed between Hatfield and Pretoria.

Services returned to normal after the injured man was taken to hospital.

“It is an extremely dangerous place with very fast, very quiet trains and plenty of potentially lethal equipment.

“We take a very dim view of anyone gaining unauthorised access to the rail reserve and charges of trespassing will be pressed.”
SAPA

Rustenburg- North West Premier Thandi Modise has applauded artists for their creativity, inspiration and talent during her opening address at the 20th South African Music Awards (SAMA) held at the Sun City Super-bowl on Monday night.

Modise said the freedom that South Africans enjoy today was evident in the creativity and the kind of music coming out of South Africa, adding that it was fitting that the ceremony was held on Freedom Day holiday.

“You are now free to excel and make our province and country proud. You are free to paint our province and country with creativity and talent,” said Premier Modise.

Premier Modise also paid a special tribute to artists from the North West and thanked them for putting the province on the map.

“We proudly welcome you to the province of Khuli Chan, HHP, Malaika, KB, Rapulana Seiphemo, Presley Chueneyagae, Botlhale, and many of our artists who continue to fly our flag high. We are very proud of them,” said the elated Modise.

Mafikizolo dominated the night scoping several awards including the awards for the Best Pop Album, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Duo or Group of the Year, Best Collaboration.

They also scooped the award for the Best Ring Back Tone, the Best Selling Mobile Music Download, as well as the Best Selling Full Track Download for the track Khona.

The Soil took home the award for Best RnB, Soul and Reggae, while the award for the Best Selling Album of the Year went to Zahara for Phendula.

The legendary Rebecca Malope went home with the award for the Best Traditional Faith Music for her album Bayos’Khomba, while the award for Best Contemporary Faith Music Album went to Nqubeko Mbatha.

The Life Time Achievement Award went to Phuzikemisi and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  The latter also took home the International Achievement Award.
The award for the Best Adult Contemporary Album went to Shaun Jacobs for the album Love Can.

The Music Video of the Year award went to The Parlotones, Khuli Chana and Jon Savage.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
The DA said they will write to the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources Ms Faith Bikani requesting an urgent meeting to address the breakdown in negotiations between the world’s three largest platinum producers, Lonmin, Impala Platinum (Implats) and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

“In what has become South Africa’s longest strike, nearing its 15th week talks have yielded no positive resolution. Relations between the parties seem to have degenerated to such an extent that a solution seems unlikely in the near future” DA Tiaan Kotze said.

The DA said making matters worse, following news of the failure of negotiations last week Thursday reports of violence in the area have steadily increased. 

Kotze said failure to not only end the strike within the platinum belt and create stability within the sector as a whole will decimate both domestic and foreign investor confidence and destroy prospects of future growth in the industry.

“This is depriving jobs to tens of thousands of South Africans. Those currently employed are also at risk should mining houses decide to close up shop and leave” he said.

According to Adcorp’s Employment Index (AEI), it is estimated that between the months of February and March of this year, 5 000 jobs have been lost in the mining sector alone; representing a -26.5 percentage change.

When one compounds this with the effects of the job-killing Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) Amendment Bill, which increases investor uncertainty within the sector, job creation is destined to suffer.

“It is now essential that Parliament’s portfolio committee be recalled in order to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities by doing everything possible to resolve this on-going dispute. In particular, all parties should be summoned and the committee must initiate an inquiry into the underlying causes of the strike and make recommendations as to what should be done to fix it” DA said.

Kotze said a committee meeting can be called at any time, even during recess, and the fourth democratic parliament is still in existence until midnight on 6 May 2014. He said there is ample time for parliament to play its part in trying to help fix this crisis.

“The DA will not sit back while thousands of jobs continue to be lost in the platinum sector. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure that a solution is found – sooner, rather than later” he concludes.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley- Police are investigating a case of business burglary after three men were arrested on Tuesday at a local supermarket in the Kimberley Central Business District.

The Kimberley SAPS B-Relief Members were busy with routine patrols, just after midnight when they spotted a man carrying a very heavy bag. The suspicious looking man dropped the bag containing a jack hammer and fled when he saw the approaching police. The police managed to arrest him after he jumped a fence of a nearby business.

“Another suspect was arrested on the roof of the premises with the help of Top Security Systems(TSS) and the SAPS Flying Squad. The SAPS K9 unit were also summoned to the scene with the assistance of a patrol dog(Bushy), arrested a third suspect inside the supermarket. This suspect was caught next to the cash office where the safe is situated with a grinder, grinding discs, extension cords and screw drivers” lieutenant Sergio Kock said.

The three suspects are between the ages of 30 and 50 years old and are from Mamelodi and Soweto in Gauteng.

“The Kimberley Cluster Commander Maj Gen Jean Abrahams lauded the team for a spectacular job done. Partnership policing is always effective and brings forth great results such as these.” Abrahams said.

The suspects will appear in the Kimberley Magistrates’ Court soon.

The investigation continues. -TDN
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Johannesburg-SAFA U19 Championships host province Free State is through to the semi finals of the event after demolishing Northern Cape 4-0 in the last group stage match on Tuesday (29 April).

The competition is taking place at Clive Solomon Stadium in Heidedal.

In the semi-finals Free State will face Ajax Cape Town while Supersport United will take on Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday, 30 April.

“Both matches will be played simultaneously at 10h00, with the third place play-off scheduled for 15h30 later in the day” Matlhomola Morake said.

Free State qualified as the best runners-up after being pipped to the top spot by Ajax Cape Town who showed no mercy when they walloped North West Province in a Group C match.

“Ajax won 6-0 to overtake the host province that led the group before the start of the final group stage matches. Both sides ended on seven points but the Cape club went on top on goal difference” Morake said.

Ajax ended the match with 10 men after Dillan Fransch was sent off for dissent in the dying minutes of the match.

Northern Cape and North West finished with a point each.

In Group B Celtic made it to the last four with a 1-0 victory over Mpumalanga. The Free State club finished on nine points, three clear of second-placed KwaZulu Natal.

KZN finished on six points.

Gauteng finished third with three points while Mpumalanga failed to win a single match.

Supersport United beat the Eastern Cape 2-0 to clinch Group A with nine points, three ahead of Western Cape who defeated Limpopo 4-0.

Eastern Cape go home without a win or draw. They also did not score any goal in the tournament. Limpopo managed three points.

A total of 59 goals were scored in 18 matches.
-TDN
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