The board of directors of Natal Sharks and the South African Rugby Union have asked Kevin Putt to step down as head coach of the Sharks Super 12 regional team with immediate effect. Past home-grown Sharks and Springbok great Dick Muir has been asked to step into the breach and take over the reins as head coach.
No one among the stunned crowd of 26 000 spectators at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday night could have expected such a bad start for the beleaguered Sharks in their Super 12 rugby match against the Highlanders from New Zealand as they reeled back from three hammer blows within the first 11 minutes.
Former Olympic prospect, Natalie du Toit, continued to make waves on the third day of the Nedbank National Championships for the physically disabled at the King’s Park Aquatic Centre in Durban on Tuesday, clipping almost one minute off her own world record for the women’s 400m freestyle set at last year’s Olympics in Athens.
South African stars Natalie du Toit, Handri de Beer and Charles Bouwer showed just why they were part of the national team to the Paralympics in Athens last year, as the SA records kept crashing at the Nedbank Championships for the Physically Disabled in Durban on Monday.
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Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s legal adviser Linda Makathini saw only a copy of a loan agreement between Zuma and Schabir Shaik, the Durban High Court heard on Monday. Since the start of Shaik’s trial, the state has been trying to locate the original loan document.
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The prosecution in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial has asked the state to change Shaik’s bail conditions after he launched a verbal attack on advocate Anton Steynberg before the start of proceedings in courtroom A on Friday. ”I’m not scared of you, I’ll sort you out after the trial,” Shaik shouted at the prosecutor.
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A French arms-company executive told the Durban High Court on Friday it is usual to have high-level political contacts when trying to sell arms abroad. The executive is the first representative of the company to testify in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial.
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Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s legal adviser Julie Mahomed went into the witness box at the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial in the Durban High Court on Thursday. She has testified about a loan agreement that she drew up between Zuma and Shaik in May 1999.
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The second witness for the defence in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial, Zandile Mdhladhla, told the Durban High Court on Thursday that the Jacob Zuma Education Trust Fund did not qualify for funding from the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. However, ”we received money from Mr Mandela as a person”, said Mdhladhla.
Moroka Swallows booted Manning Rangers out of the Absa Cup tournament by winning 4-2 on penalties after finishing 1-1 after extra time in a tense last-16 encounter at Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday night. There was no score at the end of normal time.
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Prosecutor Billy Downer completed his cross-examination of fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik in the Durban High Court shortly before lunch on Wednesday. Shaik, who has been charged with one count of fraud and two of corruption, has been under cross-examination since Monday last week.
Police have identified suspects who may be responsible for the murder of Zulu prince and African National Congress branch chairperson Thulani Zulu. ”There are definite suspects who have been positively identified,” KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Bheki Cele said on Monday. Zulu was killed in a drive-by shooting last Wednesday.
Bafana Bafana defender Mbulelo Mabizela joined Norwegian side Valerenga on Monday after being without a club for almost six months. The big Mabizela has been without a club after English Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur terminated his contract last October. He tried his luck at various clubs in Europe and Scandinavia without any joy.
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Incessant questioning by relentless prosecutor Billy Downer appears to be taking its toll on fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik in the Durban High Court. ”It’s been a long trial. I have been under a lot of stress and my words are spinning out of context,” Shaik said at one stage.
Lamontville Golden Arrows shoved Bush Bucks closer to relegation when they trounced them 3-1 in a Castle Premiership encounter played at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The home side led 1-0 at interval thanks to a strike by Papi Zothwane, who converted a pinpoint cross ball from Mabhuti Khanyeza in the third minute.
Police have launched a manhunt for three men after the drive-by killing of Zulu prince and ANC branch chairperson Thulani Zulu. The African National Congress has urged the public to remain calm, and not to speculate on the motive of the killers until the police had completed their investigation.
The National Association of Conservancies of South Africa is selling advertising on highways to help pay for clear-up operations to remove alien plants, the organisation said on Wednesday. The ”adopt a highway” project is run in much the same way as ”adopt an animal” programmes in zoos, said project coordinator Dave Peters.
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Despite blaming his auditors for the illegal write-off of R1,2-million from his company’s books, fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik still employs them. He told the Durban High Court on Wednesday he will meet with his shareholders after the trial to discuss his auditors’ contract.
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Deputy President Jacob Zuma and Schabir Shaik bluffed former president Nelson Mandela to ensure that he did not withhold financial assistance to Zuma, the Durban High Court heard on Monday.
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/ 28 February 2005
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Senior prosecutor Billy Downer on Monday tried to prove to the Durban High Court that Schabir Shaik was a dishonest person flaunting qualifications he did not possess. He was cross-examining Shaik after the fraud and corruption-accused completed a week of testimony in his defence before the lunch break.
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/ 28 February 2005
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Fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik completed his testimony in the Durban High Court on Monday. During his testimony, he said he had never tried to mislead the South African Revenue Service, shareholders of his companies, or banks. He has also denied state allegations that he tried to solicit a R500 000-a-year bribe for Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
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/ 27 February 2005
Faced with the almost impossible task of scoring 330 runs for victory, Zimbabwe laboured to 198 for seven off their 50 overs in the second game of the three-match Standard Bank limited-overs cricket series at Kingsmead on Sunday to lose by 131 runs. It leaves them 2-0 down with one to play in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.
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/ 27 February 2005
Five men drowned and two were washed out to sea during a baptism on Durban’s Suncoast beach in the early hours of Sunday, police said. Captain Gugu Sabela said the men from a congregation in Inanda were taking part in a baptism ceremony just after midnight when the tragedy happened.
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/ 25 February 2005
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Fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik told the Durban High Court on Friday how he helped himself to money from the account of Deputy President Jacob Zuma. The money was donated to Zuma, his long-time friend and the man he served as a financial adviser, by former president Nelson Mandela, the court heard.
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/ 23 February 2005
The Sharks will have a completely new-look loose-forward trio for their opening 2005 Vodacom Super 12 rugby fixture against the Stormers at Newlands on Friday night. Jacques Botes, Braam Immelman and Jaco Gouws, who will wear the skipper’s tag, got the nod from coach Kevin Putt in the starting line-up.
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/ 23 February 2005
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Businessman Schabir Shaik is still bankrolling Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the Durban High Court heard on Tuesday. ”I continue to do so till this day,” Shaik told the court at his fraud and corruption trial. Shaik began testifying in his defence on Monday and for the past two days he has detailed payments made to and on behalf of Zuma.
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/ 22 February 2005
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Former president Nelson Mandela offered to help to ”extinguish” the debt of Deputy President Jacob Zuma. Testifying at his fraud and corruption trial on Tuesday, Schabir Shaik said Mandela felt Zuma’s financial problems were ”distracting him from his duties at the African National Congress”.
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/ 21 February 2005
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A nervous-looking Schabir Shaik finally went into the witness box in the Durban High Court on Monday to state his defence against fraud and corruption charges. Shaik, who constantly played with his glasses, was offered a chair by Judge Hillary Squires because he had been ”unwell” previously.
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/ 21 February 2005
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Fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik will tell his version of events but without the support of his friend Deputy President Jacob Zuma when he enters the witness box in the Durban High Court on Monday.
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/ 17 February 2005
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A much-mentioned encrypted fax allegedly recording a bribe of R500Â 000 to Deputy President Jacob Zuma was judged admissible as evidence by Durban High Court Judge Hillary Squires on Thursday. The fax is the key document in count three of the state’s case against fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik.
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/ 17 February 2005
Lamontville Golden Arrows hammered Mamelodi Sundowns 5-2 in an entertaining Castle Premiership encounter played at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The first goal of this game was netted by Ezrom Nyandoro in the fifth minute to the delight of Brazilians supporters who came out in large numbers to watch this thriller.
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/ 16 February 2005
Donations from KwaZulu-Natal intended for tsunami-hit countries will instead be diverted to poor people in the province, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said on Wednesday. Acsa spokesperson Chris Jacobs. He said 80 out of 120 tonnes of aid are still in storage in Durban and donors will meet on Thursday to discuss distribution.