Innholdsfortegnelse for 2023-10-19 i Star

EOH, THE SOUTH African IT services provider that is shaking off corruption and other legacy issues from previous years, yesterday reported a narrower loss for the full year to July 31 as it also announced the resignation of its CEO and chief financial officer (CFO). The JSE-listed company and its former executives in 2019 came into the spotlight after having benefited from participation in an illegally awarded contract worth up to R1.2 billion. The company is currently also battling to settle a payee dispute with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and says it is close to striking a settlement with the liquidator of Mehleketo. EOH’s financial woes have been multi-pronged; it also almost got into trouble with its banks as it carried as much as R4 billion…

Consumers face rapidly rising prices on the shelves in the final months of this year siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za Festive shopping could become a bit costly as consumers in South Africa face rapidly rising prices on the shelves in the final months of this year after inflation quickened for the second month in a row in September, pushed by rising fuel and food prices. Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday said the annual headline inflation rate accelerated to 5.4% in September, up from 4.8% in August, bringing the rate to the same level as June this year. This was slightly above market forecasts of 5.3% but remained comfortably within the 3%-6% target band of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). StatsSA said the main upward pressure came from prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages,…

UK FINANCIAL group Quilter’s share price fell 5.07% on the JSE to close at R8.35 yesterday, after it reported flat assets under management and it became the largest advised platform in the UK by the end of the third quarter. Independent financial adviser (IFA) new business flows increased by 20% onto its platform. Third quarter core business net inflows however slumped to £1 million (R23m), compared with net inflows of £324m in the corresponding period of 2022. Assets under Management and Administration (Auma) of £101.4 billion (R2.3trln) on September 30 were essentially unchanged from £101.7bn at the end of June. “This reflects steady markets, the usual summer seasonal slowdown in activity combined with moderately lower persistency levels in the IFA channel, due to clients drawing down savings…

MOBILE operator Vodacom would trade as a secondary listing on the A2X Stock Exchange at market open on Thursday, 26 October 26, it said yesterday in a statement. Holders of Vodacom’s ordinary shares can be traded on A2X from the date of listing. Vodacom chief financial officer Raisibe Morathi says: “We are pleased that the secondary listing on A2X has been approved. As we grow and having recently accelerated our growth profile by completing the acquisition of a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt, we are delighted to be able to give our investors an alternative venue to trade and trust they will find this beneficial.” The group said it would retain its primary listing on the JSE and its issued share capital would be unaffected by the additional listing on…

LAST WEEK, I had the unique opportunity to deliver a keynote address to the Matric students of Roedean School in Johannesburg. Also in the audience were their parents, teachers, Grade 11 students and the school governing board. It was such an honour to have been invited by the School Governing Board and Executive Director to address the school. Just less than a month before their exam’s finalisation, I can imagine the pressure these young people must be facing. About 19 years ago, I wrote my matric examination, and reminiscing on this day, I think of the daunting task ahead for them. It was encouraging and inspiring to see all these young people eager to write their exams, and some of them shared their ambitions of becoming doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers and…

AGRICULTURAL experts are optimistic that South Africa’s consumer food inflation will continue to slow throughout the year into next year as the latest data from Statistics SA, released yesterday, showed the country’s consumer food inflation slightly slowed to 8% in September. Consumer food inflation was at 8.2% in August. Product prices underpinning September’s food inflation cooling were mainly bread and cereals; oils and fats; sugar, sweets and desserts; and vegetables. The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) chief economist Wandile Sihlobo said yesterday the organisation was optimistic about prices easing despite renewed risks in global agriculture, such as India’s decision to ban specific categories of rice exports and the Black Sea Grain Initiative that facilitated grains and oilseeds exports from Ukraine terminated as well as domestically with the avian flu. “The spreading…

Boyz II Men fans have been buzzing all year ahead of the group’s performance in South Africa next month. Boyz II Men redefined popular R&B music and continues to create timeless hits that appeal to fans across all generations, all over the world. With four Grammy Awards, the group has been consistent with maintaining their status throughout their 25-year career. Boyz II Men have also won nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Those that thought they had missed out are in luck as there are still some tickets available for the extra show added to SunBet Arena, Time Square on November 1. South African music lovers have been spoiled this year with several international…

Even though the recent ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which concluded its business at Birchwood Hotel on Monday, did not discuss the issue of spaza shops in detail, party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the ANC was concerned about illegal foreigners dominating the township economy. Mbalula, who held a media briefing at Luthuli House yesterday, was responding to a question on the matter. His address coincided with new reports that two children had died in Vredefort, Free State, after allegedly eating snacks bought at a local spaza shop. Residents allege that the shop sold snacks to the children on Sunday. This comes two weeks after four children in Naledi, Soweto, and another two died on the West Rand in similar circumstances. These two incidents were confirmed by the Gauteng Department…

Cultural experts have expressed shock at the representation of Prince Mbonisi Zulu’s legal team, which argued that in the Zulu royal family, the king was not born but appointed by the family through a nomination process. In their arguments, both Menzi Simelane SC and Thabani Masuku SC told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that the notion that the king was born in KwaZulu-Natal was a misplaced understanding. The advocates added that, historically, Zulu kings have been appointed by the family members. Prince Mbonisi, who has beefed up his legal team with Simelane, once the National Director of Public Prosecutions, wants the court to set aside the May 14, 2021, royal family finding that appointed King Misuzulu to succeed his late father, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who passed away in March…

After having listened to the unauthorised recording of the confession by one of the accused men on trial for the murder of Senzo Meyiwa, the State has made a U-turn, asking the court to allow the recording as evidence. During Tuesday’s proceedings of the trial-within-a-trial, State witness, magistrate Vivien Cronje, said she had made a recording of the interview and confession she took from the second accused Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi. Cronje, a reliever at the Vosloorus Magistrate’s Court, said that she often recorded matters dealt with outside of court for her protection and safety. The court ordered the defence counsels of the five men on trial for the October 2014 murder of the former Bafana Bafana and Pirates goalkeeper, to listen to the three-hour audio recording, although the State indicated…

Motorists could be in for some relief at the petrol pumps next month, with fuel prices expected to decrease by almost R2 based on unaudited mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF), says the Automobile Association (AA). The reprieve would come after steep price increases for several months this year, including hikes of between R1.08 and R1.96 in October. According to the AA, the current data shows that ULP95 is set to decrease by around R1.97/litre and R1.92/l for ULP93. Diesel, which has been on an upward trajectory in recent months, is set for a decrease of around 78c/litre and illuminating paraffin by around 74c/l. “These significant decreases will come at a very critical time for South Africans who have had to dig deeper into their pockets to fill…

A former old-age home chairperson in Mahikeng was sentenced for fraud and ordered to pay back the R1.2 million in funds belonging to the home he transferred to his wife’s business. Eugene Klinck, 56, former board chairperson of Rotarus Old Age Home in Mahikeng, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on seven counts of theft when he appeared before the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court alongside his wife, Elzaam Irm Klinck, 50. The sentence is wholly suspended for a period of five years, on condition that he is not convicted of theft or fraud during the period of suspension. This follows an investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit and the National Prosecuting Authority, which revealed that Klinck misled the shareholders of Rotarus Old Age Home by claiming that he had…

Call it a “Raptor Lite” if you will, the new Ford Ranger Wildtrak X aims to hit a sweet spot for those wanting more off-road capability, but with- out splashing out on Ford’s wild flagship bakkie. The new edition is available exclusively with Ford’s 2.0-litre BiTurbo engine. At R1013 000, it commands a premium of R88 000 over the regular Wildtrak model and undercuts the V6 Wildtrak by R13 400. But this is not just a special edition with a few fancy stickers. For starters, the Wildtrak X gains a significantly revised long-travel suspension system complete with Bilstein dampers. It also boasts a 30mm wider track and the ground clearance has been raised by 26mm. This gives it the same 32 degree approach angle as the Raptor, while slotting between…

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has embraced the fact that his side are earmarked as the “favourites” to lift the inaugural Carling Knockout Cup. The Buccaneers begin their quest for the title against Cape Town Spurs tomorrow night (kick-off 7.30pm) at Orlando Stadium, looking to carry their momentum from their MTN8 triumph two weeks ago. The Sea Robbers overcame Mamelodi Sundowns to defend their MTN8 title, ensuring the club made it three out of three cup successes since Riveiro’s arrival. Under the guidance of the wily Spaniard, Pirates have lifted the Wafa Wafa Cup trophy twice, as well as last season’s Nedbank Cup. When quizzed about whether the club’s recent success places the odds in their favour, Riveiro was quick to accept the assumption – but stated it was not…

Rassie Erasmus craftily popped up in the media to discuss England’s strengths, while also suggesting that he is going to make a host of changes to the Springbok team for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final in Paris (9pm kickoff). Wales coach Warren Gatland, who had some tasty sparring sessions with Erasmus during the British & Irish Lions series two years ago, says England coach Steve Borthwick must not get sucked in to the SA director of rugby’s mind games. “Whisper it, but I think England can beat the Springboks – as long as they don’t allow Rassie Erasmus to control the agenda this week,” Gatland wrote in UK newspaper The Telegraph yesterday. Erasmus has said that the Springboks are not the favourites because of the momentum England are enjoying at the…

THE NATIONAL Consumer Tribunal has slapped Vodacom with a R1-million administrative fine for contravening the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) as regards fixed-term contracts and their conduct was declared unconscionable and prohibited. The National Consumer Commission (NCC) said yesterday in a statement that it welcomed the decision by the tribunal after it found that Vodacom’s conduct was unconscion- able by imposing terms and conditions that negated the consumers’ right to cancel their fixed-term contracts. Thezi Mabuza, the acting national consumer commissioner, said: “The commission welcomes this judgment as we believe that it is going to deter other suppliers/operators from engaging in the same conduct. “We further see this as a victory for South African consumers who for the longest period were subjected to contracts that were in favour of the supplier.”…

PICK N PAY chairperson Gareth Ackerman said yesterday that the six months from March to August were among the most difficult South African consumers have had to endure in the recent past. Speaking at the presentation of the company’s results for the first time after his father and Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman died last month, Ackerman said load shedding also reached its worst level since 2008. He said this had a disproportionately negative impact on the retail industry. “Food inflation topped 14% in March, its highest level in 14 years, and the price of fuel has risen by about 20% so far this year. Interest rates also reached their highest point since 2009, thanks to 10 successive increases since the end of 2021. “All…

SHARES in BHP, which is disposing of its interest in two metallurgical mines in Australia for $4.1 billion (R77bn), closed marginally lower on the JSE yesterday after the diversified resource group said it was on course to meet its production and cost guidelines in a September quarterly update. The company’s stock on the JSE closed 0.24% in the red at R542.73 and is 5% lower compared to six months ago. BHP said it had agreed, together with Mitsubishi Development, to dispose of the Blackwater and Daunia metallurgical coal mines for $4.1bn, payable as $2.1bn in cash and $1.1bn over three years. Whitehaven Coal, which has agreed to buy the two mines, will pay the remaining $900m under a price-linked earn out over a three-year period. Proceeds from the disposal…

GLOBAL coal demand has never been higher than at present, despite the many renewable energy facilities that have been built, and the coal sector still has a bright future. This is in the context where developed nations have granted South Africa $8.5 billion (R160bn) to help finance its just energy transition to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a goal that includes a weaning off the reliance on burning coal for power. “Any funding is welcome, but I don’t think South Africa must be dictated to what technology it should be spent on. Of course, we must invest in solar and wind, but there are other technologies to consider,” South Africa National Energy Development Institute CEO Dr Titus Mathe said at the Energy Africa Conference in…

If you are a movie buff, these are the must-see movies in the coming weeks. Aside from the star clout of the cast, some of them are helmed by some of the most legendary filmmakers. Killers of the Flower Moon Martin Scorsese directs this fact-based Apple TV Plus original drama from a script he wrote with Eric Roth, a seven-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter and winner for Forrest Gump. Starring Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Jesse Plemons, the film is based on David Grann’s best-selling 2017 non-fiction book of the same name, about the FBI’s investigation into a series of early-20th-century killings of Osage people. (Releasing in cinemas tomorrow) The Pigeon Tunnel Documentarian Errol Morris’s latest film may have the most intriguing title on this list. Borrowing its name…

WITH Rugby World Cup excitement at a high, Springbok legend John Smit and his recently launched proudly SA VSOP Avante Potstill Brandy, appears to be a big game player in the international spirits field. What makes Avante truly unique is that Smit is leading a team of like-minded investors from the rugby world that all contribute to the forward-thinking nature of the brandy. With international stars like George Gregan, Justin Marshall, Jean De Villiers, Butch James, CJ Stander and Makazole Mapimpi from the “starting line-up”, Avante is looking to package the spirit of the game in more ways than one. “As rugby players, we’ve all faced challenges in our career, and the nature of the game has meant we have all had to move forward with these and never…

South Africa has important lessons to share in helping the United Arab Emirates host the COP28 UN climate change conference at the end of next month. This was because the country hosted COP17 in Durban in 2011, said UAE ambassador to South Africa Mahash Saeed Alhameli. “The impact of climate change is felt everywhere in the world. Increasing temperatures threaten to push millions of people into poverty and reverse the gains of developing countries, while developed countries fear the burden of dealing with the consequences of that,” he said as he opened a UAE colloquium on the COP28 Global Stocktake in collaboration with the University of Pretoria at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (Gibs). This event was in consideration of the key role played by South Africa with Barbara…

A FOUL smell permeating a room used as a space for a spaza shop, bedroom, and kitchen greeted Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers on Tuesday during a by-law operation in Pretoria North. Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink, who led the operation together with Community Safety MMC Grandi Theunissen, condemned the unhygienic conditions in which spaza shops run by a foreign national were also used for sleeping and storing some of the products sold to people. He said the purpose of the swoop by metro police was to make sure that business owners were operating in keeping with the municipal by-laws. A team of TMPD officers descended on Daan De Wet Street and Nel Drive in Pretoria North to check if people were in possession of valid business licences and adhering…

Matric exams are coming up and it can be a great source of stress for many pupils. This stress can make it even harder for them to focus and can lead to anxiety, and in some cases depression. It can be hard for a parent to watch their child go through this challenging period, but there are ways that we can in fact help them get through it. By implementing effective strategies and providing a supportive environment, we can help our children cope better with these crucial exams and empower them to perform their best. Here are ways you can assist your child to help them cope during this challenging time. Provide emotional support During exam time, your child may experience heightened emotions. Be attentive and offer emotional support.…

The new Nissan X-Trail hit South African streets only earlier this year, but its near-identical Rogue sibling from the US has been around since 2020 in its current guise. Unsurprisingly, the Rogue has been given a facelift for next year. Given how similar the two models are, the changes will probably make their way to the X-Trail models in other markets, eventually. We say “eventually” as the fourth-generation X-Trail debuted in markets such as Europe and Australia only last year, so the facelift will probably follow around 2025. The facelifted Nissan Rogue sports a revised front end with a somewhat more subtle variation of Nissan’s “V-Motion” grille. At the back, we see new taillight innards and satin-finished exterior badges, while range-toppers also gain new 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, we see…

The lawlessness that has engulfed the country leaves one wondering if the powers that be even care about the high rate of murders in the country. Innocent people have become easy prey and victims of criminals and those bent on inflicting pain and suffering onto others. Recently, a police officer was murdered in Ntuzuma, Durban when the criminals exchanged fire with the law enforcement officers. Four criminals and members of a known gang in the area were also shot and killed. This has raised many questions about the already-out-of-hand violent murders that continue to wreak havoc in many communities of the country. When Police Minister Bheki Cele arrived at the scene, he delivered a long-winded speech, and said the biggest suspects in the ammunition supply were the people who legally…

The Springboks’ overall record at World Cups is rivalled only by the All Blacks, and Handré Pollard suggests life in South Africa prepares the defending champions for the high-pressure environment. Pollard may regain the No 10 jersey from Manie Libbok when Bok coach Jacques Nienaber announces his match-23 today for Saturday’s semi-final against England at the Stade de France in Paris (9pm kickoff). SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said this week that recalling Pollard to the starting XV was being considered, along with Faf de Klerk at scrumhalf. Pollard was one of the mainstays of the Boks’ 2019 triumph in Japan, and said this week that the South Africans relish the atmosphere of the tournament. “We love World Cups ... It’s just the way we were brought up,” the…

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt is taking no chances in terms of team selection as his side prepares for their Carling Knockout clash against Polokwane City. Matsatsantsa will welcome Rise and Shine to their home away from home, the TUT Stadium, on Sunday, looking to break their recent poor run in Cup competitions. The three-time MTN8 champions were most recently bundled out of the Wafa Wafa Cup competition in the first round by Stellenbosch FC. Hunt and his players were also one of the clubs shocked by ABC Motsepe League side Dondol Stars in the Nedbank Cup last 16 last season, a match that still lives in the mind of the experienced coach. The 59-year-old shouldered the responsibility of those defeats, citing the importance of squad rotation and handing various…

Asanda Mnakaniso is a patient man and that trait has helped guide the University of Fort Hare (UFH) to the semi-finals of the Sasol League National Championships play-offs at first attempt in Bloemfontein yesterday. The Eastern Cape debutants won both thier matches in Group B, beating Royal Wizards 4-2 in the first match before brushing aside Lindelani Ladies 1-0. “I am very proud of the girls. I think the province is also proud, because we are here to support them,” an elated Mnakaniso said. The two wins didn’t only give UFH a dream breakthrough in the competition but they put them one match away from qualifying for the Super League next season but winning the final at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium and the cheque of R200 000 on Sunday…

SOUTH African Revenue Service (Sars) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter told Parliament that more stringent systems needed to be put in place to stop the defrauding of customers seeking refunds as criminals were taking advantage of the same systems that gave the entity an edge in processing refunds. Briefing the Standing Committee on Finance on Sars’ financial report for the 2022/23 year yesterday, Kieswetter said the organisation had been able to control R61 billion in refunds, which could have been lost had systems not been tighter. He said criminals were always trying to gather personal details of clients for prospective refunds and were able to gather personal information to pretend they had been mandated by Sars. “The introduction of powerful capabilities to enable us to conduct business have unfortunately given criminal…

PICK N PAY’S share price dropped by nearly 15% following it reporting an interim loss, which its new CEO Sean Summers labelled as “disappointing” due to elevated load-shedding costs and an increased competitive intensity. The shares closed 12.45% lower at R25.95 on the JSE yesterday, and have trended 49.37% lower in the past year. In its trading profit for the 26-week period, the retailer reported a 97.5% loss, which was R31.8 million compared with R1.3 billion in the comparable 2022 period. The retailer spent just under R400m on diesel, which added to expense growth, and limited its ability to respond to strong competitor promotional activity. The group reported a headline loss per share of 129.20 cents, which decreased from the 88.76c reported last year. “Owing…

A COURT case over whether to allow Shell to explore for oil and gas off South Africa’s pristine Wild Coast has been delayed until next year, a lawyer for environmentalists said yesterday. Shell wants to overturn a decision by the Makhanda High Court last September that prevented it from explor- ing in the environmentally sensitive area. Exploration on the Wild Coast had been approved by the country's then-energy minister in 2014. “It doesn't seem like it (hearing) will be this year and will likely be heard in the first term of 2024 only,” Ricky Stone, a lawyer for environmental lobby groups Greenpeace Africa and Natural Justice, said. Environmentalists and coastal communities have protested against Shell’s plans for seismic surveys, saying its underwater acoustics are harm- ful to marine animals, especially…

WHILE owning your own business can be immeasurably rewarding and fulfilling, entrepreneurship comes with its fair share of challenges. Apart from the technical proficiency, grit and agility that may be required to get a business off the ground, running a successful venture can also be mentally draining and emotionally taxing. And this can have a detrimental impact on a business owner’s mental health if not managed correctly. This has been particularly true over the pandemic years, which saw many entrepreneurs suffer unprecedented setbacks and face what may have seemed like insurmountable obstacles. The businesses that managed to survive, did so against all odds. According to the most recent State of Small Business report published by Xero, as much as 96% of business owners reported that stress has impacted them negatively…

SOUTH African consumers have continued pausing buying furniture and appliances due to the weak state of household finances on the back of subdued economic growth, but purchases for clothes seems to be on the rise. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) yesterday showed that retail trade fell by 0.5% from a year earlier in August, following a downwardly revised 1% decline in July and compared with market forecasts of a 1% fall. This was the ninth consecutive month of decreases in retail activity, though the slowest in the sequence that began in December 2022. StatsSA said lower sales were recorded for hardware, paint and glass; general dealers; household furniture, appliances and equipment; and pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries. The largest declines were recorded among general dealers at 3.8%…

A biopic on the extraordinary life of local promoter and cultural activist Pinky Mothie will hit cinemas on October 27. Titled Never Give Up, the feature will take viewers on a journey through her remarkable career as a pioneer of music extravaganzas, with her late husband Mothie and later with her son, Rajiv. Directed by Amit Chheda, the film weaves together the cultural threads of India and South Africa through dance sequences choreographed by the award-winning Urvi Sheth Dhruv. Dhruv is well known for her exceptional work with Bollywood’s Preity Zinta, Salman Khan, Farah Khan and Karan Johar. She has masterfully blended Indian traditional dance with Zulu traditional dance, creating stunning and visually captivating routines. Adding to the film’s magic is the musical talent of Nitin Kumar Gupta, who has…

Scientists have always been seeking to better understand the biodiversity of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR), and a biodiversity research project has been launched to do just that. The collaborative project, known as BioSCape, will link data collected from satellites and aeroplanes with field observations, and help scientists from around the world to better understand the biodiversity of the region. The GCFR is home to a number of endangered and threatened species, with it being one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hot spots, which are regions with exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and a high proportion of endemic species. The project is expected to benefit the world by improving an understanding of biodiversity and developing technologies for monitoring and managing nature’s contributions to people. BioSCape is also a collaboration…

The country is down in the dumps. We needed something badly to lift up our spirits. Our politicians can’t do it. They are a useless lot who are largely responsible for the mess we are in. Our president only talks and puts on a show to impress the public. He can’t fix the problems in the country but wants to mediate in Ukraine and Palestine. Our sportsmen and women have come to our rescue and (are) giving us something to cheer about. Not the Bafana boys, but our cricketers and rugby players. The Springboks are putting on a show on the world stage with a dazzling display of rugby. It was going to be a tough showdown against the host nation in the heart of France with a packed crowd…

SOWETO-born multidisciplinary artist and the 2023 Blessing Ngobeni art prize winner, Tshepo Phokojoe, is excited to be presenting his first solo-exhibition at Everard Read CIRCA Gallery. The show, which explores the ideas of home, nest and womb through hessian cloth, opened on October 14 and runs until Saturday. According to this self-taught multidisciplinary artist with a background in visual arts and fashion, the exhibion, Woven Comforts, aims to evoke a strong emotional connection and nostalgia. Phokojoe says by using hessian cloth as a medium, the show invites visitors to reflect on their inherent human desires for comfort, safety and belonging – a home. “The inspiration for the show stemmed from the concept of homesickness and the exploration of whether home is a physical place or a feeling,” Phokojoe says. For…

Police in Gauteng have arrested five men in connection to the recent murders in Westbury, including the brutal killing of a police officer. Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the alleged killers, aged between 20 and 34, were arrested on Saturday and on Monday in Sophiatown, Naturena and Soweto. The five suspects are facing charges including murder, attempted murder, rape and dealing in drugs. Police received information regarding the whereabouts of one of the suspects wanted in connection with the murder of a police officer. “Upon arriving at the specific flat on Du Plessis Street, the police found the two suspects in possession of a large quantity of Mandrax tablets and cocaine drugs,” said Masondo. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the main suspect, who was wanted for the murder of…

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has heaped praise on his team’s approach following their epic battle against African giants Ivory Coast. The South Africans showed great tenacity and resolve to hold the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations hosts to a 1-1 draw at a packed Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan on Tuesday night. Broos’ men had been berated following a disappointing goalless stalemate against neighbours Eswatini at the FNB Stadium on Friday night. However, Bafana have seemingly sprung a surprise on most of their detractors and answered the questions of a ‘weak’ mentality posed to them by Broos himself. Themba Zwane put the visitors ahead early in the first half but Sebastien Haller grabbed the equaliser with less than half-an-hour to go. The Belgian coach felt his side had done…

Steve Komphela and his Moroka Swallows FC team are eagerly looking forward to showing that revenge is not always a dish best served cold when they travel to KwaZulu-Natal this weekend to face a Richards Bay FC side that stole three points from them at Dobsonville Stadium last month. The Dube Birds take on the Natal Rich Boyz in their opening match of the newly-launched Carling Knockout at King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday, and their coach said yesterday that they want to get even. “When we played them at Dobsonvillle, they beat us – and that on its own sends a strong message with regards to their capabilities,” Komphela said. “We are looking forward to the match against a tough opponent that is very direct. “Their coach (Kaitano Tembo)…

It feels like just yesterday that Sergeal Petersen was scoring tries for fun as a teenager for the Southern Kings in Super Rugby. It was in 2013 when an 18-year-old Petersen, who had just matriculated from Grey High in Gqeberha, became an overnight sensation with his exploits for the Kings. Fast forward 10 years and the utility back has featured for the Cheetahs, Western Province, Stormers and most recently the Shimizu Blue Sharks in Japan. But after a season in Yokohama, the former junior sprinter wants to give it another crack in South African rugby by joining Jake White’s Bulls. “I just think I have a little bit more to give and I still want to test myself. It was also really an important move for me to get away…