Category Archives: South African News

Sport24.co.za | LIVE: Bangladesh off to solid start at The Oval

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12:27

WICKET! Soumya is out for 42, caught by De Kock off Morris.

The batsman tried to pull a short ball from Morris, but could only glove it and it went straight up.

Bangladesh 75/2 after 11.4 overs.

12:19

REVIEW

Phehlukwayo thinks he’s got Soumya out lbw.

It’s given not out but the Proteas have reviewed the decision.

12:18

At the end of the first 10-over power play, Bangladesh are 65/1.

They’ll be relatively happy with that start.

12:10

WICKET!

Phehlukwayo strikes with his second ball, as Iqbal edges to De Kock. He goes for 16.

Bangladesh 60/1 after 8.2 overs.

12:03

A bit of hostility from Ngidi, who throws the ball back at Iqbal… who responds by blocking it again!

Silly from a clearly frustrated SA paceman, who is then smacked for another boundary off the next ball…

12:01

Soumya edges another Ngidi delivery, but this time it bounces short of Du Plessis.

The ball flies past the SA skipper for four.

The next delivery is another boundary but it’s a great cover drive from Soumya.

11:55

That was a definite chance missed by South Africa. Du Plessis had pulled out of the catch, with Markram also letting it go…

11:54

Bangladesh 28-0 after 5 overs.

Tamim 8*, Soumya 18*

11:53

A chance gone begging as Soumya edges a Ngidi delivery, but it goes between second and third slips!

A mix-up there between Du Plessis and Markram…

11:51

FOUR!

FOUR!

Soumya reaches double figures with two back-to-back pull shots off Ngidi.

11:45

Just an update on Hashim Amla, who sits out today’s match:

Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee explained: “Hashim hasn’t fully recovered from the blow sustained to the helmet during the match against England on Thursday and is not available for selection for the match today.

“With the quick turnaround between the two matches, he is being rested as a precaution, based on our post-match re-assessment. “We are hopeful that he will make a full recovery to be available for selection for our next match against India.”

Amla’s place in the side has been taken by David Miller. 

11:36

5 runs off Ngidi’s first over.

Kagiso Rabada is South Africa’s other opening bowler.

11:34

Not a full house at The Oval today, but there are several Bangladesh fans in the stands…

After Soumya hits the first FOUR, the noise makes you feel like it’s downtown Dhaka!

11:31

Lungi Ngidi will open the bowling.

Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar are the Bangladesh openers.

11:22

TON UP FOR TAHIR

Cricket SA has congratulated Imran Tahir who olays his 100th ODI today.

He becomes the second South African specialist spin bowler to make 100 appearances in this format, following Nicky Boje who made 113 appearances.

He also becomes the 24th Protea to make a century of ODI appearances.  

“Congratulations to Imran on this outstanding achievement,” commented CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe.

“He made his debut for us at the 2011 World Cup, so it is highly appropriate that he should achieve this landmark at another World Cup tournament.  

“His performances speak for themselves, including the best bowling figures for the Proteas in an ODI and the fastest to take 100 wickets in this format for us.  

“What really stands out for me is the passion he has always displayed in representing his adopted country. He has added tremendously to the rich diversity of our Proteas that has become the hallmark of the unified era.  

“He is also a wonderful professional who has embraced a strong work ethic to maintain his fitness and skills at an advanced age. He was recently the leading wicket-taker at the Indian Premier League and he remains our leading strike bowler in white ball cricket. He remains the go-to bowler in crucial moments.  

“We are grateful for what he has brought to South African cricket over the past decade, not least of all his being a role model to develop the spin bowling culture at all levels of our cricket,” concluded Moroe.

11:18

PITCH:

It’s the same one used in South Africa’s opener against England on Wednesday. Pace and bounce expected but don’t discount some big scores.

11:10

Bangladesh team:

Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Mustafizur Rahman

11:08

South African team:

Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Dacid Miller, JP Duminy, Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir

11:03

TOSS UPDATE

Proteas captain Faf du Plessis has won the toss and elected to bowl first.

10:54

WEATHER REPORT

Bright, sunny with patches of cloud

10:53

FANS OUT IN THEIR DROVES

According to reports, Bangladesh will enjoy far more support in the crowd than South Africa today, despite London full of SA expats.

10:51

MIGHTY # SPOTTED IN THE NETS

Sport24’s man at The Oval, Lloyd Burnard, has reported that Hashim Amla is in the nets batting pre-match.

Could that mean he’s overcome his concussion concerns and fit o take his place in the starting XI?

10:26

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING!

News24.com | Almost R300 000 raised for kind petrol attendant, and counting

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A simple act of lending R100 to a customer in need has multiplied beyond petrol attendant Nkosikho Mbele’s wildest dreams, as the customer’s crowdfunding campaign has seen her raise almost R300 000 for him in return so far.

South Africans have reached into their pockets to reward Mbele’s act of kindness after his story went viral on multiple platforms on Friday.

Mbele, 28, on Thursday from his own pocket paid for Monet van Deventer’s petrol when she stopped at his station on the N2 near Makhaza on her way to Cape Town.

In a Facebook post, she said he told her: “Ma’am you can’t run out of petrol on the N2. I’ll throw in R100 and then you can just bring back my R100 whenever you are near again.”

He then put petrol in her tank, paying with his own bank card, and without taking down her details.

Van Deventer in her personal message on the BackaBuddy fundraising platform said she would love to do something for him in return since he “saved [her] life”.

“He trusted me [to return]. On my way back, I found him and returned his blessing. I asked him why he helped and trusted a stranger. He replied, ‘Ma’am I am a believer’.

“Thank you Nkosikho for giving me hope for South Africa. May Jesus bless you,” Van Deventer wrote.

She appealed to people to donate to help Mbele to support his two children, mother and brother who live with him in Khayelitsha. He also expressed a keen desire to start doing charity work in his environment.

On Saturday morning, just before noon, the fund stood at R45 000. By the same time on Sunday, it was at R294 000.

Mbele told News24 on Friday he did not want Van Deventer to be at risk on the highway after hearing many horror stories about the dangers on the N2. “I know the N2 mos, I live there and know how dangerous it is.”

“I was just doing what anyone else would have done, from the heart and God’s will. I believe there is no black and white, I wish to bring peace and to bring people together.”

He said his future involved a divine plan to help the less fortunate and bring joy.

“I want to do what God would want me to do. He put me on this planet for a purpose.”

News24.com | Soldier and SANDF impostor charged over presidential inauguration ruse

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A SANDF soldier and a civilian he allegedly tried to sneak into the military’s early preparation for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration have been charged with threatening national security, the defence force said on Friday

Spokesperson Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi said the duo were caught well ahead of the inauguration on May 25.

He said the Military Police apprehended the soldier at the Thaba Tshwane military base on May 17 and charged for allegedly threatening national security and for helping a civilian impersonate a military officer, an offence under the Military Supplementary Disciplinary Measurements Act. 

The civilian was apprehended for allegedly impersonating a military officer and for threatening national security. 

Mgobozi said vigilant Tshwane Regiment members’ suspicions were raised when they noticed “un-procedural behaviour” during the preparations for the president’s inauguration.

As the president is also commander-in-chief of the SANDF, the presence of the military forms part of inaugurations.

Mgobozi said the suspects were caught out during the clearing-in procedure of 21 South African Infantry Battalion at Tshwane Regiment – a standard early procedure when preparing for such occasions.

The regiment was going to provide the “silent guard” for the heads of state invited to attend Ramaphosa’s inauguration at Loftus Versfeld on May 25. 

During this clearing-in process, a SANDF human resources official noticed that a person completing the routine personnel register form did not pass normal military muster. 

“Following questioning by the Military Police, it was established that the suspect was not a member of the SANDF, was an impostor, and was subsequently arrested,” said Mgobozi.

Further investigation led to the arrest of the soldier.  

“It was established that the arrested soldier earlier instructed the clerk tasked with the clearing-in of members of 21 South African Infantry Battalion at Tshwane Regiment to continue clearing the so-called member in, despite the anomalies the clerk picked up. 

“As it turned out, the clerk refused to obey this illegal order and alerted (higher) authorities and Military Police.”

The SANDF’s human resources department was also involved in the investigation after the eagle-eyed soldiers noticed something was amiss.

The civilian appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court and has been remanded until June 6. 

The soldier appeared before the Thaba Tshwane Military Court of Justice again on Friday and released on bail, with a return date of August 16. 

The Military Police is following further leads and expect to make more arrests.

Mgobozi said the motive for the alleged subterfuge will become clearer at a later stage.

He said SANDF Chief, General Solly Shoke warned that no act of criminality would be tolerated and go unpunished in the military.

Shoke would not tolerate any unpatriotic or disloyal behaviour, said Mgobozi. 

Sport24.co.za | ASA confirm new appeal on Semenya ruling

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Cape Town – Athletics South Africa (ASA) have confirmed on Friday that they have lodged an appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Court following Caster Semenya’s CAS ruling.

This comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Semenya’s challenge against measures imposed by the IAAF that compel “hyperandrogenic” athletes to lower their testosterone levels if they wish to compete as women.

On Wednesday, Semenya announced that she will be launching her own appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court.

The IAAF argued that athletes such as two-time Olympic 800m champion had an unfair advantage over others.

Semenya has insisted that she will not take medication but has also said she hopes to defend her 800m title at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, which start on September 27.

Semenya will run in the 2 000 metres in a meeting held in the Paris suburbs on June 11, and has also entered the 3 000m at the Prefontaine Classic, which this year is being held in Stanford, California, on June 30.

Athletics South Africa press statement:

Athletics South Africa has instructed its Swiss lawyers, represented by Mr Alexandre Zen-Ruffinen, to inform the President of the Swiss Federal Court of our intentions to appeal the decision of the Court of Arbitration announced on April 30 2019.

The CAS pronouncement concerned the IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development) for track events ranging from 400m up to, and including One Mile, which are now in force.

ASA’s Swiss lawyers have in turn informed the Swiss Federal Court that ASA’s appeal will be filed once the original of the CAS award has been received by the parties. To date, ASA has only received informal notification of the CAS award and has already indicated that it will appeal the CAS decision.

Meanwhile, ASA is aware that our athlete, Caster Semenya, has lodged her own appeal against the CAS award with the request that the IAAF regulations be wholly suspended pending the finalisation of the appeal.

ASA has informed the Swiss Federal Court that insofar as it participated in the CAS arbitration and to the extent that Ms Semenya is a registered member of the ASA, the federation wishes to be considered as an interested party in the stay proceedings, and in the appeal against the award and will file its appeal papers shortly.

Accordingly, ASA wishes to confirm that it will participate in the stay proceedings and in the appeal before the Swiss Federal Court.

News24.com | UPDATE: Angelo Agrizzi on robbery: ‘I just don’t want to talk about it’

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Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi was robbed at gunpoint at a petrol station in Johannesburg, according to reports on Thursday night. 

The Citizen and SowetanLIVE showed a video of a man who looks like Agrizzi pulling up in a silver vehicle and being pounced upon by two armed men. 

After a tussle that takes seconds, the men run off with a bag which SowetanLIVE reported contained notes and personal items.

When contacted by News24, Agrizzi said he was not willing to comment on the issue, saying that it has been reported to the police.

“The video is out there, I just don’t want to talk about it.”

When asked how he was doing he said: “I am fine, I am fine.”

However, The Citizen reported that he thought he had been targeted to stop him from further testifying about state and corporate corruption at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

The publication quoted him as saying: “The words uttered were ‘stop talking’.”

The video is date stamped for Thursday, May 30, a day after his appearance in the Equality Court in Randburg over a racial slur he admitted making while giving evidence at the inquiry.

Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela said he was not aware of the incident at the time News24 called and other police spokespeople were not immediately available.

Agrizzi, Bosasa’s COO from 1999 to 2016, has given evidence at length regarding claims that the controversial company gave vast amounts of cash to secure and keep government contracts.

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News24.com | Maine on not making it to Cabinet: ‘I have no hard feelings toward Ramaphosa’

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Outgoing ANC Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Maine, overlooked for the newly appointed Cabinet, says he harbours no hard feelings toward President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Maine who was sworn into Parliament during its first sitting on May 22, said the league won a much bigger battle to have more than 20 percent representation in Ramaphosa’s executive.

“For the first time we are seeing young people being given serious responsibilities precisely because of the youth league congress that said we need a 20% representation, (and) we received more than that.”

During his cabinet announcement on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the significant inclusion of young people was part of a generational transition and creating a pipeline of leaders to take the country further. 

Former ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza, who had a falling out with Maine in his later years of his presidency, was appointed as deputy minister of home affairs.

Maine, who was speculated to take a role in Ramaphosa’s executive, said he “respected the choice of the president”.

“We must disassociate ourselves with this notion that a [youth league] president is automatically in Cabinet. I have no hard feelings that he has not chosen me. It’s not about personal ambition, it’s about collectiveness and decision making of the organisation. Because of the oath I took, I respect the choice of the president.”

Ramaphosa revealed a number of Cabinet seats would be trimmed down. He said it was critical that the structure and size of the State be optimally suited to meet the needs of the people.

“To promote greater coherence, better coordination and improved efficiency, we have combined a number of portfolios, thereby reducing the number of ministers from 36 to 28,” Ramaphosa said during the Cabinet announcement. 

Ministers and deputy ministers were sworn into their respective roles on Thursday at the presidential guesthouse near the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

News24.com | ANC’s new caucus in Gauteng Legislature led by a former mayor

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The ANC on Wednesday announced their caucus executive in the Gauteng Legislature, which will be led by former Rand West city local municipality mayor, Mzi Khumalo.

Khumalo resigned as mayor in May to take up the position.

In a statement, the ANC in Gauteng said the appointments made in the new Gauteng cabinet and legislature gave a clear message that the ANC had listened to the people of the province “when they said they want effective, efficient and faster service delivery”.

“Team Gauteng brings together women and men, who among them, have a wealth of governance experience over a period of time,” the statement read.

“It is younger, better educated and it introduces renewed energy which can only augur well for the people of Gauteng who ultimately must experience the impact of this team through their daily lived experiences as quality service delivery is accelerated.”

The ANC said they are confident that the new teams assembled in the Gauteng cabinet and the ANC caucus executive in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, “is not only formidable, but possesses the necessary experience and set of skills required to vigorously pursue the agenda of growing Gauteng together”.

Also on Wednesday, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced his new cabinet including some newcomers as well as some returning members that have been shuffled to other portfolios.

READ: These are Gauteng’s new MECs

The new cabinet has been met with criticism by opposition parties including the FF Plus and the DA.

In a statement, FF Plus Gauteng caucus leader Anton Alberts said Makhura’s new cabinet does not inspire much confidence for a better future for Gauteng and its people.

DA Gauteng caucus leader Solly Msimanga said a number of the MECs appointed have a dismal track record in government.

Here is the ANC’s caucus executive to be led by Khumalo, the party’s Chief Whip.

·      Lesego Makhubela: Programming and Caucus Spokesperson

·       Paul Malema: Constituency

·      Refiloe Kekana: Treasurer of Caucus and National Council of Provinces

·      Dolly Ledwaba: Chairperson of Governance Cluster

·      Petros Mabunda: Chairperson of Economy Cluster

·       Gogo Ndlovana: Chairperson of Social Cluster

·       Fasiha Hassan: Political Education and Development

·      Kedibone Diale: Service Delivery

·       Mzi Khumalo: Chief Whip

·       Magagula Thoko: Deputy Chief Whip

·      Ntombi Mekgwe: Speaker

·      Vuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela: Deputy Speaker

·      Panyaza Lesufi: Leader Government Business

ANC provincial secretary in Gauteng, Jacob Khawe, said the new caucus and cabinet will have their work cut out for them and will have to hit the ground running “to make sure that job creation, addressing the housing backlog, tackling crime, overhauling the health system, modernising education, transforming of public transport and eliminating corruption takes centre stage in this term of office.”

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