South Africa’s security chief on Friday accused rightwingers linked to the former apartheid government of fanning xenophobic violence that has spread to Cape Town, the second largest city and tourist centre. At least 42 people have been killed and thousands driven from their homes in 12 days of attacks.
Attacks on foreigners in Gauteng seem to have abated, with police reporting that the situation has been ”quiet” since Wednesday evening. The anti-foreigner attacks broke out in Alexandra last Sunday and have since spread across the province and now into Mpumalanga, the North West and KwaZulu-Natal.
Mpumalanga Black Aces coach Kenny Ndlazi, who will lead his side to the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday at the Johannesburg Stadium, has at least one attribute nobody can take away. He is the only South African coach to occupy the bench when a South African national team beat their Brazilian counterparts.
Fate has dealt a cruel hand to Mamelodi Sundowns’ budding right back, Papi Mungomeni. The 23-year-old, who has become a regular in the Brazilians’ starting line-up this season, will miss playing in Saturday’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) showpiece, the Nedbank Cup final against First Division Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium.
African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe on Thursday said the police responded too slowly to the first xenophobic attacks in Alexandra. This came as it was reported that anti-foreigner violence had spread to North West. More than 40 people have been killed since the outbreak of xenophobic attacks on May 12.
In 2003 the South African Cabinet approved the use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in the public sector and in early 2004 the programme started. Now in its fifth year, government often claims that it is the "largest treatment programme in the world".
As jet fuel prices skyrocket, airlines the world over are closing down and analysts are speculating that the cheap-flight era is coming to an end. South African Airways, in the middle of a restructuring process to become profitable, could see its fuel bill almost double, which might lead to taxpayers having to bail it out again.
The green carpet will be laid on all roads leading to the Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday May 24 for the David versus Goliath Nedbank Cup soccer final. The Cup committee confirmed on Tuesday the final of the inaugural Nedbank Cup between Mpumalanga Black Aces and Mamelodi Sundowns will be played at the Johannesburg Stadium.
Mamelodi Sundowns created a South African soccer record when they reached their fourth successive cup final on Sunday after beating AmaZulu 1-0 at Potchefstroom’s Olen Park in the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup. Downs were runners up in last season’s Absa Cup — the Nedbank Cup’s predecessor.
When was the last time you heard from Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff, Northern Cape’s Dipuo Peters or even KwaZulu-Natal’s S’bu Ndebele? I reckon not lately. It may be true that some, such as Marshoff and Peters, have always had a low public profile anyway. But Shilowa and Ndebele?
It was going to take something special to win this tight Nedbank Cup semifinal between favourites Mamelodi Sundowns and AmaZulu at Potchefstroom’s Olen Park on Sunday. The piece of individual magic came from Downs Zimbabwean international midfielder whose stunning 66th minute goal earned the Brazilians their place in the final.
After two dismal seasons on and off the field, the appearance of Amazulu among the last four clubs remaining in the Nedbank Cup represents a fragile chance to reclaim a tarnished legacy. Last season the lads from the coastal kingdom finished second last on the log, but escaped relegation from the Premiership by winning play-offs against rivals from the lower first division.
Travel agent Flight Centre said it was ”blindsided” by the sudden closure of Nationwide Airlines and had gone into a crisis meeting to decide how to deal with the matter, with no information forthcoming from the airline, a spokesperson said. ”We were absolutely blindsided, we were completely unaware,” said Amanda Hardy.
The provinces of Mpumalanga in South Africa and Maputo in Mozambique provinces signed a cooperation agreement on Thursday relating to economy, health and agriculture, the office of Premier Thabang Makwetla said. This forms part of continued efforts to strengthen bilateral relationships.
Cold and stormy weather that hit the Eastern Cape on the weekend has claimed three lives so far, police said on Monday. Two men apparently died from the cold near Mthatha on Sunday, while a woman was killed in a storm in the province’s Ngcobo area. By Monday afternoon, snow that had been falling over the province overnight was beginning to clear up.
After a contamination scare on Friday morning, residents of northern Johannesburg can now safely drink their tap water again, Johannesburg Water said. During routine water testing, a "possible compromise" of the quality of drinking water in several suburbs had been detected.
Ordinarily, this time of the football season would be about which of the traditional top-three teams are best placed to win the Premier Soccer League (PSL) championship. But it increasingly appears that not all, if any, of the three teams that have dominated the PSL honours will make it to the top eight of the log.
Residents in northern Johannesburg areas were on Friday warned not to drink tap water as the quality was not up to standard, Johannesburg Water said. Spokesperson Baldwin Matsimela said during routine sampling on Thursday, it was found that the water supply was not up to standard.
A police officer demanding R5 000 to make a copper-cable theft docket disappear was arrested at a Wimpy restaurant in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, on Thursday, police said. The 35-year-old constable was assigned to the case last week after a 42-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stealing cables from his employer.
Free State Stars coach Kinnah Phiri is hoping that lightning will strike twice in the same place in one season when they host Santos in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup at Goble Park on Sunday at 3pm. Stars are the only side to have beaten high-riding Santos in the Absa Premiership this year.
Wintry weather conditions are expected to appear this weekend, the South African Weather Service said on Wednesday. ”The first outbreak of cold weather this year will occur from Saturday, taking more effect on Sunday,” said forecaster Puseletso Mofokeng. He said rain-free conditions were expected until Friday.
A disabled 65-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 10-year-old girl near Hazyview, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday. Captain Leonard Hlathi said the man, whose legs were deformed and therefore had to walk with the aid of crutches, allegedly raped the girl in Nyongani Trust near Hazyview at about 3pm on Monday.
POINT: ”Through the prism of values, opportunities and power relations, South Africa is essentially a white country geographically tagged on to the toe-end of the African continent. The ANC government apes its predecessors in everything from protocol to policy,” writes Cosmas Desmond.
Workers at the 2010 Soccer World Cup Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit are still striking, while talks with management and the government continue, the National Union of Mineworkers said on Friday. About 500 workers downed tools on Wednesday morning demanding better pay.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday called for a speedy, comprehensive investigation into the death of the deputy president of Swaziland’s main opposition movement, Gabriel Mkhumane. The South African Broadcasting Corporation reported that Mkhumane was shot dead in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday.
AfriForum on Thursday slammed a guilty verdict against the principal of the Hoërskool Ermelo, who has been at the centre of a language row. AfriForum’s deputy chief executive officer Alana Bailey said the Mpumalanga education department’s verdict against principal Koos Kruger was a disgrace.
Thirteen reserve constables charged with corruption were set free after they appeared in the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. This was because the prosecutor had misplaced the charge sheet, said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Leonard Hlathi. The 13 were arrested last Wednesday.
The Mpumalanga Rugby Union will be hauled before Parliament’s portfolio committee on sports and recreation to explain why convicted murderer Gert van Schalkwyk was included in its team. Butana Komphela, chairperson of the committee, said on Tuesday that it was immoral of the Pumas rugby team to field a convicted killer.
Power may have to be cut to South Africa’s vital gold and platinum mines if more generators fail because of bad weather, Eskom said on Tuesday, sending local mining shares tumbling. ”At the moment we are in a very tight situation,” said Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger.
Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday dismissed appeals against the decision to grant environmental authorisation for a new Eskom power station in Mpumalanga. The project involves the construction of a 5 400MW coal-fired power station near Witbank.
Racial tension within Mpumalanga police stations has reached ”ugly” proportions, says the province’s safety and security minister, Fish Mahlalela. ”The tension between black and white officers at police stations is ugly and dents … the fight against crime,” he told a meeting on Thursday.
The police should be more cautious when dealing with deportation matters, Mpumalanga’s department of safety and security said on Friday, after a South African teenager was awarded damages for being arrested on suspicion of being in the country illegally.