Innholdsfortegnelse for 2024-09-27 i Star

SHOULD Vodacom be allowed to merge with Vumatel, and Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), this would limit competition in the fibre space and result in the creation of a monopoly. This is according to Advocate Daniel Berger, SC, who is delivering his closing statement on behalf of the Competition Commission at the Competition Tribunal regarding the merger to create the largest fibre infrastructure player in South Africa yesterday. Maziv, which is what the proposed fibre operator will be called, will be partially owned by Vodacom, while the South Africa’s largest mobile operator will simultaneously hold on to its mobile business, long-haul fibre assets, and retail ISP business. Berger said, instead of the merger being approved, Vodacom should wait for three to five years when more spectrum will become available. At the…

HOUSEHOLD finances are expected to continue improving for the rest of the year as consumers withdraw from the two-pot retirement funds while headline inflation and fuel prices also continue to slow down. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) yesterday said real gross domestic expenditure increased by 1% in the second quarter of 2024 following a decrease of 0.6% in the first quarter. In its Quarterly Bulletin, the SARB said real final consumption expenditure by households contributed the most to growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2024, followed by general government and an accumulation in real inventory holdings. The SARB said net exports detracted the most from real GDP, followed by a further deduction by real gross fixed capital formation over this period. “Real final…

September is Wills Month in South Africa. It also marks the introduction of the two-pot system of access to retirement savings for South Africans. What is Two-Pot? The Two-Pot system addresses the dual need for liquidity and long-term retirement savings. Retirement Pot: The portion of retirement savings that remains locked until retirement age, for long-term security. Savings Pot: The portion of retirement savings that can be accessed before you retire, but under specific conditions, and for short-term financial needs. Two-Pot allows some immediate financial flexibility while preserving the majority of retirement savings for the longer term. Your retirement savings and estate planning “When drafting your will, it’s essential to understand which assets form part of your estate and which do not. In South Africa, retirement funds, retirement annuities, preservation…

Mi Casa is gearing up to release their sixth studio album, THR3E, next week. The group is made up of J’Something, real name Joao da Fonseca, as lead vocalist and guitarist, as well as Sipho “Dr Duda” Mphahlaza as producer and pianist, and trumpeter Moshe “Mo-T” Kgasoane. The Jika hitmakers took to Instagram to announce that their upcoming album will be released on October 4: “THR3E. 4 October. We came here to dance! To see the world! To give you love! our 6th studio album.” This album, created three years ago, was reportedly made as a tribute to their long-standing friendship, which spans over 13 years. The award-winning group said it was heavily influenced by their experiences in Europe. The collaborations they had with producers and songwriters during their time…

Whether you are a wine newbie or an experienced taster, wine tasting events are a fun way to learn about what you like and don’t like. It’s the perfect opportunity to try new wines without having to invest in a bottle if you don’t like it. To help you out at your next event, we have compiled a list of our top dos and don’ts, so no matter how experienced you are, you will feel at home trying great wines. There are different types of wine-tasting events, from more informal walk-around tastings, where different wines are set around the room on tables for you to go and try, to more structured wine tastings, sitting down at a table with a guide. Whichever it is, here are the dos and don’ts…

JUSTICE and Constitutional Development Minister Thembi Simelane has reiterated that she cannot interfere with VBS-related prosecutions, citing her role as a Cabinet member responsible for administering justice. In a written reply to a question from DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach, Simelane emphasised that she’s legally empowered to issue policy directives for the prosecution process, but respects the rule of law and won’t overstep her constitutional powers. Breytenbach had written a parliamentary question asking Simelane if there was a conflict of interest on her part as the political head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). “I am legally empowered to issue policy directives, which must be observed in the prosecution process,” said Simelane. Her clarification comes after she faced intense scrutiny over a loan she received from Gundo Wealth Solutions during her…

While the City of Joburg’s proposal to rename Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive has been severely criticised, the metro clarified that the council holds the prerogative to rename streets and public spaces. “The city would like to address the recent narrative in the media space suggesting that a decision has been made to rename Sandton Drive. The city wishes to clarify that the naming or renaming of streets and public spaces is the responsibility of the council, and that the city has a defined process on how the process is undertaken,” it said. The public has been given until October 15 to make submissions on the proposal. Despite some organisations voicing their disapproval, the metro said renaming Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive was fulfilling the idea of establishing…

Senior South African government officials, academics, local and international media, and diplomats converged at the embassy of China in Pretoria yesterday as Ambassador Wu Peng hosted a grand reception to celebrate the milestone 75 years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. National Day of the People's Republic of China is the largest civic holiday in China. It is celebrated annually on October 1 across the People’s Republic of China. At the embassy event yesterday, Ambassador Wu Peng said the celebration of the 75 years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China coincides with the strong momentum of China and South Africa in expanding mutually beneficial cooperation. “In the first half of this year, China imported $17.3 billion (R298.5bn) of goods from South Africa, a year-on-year…

AFTER the Springboks’ historic Rugby World Cup title defence in France last year, the obvious expectation was that South African rugby standards will be elevated, with every player in the professional ranks pushing to be part of the set-up. And rightfully so, the pool at Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ disposal is wide with a few debutants having come through in recent months to kick-start the preparations for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. No doubt that will have Erasmus and his technical team on cloud nine, but the happiest bunch would arguably be the powers that be at the Lions, as at least five of their players debuted for the world champions. Ruan Venter, Morné van den Berg, Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe and Jordan Hendrikse – before he…

Erik ten Hag slammed his Manchester United flops after a costly mistake from Christian Eriksen condemned them to a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in their Europa League opener on Wednesday night. Eriksen’s 35th-minute blast put United ahead, but the Danish midfielder gifted Twente their second-half equaliser at Old Trafford. Sam Lammers dispossessed Eriksen, who had made a risky turn under pressure, and fired past Andre Onana in the 68th minute. United manager Ten Hag refused to single out Eriksen, instead insisting the whole team had to take responsibility for their failure to hold onto the lead. “We kept them alive, 1-0 up. Controlling the game, you have to be consistent and keep going. In the second half, we dropped the level, gave the goal away,” Ten Hag said. “We…

Normally someone who is never short of a word, Bulls director of rugby Jake White closed ranks with his team this week ahead of their United Rugby Championship opener against Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow (3pm start). The Bulls have not conducted any media conferences this week, with only today’s team announcement session scheduled before the Edinburgh clash, and have not acceded to any media interview requests either. Of course, most of the SA rugby public’s attention is being focused on the Springboks’ Rugby Championship finale against Argentina in Mbombela tomorrow, but fans in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town will be looking out for the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers games this weekend too. So, will the Bulls be able to cook up something special behind closed doors to…

MULTICHOICE Group said yesterday it and NBCUniversal Media (NBCU) had since April 1, 2024, substantially ramped up their investment by $164 million (R2.83 billion) to make Showmax the leading streaming service in Africa. By the end of March 2024, the two companies had provided $120m in equity funding over a year, each in proportion of their respective shareholdings, to develop Showmax’s services, a statement said yesterday. MultiChoice had entered into an agreement with Comcast Corporation (Comcast) subsidiary NBCU and Sky in March 2023 to form a partnership with the aim of driving Showmax to become the leading streaming service in Africa. NBCU acquired a 30% equity stake in Showmax Africa Holdings (SMAH), and provided support through the licensing of its Peacock platform and content from NBCU,…

DURING the past 12 months, households and businesses have been saddled with the highest lending rate in 14 years, and one of the highest in the world. Although the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) has finally provided millions of indebted South Africans with marginal relief from very high debt service costs, capital markets are suggesting that the MPC is very far behind in reversing the restrictive monetary policy stance that kicked in at the end of 2021. Three fundamental flaws underpin the strange decision by the MPC to lift the prime overdraft rate to a level of 11.75%, when it was 10% just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and also considered too high by the standards set by the MPC when Gill Marcus was governor…

There are important differences between medical aid cover offered by medical schemes and health-care cover offered by short-term insurance companies, known as health insurance or medical insurance. You need to know these differences before you choose cover in order to avoid any unpleansant surprises when you come to claim. First, it’s important to know the background about legislation governing the health-care sector in South Africa. Back in 2016, regulations were introduced to provide a clear separation (or “demarcation”) between medical schemes and short-term health insurance products. To manage the transition, the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) established an exemption framework that gave insurers time to adjust their products and practices. The date of expiry of the exemption framework was initially extended from March 2019 to March 2022. The Covid-19 pandemic…

HSBC IS WINDING down its operations in South Africa, with FirstRand Bank set to take over its branch businesses, while its securities and equities operations will be transferred to Absa. The British finance institution has serviced South Africa for nearly 30 years. It said yesterday that “HSBC’s legal entities in the country will be wound down, whilst ensuring all regulatory and customer obligations” are met. As it departs SA, HSBC has reached an agreement to transfer its South Africa branch business to FirstRand Bank Ltd. This will encompass the transfer of HSBC’s South African branch clients and banking assets, as well as liabilities, to FirstRand Bank. The transfer to FirstRand Bank “will provide transferred clients with continued access to banking services” in South Africa, while employees of the British bank…

Barloworld’s heavy equipment and consumer-focused operations traded in difficult environments in the 11 months to August 31, but performance was boosted by a government-led expansion of transport infrastructure in Mongolia as well as China’s demand for the country’s mineral resources. Barloworld said in a trading statement yesterday that the South Africa mining industry had been under “immense pressure”, with limited scope to expand fleets. In Russia, the group subsidiary Vostochnaya Technica (VT) continued to face a decline in revenue due to sanctions and the contraction of its addressable market. Ingrain was starting to benefit from a turnaround plan for its starch and glucose operations that were instituted in the second quarter of the 2024 financial year. For the 11-month period, group revenue fell 7.4% to R37.4 billion from R40.4bn,…

Former YoTV presenter Itumeleng Bokaba, also known by her stage name Okashi, says she was paid only 59 cents after requesting credit for her contribution to Kwesta’s hit song Mayibabo, where she sang the chorus. In a recent TikTok video, Bokaba was asked whether her vocals are featured on the song. She shared that she fought for recognition by asking Samro (South African Music Rights Organisation) to credit her, but only received 59 cents in revenue. The song, performed by local rapper Kwesta, also features DJ Maphorisa, DJ Buckz and Okmalumkoolkat. Bokaba later discovered that the money owed to her had been given to DJ Maphorisa, whose real name is Themba Sekowe. “I was told by Nota that the money was given to Themba, at least I made 59 cents…

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink was toppled as the metro’s political head through an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence against him during an ordinary council sitting at Tshwane House yesterday. Brink’s axing came after the motion was passed through 120 votes, supported by the ANC, ActionSA and the EFF, with 87 councillors from the coalition partners, which include the DA, FF Plus and ACDP, voting in favour of the mayor staying in power. The sole IFP councillor, Ziyanda Zwane, abstained. The motion followed weeks of political spats between ActionSA and the DA, with the former lamenting the poor state of service delivery in townships under Brink’s leadership. ActionSA caucus leader Jackie Mathabathe yesterday reiterated that the city under Brink had neglected service delivery in townships. He accused the DA of prioritising…

IN LINE with its mandate to create opportunities for economic participation and its commitment to Unisa’s catalytic niche areas, the Inhlanyelo Hub launched its Bosadi Artisan Entrepreneurship Development Programme this month. The first cohort of women artisans embarked on their journey towards community artisanship and creating business ventures in what is still considered a male environment. At the official launch held at The Marine Hotel in Gqeberha, a group of 57 women signed up for the programme. The event kicked off with an orientation session, facilitated by acting CEO of the Inhlanyelo Hub, Phumelele Mokoena. In her welcoming remarks, Daya Raseela, regional office co-ordinator for Gqeberha, urged the artisans to take charge of their entrepreneurial journey. In support of the programme, which is being piloted in the Unisa’s Eastern Cape…

The EFF has commemorated the 88th anniversary of the birth of stalwart, Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, yesterday. Madikizela-Mandela, born on September 26, 1936, passed away in April 2018. The EFF described her as an unflinching revolutionary who refused to compromise or sell out her people’s Struggle for freedom. It added that her commitment to the true freedom of the African people sets her apart as a true leader of the liberation movement. “Through her commitment and actions, she became the embodiment of our people’s aspirations for freedom. Unlike many who were quick to betray the cause for personal gain, Mama Winnie stood firm until her last breath, even as she was isolated and persecuted by the very forces she fought alongside. “Mama Winnie did not flinch when the apartheid regime sought…

ISSUES of shared humanity and the effects of colonialism in a global social order will take centre stage at the 22nd Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture set for Wits University’s Linder Auditorium in Parktown tomorrow. This year’s lecture will be delivered by fellow Nobel Prize laureate and celebrated author, Abdulrazak Gurnah. The Tanzanian-born British novelist, who won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents”, will deliver the address under the theme “Realising Our Shared Humanity”. The foundation said this year’s theme sought to reflect the idea and ideals that human beings are all one family and there should be a deep sense of caring and concern for each…

Libbie Janse van Rensburg is in her season of milestones at the moment. The Springbok Women’s stalwart passed 200 Test points in last week’s 36-19 victory over Spain, which she did in style with a try. Janse van Rensburg was also part of the Bok Women sevens team that competed at the Paris Olympics in late July. Now she is about to celebrate her 30th birthday on Saturday, following today’s WXV 2 opener against Japan at the Cape Town Stadium (4pm start). That is all part of the preparations for next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in August and September, and a fresh challenge Janse van Rensburg is experiencing is playing in a different position. Normally a flyhalf, the ace goal-kicker from Lephalale in Limpopo started at fullback…

Raheem Sterling scored his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club’s youngest starter in a 5-1 rout of Bolton in the League Cup on Wednesday night, while Liverpool reached the last 16 with a 5-1 win against troubled West Ham. Sterling marked his maiden Arsenal start following his move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium. The 29-year-old will hope his goal marks the start of a career revival after a disappointing two-year spell at Chelsea. “He was great. He’s started to show glimpses of what he can do. Physically he needs to get to the level we require, but it was a massive step today,” Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said. Arteta had made seven changes from Sunday’s stormy 2-2 draw…

The Sasol League remains a breeding ground for Banyana Banyana and coach Desiree Ellis welcomes the “nice headache” the National Champs play-offs will bring. October is set to be a congested month for Ellis. She’ll lead her team, Banyana, in competitive matches for the first time since June. Banyana will face Denmark and England in two away friendlies as part of their preparations for their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title defence next year. Ellis has plenty options at her disposal, given the number of overseas-based players and Hollywoodbets Super League players she can select her squad from. Ellis will also be hard at work from October 14-20 in Knysna in the Western Cape where she’ll be watching the Sasol League National Champs play-offs – something that will widen…

The Proteas will be looking to their captain Aiden Markram to lead by example when the three-match T20 series gets under way against Ireland in Abu Dhabi today (5.30pm start). Markram struck a semblance of form with an unbeaten half-century against Afghanistan in the final ODI in Sharjah last week to stem a sequence of six consecutive defeats for the Proteas across the two white-ball formats. Bar the despairing T20 World Cup final defeat against India in Barbados, the SA teams that featured in the five other reversals were primarily makeshift teams as white-ball coach Rob Walter has attempted to broaden the depth in the squad beyond the first-choice XI. Thus far, it has proved to be a desperate exercise, with the fringe players yet to take their opportunities and…

METAIR Investments, the international energy storage solutions and auto components group, plans to sell its Türkiye battery subsidiary Mutlu Akü to Quexco Incorporated, for $110 million (R1.89 billion), half what it paid for the company more than 10 years ago, to de-risk the group. Metair’s share price fell 1.89% to close at R14 on the JSE yesterday after it reported a headline loss per share of 3 cents versus a 41c per share profit in the same period a year before. However, in the difficult environment, the group did manage to address strategy relating to a recovery at Hesto Harnesses, debt levels in South Africa and the sale of Mutlu. Metair had acquired Mutlu in October 2013 for $270m and it was a very good manufacturer of…

STANDARD Bank is still maintaining physical banking points despite a 30% rise in digital and online transactions over the first half year to June 2024. For its 2024 first half year, Standard Bank recorded earnings of R22 billion, “underpinned by strong underlying organic growth”, which was “driven by increasingly digital clients and growing client” franchises. This came as in-branch transactions decreased by 13% to around 2.5 million transactions on the back of the increased shift to digital channels by the bank’s South African depositors. Online transactions for the bank increased by 30% to 1.5 billion transactions. “Standard Bank clients perform(ed) an average of 10 400 digital transactions per month, compared to just 0.017 transactions in branches. “ATM transactions have also increased by 8% to 104…

In recent years, there has been growing concern among South African taxpayers regarding the practices of the South African Revenue Service (Sars). Allegations have surfaced suggesting that Sars may be engaging in questionable activities, including raising tax assessments that cannot be substantiated by legislation and coercing taxpayers into paying amounts that are not legally due. This has sparked a critical debate: Is Sars engaging in extortion, and if so, what does this mean for the future of financial security in South Africa? At the heart of the controversy are claims that Sars is issuing tax assessments that lack a solid legislative foundation. Taxpayers have reported receiving assessments that seem to be contrived, with little to no legal basis. This raises a troubling question: Is Sars, an institution tasked with upholding…

KUMBA Iron Ore’s share price lifted on Wednesday and yesterday in line with the positive sentiment that greeted China’s stimulus measures, which are expected to prop up demand for the commodity. Iron ore prices made marginal gains to $92.25 a ton in afternoon trade yesterday, an improvement from lows of earlier in the week of around $91 a ton. The weakness in the iron ore price has prompted producers such as Kumba Iron Ore to focus more on costs. However, on Wednesday, China – one of the world’s biggest consumers of and markets for steel and other iron products – announced stimulus measures to boost consumption across the economy. China’s politburo said China would deploy “necessary fiscal spending” to meet this year’s economic growth target of roughly 5%, while acknow-…

Comic Con Africa 2024 promises to be bigger and better than ever before as it cements its status as one of the world’s biggest pop culture events. The fifth edition of the gathering will feature appearances from international and local celebrities as well as renowned comic book artists and cosplayers. They include the likes of Justice League’s Joe Manganiello as well as actor and bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, who portrayed the original Hulk in the 1977 adaptation of The Incredible Hulk. It will also feature the KidsCon area where youngsters can meet the likes of Mario, Luigi, the LEGO Man and Noodle & Bun. Another new aspect is the Korean Night Market, inspired by the hit Netflix series Squid Game, as well as The Entellect, where coding students will compete to…

The National Film Academy has announced the full list of this year's 2nd annual prestigious National Film and TV Awards South Africa (NFTA) celebrating the finest achievements in the film and television industry in South Africa. With over 1.7 million public submissions received this year, the NFTA continues its mission to elevate and showcase South African talent on a global stage, connecting the local industry to international audiences. The 2024 edition promises head-to-head showdowns in several key categories, including the Best Actress 2024 category, sponsored by VK Jewellery. It features Nambitha Ben-Mazwi for her roles in Savage Beauty and Empini; Katlego Lebogang for Yoh! Christmas and Spinners; and Ama Qamata for Blood and Water, a young talent who continues to impress. They are joined by seasoned icon like Connie Ferguson…

Only the most passionate Argentinian fan or a fool would bet against the Springboks adding another title to their collection when they host the South Americans in the Rugby Championship finale at Mbombela Stadium tomorrow evening (5pm kick-off). The world champions need one log point out of the game to secure their first Championship title since 2019, and only the fifth since the tournament started in 1996. The Boks will take the field fuelled with motivation to honour arguably the greatest Springbok of all time, Eben Etzebeth, who will become the most capped South African in international rugby. The great warrior will go past Victor Matfield’s record of 127 Test caps. The Boks are also back to full strength after leaving eight first-choice players behind last week when the team…

Iconic costume shop Jules Theatrical Costume Hire in Hatfield, Pretoria, has closed its doors for the final time and Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers will be hosting the online auction of its entire contents tomorrow at 10am. Jules Silberg started his first shop, Jules Pharmacy, in 1940 in Church Square, Pretoria. A make-up artist, he worked in Hollywood on movie sets and rubbed shoulders with some of the most iconic movie stars from the era. Jules started his own line of beauty products and also worked as a stage and television make-up artist. With the help of his wife, Gail, they transformed the pharmacy into a costume-hire shop, with hundreds of costumes and masks for hire. Many of the costumes were sourced from overseas and include accessories, costumes, masks, hats, wigs…

Two people from Alberton North in Ekurhuleni have been sentenced in the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, for heinous crimes committed against their children. The 30-year-old mother and 41-year-old father were convicted of child abuse, rape and murder in connection with the circumstances surrounding the death of their 2-year-old girl and abuse of their 6-year-old son. The court heard the couple’s disturbing history of abuse that started in 2018 when the Department of Social Development (DSD) removed the two minors from their parents’ custody owing to allegations of negligence, drug abuse and child abuse. Unfortunately, the parents regained custody in December 2020 following a Children’s Court order. The 2-year-old daughter died on May 11, 2021, due to injuries sustained from abuse. The case was initially filed as an inquest docket but…

THE former SANDF special forces operator Leon Santos Conga, who knowingly infected a woman with HIV, was this week sentenced to life imprisonment for her rape and attempted murder. The victim, Antoinette Ndishishi, earlier asked the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court to impose the ultimate sentence – life imprisonment – on the man who was her partner at the time. The pair were in a love relationship for four months from December 2016 to April the following year. Before they began their relationship, Ndishishi had done an HIV test which came back negative. She insisted on knowing Conga’s HIV status and he lied, saying he was negative. He said this was the reason why his employer was able to deploy him outside the country. Ndishishi, however, told him “no condom, no…

The University of Pretoria (UP) has been part of a groundbreaking international study to understand how plants found in drylands have adapted to these extreme habitats. The results of this large-scale study, which involved 120 scientists from 27 countries, were recently published in scientific journal Nature and have significant implications for protecting biodiversity as the planet warms and regions become drier. For eight years, teams collected samples from several hundred selected dryland plots across six continents, enabling the analysis of more than 1 300 sets of observations of over 300 plant species, a first on this scale. The study shows that plants in arid zones adopt survival strategies and that, surprisingly, this diversity increases with aridity levels. The isolation of plants in more arid zones appears to have reduced competition…

SEPTEMBER 19 marked a significant milestone in the history of the Faculty of Arts and Design at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). The first sod was turned on the Arts Campus for the construction of the motion picture production studios, which will serve as the permanent home for the Faculty’s Motion Picture Production programme. This building will be the first bespoke educational facility built by a university for Motion Picture Production training in South Africa. It will feature a 200-seat cinema, four computer laboratories, two sound stages, staff offices and several editing and sound suites. As TUT solidifies its place in the South African higher education landscape, this facility will symbolise not just a physical home for the Motion Picture Production programme but the culmination of decades of dedication…

Collaboration when fundamentally translated, it is working jointly with. Concentration on the above interpretation should be placed on the word “jointly” and this will be the focus of the article. The exhibition Alluvium is a collaboration of two prestigious galleries, representing established artists, but the practice of collaboration is beneath satisfactory. Being a well established artist involves the element of surprise, which requires one to be daring, and extremely so. The press release stipulates: “…With both galleries dedicated to a cross-pollination of artistic voices and building a resilient ecosystem, this show enacts the idea of collaboration as a practice…” Artists in this collaboration did not fertilise each other, but rather they remained as silhouettes of their own styles without interruption. This means there was no experimentation with the theme, but…

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi can be irresistibly melodramatic, and this characteristic again came to the fore ahead of tomorrow’s feature Premiership match against Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium (3pm kick-off). Last week Mngqithi spoke about the “scary prospect” of facing eSwatini visitors Mbabane Swallows, even though Sundowns scored a crushing 4-0 win in a clash a few days earlier. The Brazilians – even without several regulars – again won 4-0 to close out an 8-0 aggregate for this CAF Champions League preliminary tie. Now Mngqithi has referred to Chiefs as a “really a big force in South African football”, even though the famous club has not won a trophy in nine seasons. Towards the end of last season, these two teams played a league match at Soccer City,…

The mighty Malcolm Marx says the Springboks are determined to deliver a Rugby Championship-winning performance in Mbombela tomorrow (5pm kick-off) where they host Argentina in what is an effective final. Los Pumas last week shocked the error-strewn Boks to win 29-28 in Santiago del Estero, and that means they are in a position to win the title if they can go back-to-back against the South Africans. Marx said the Boks learnt plenty from the fixture – about the Argentinians and their unpolished performance. “They had a great game last week, and this is the first time that they have beaten the Springboks, New Zealand and Australia in one season,” he said. “This is also the first time they are in the running for the title, so it’s going to be…