Table of contents for DF-2021-04-09 in DFA News

Staff Reporter DE AAR Solar Power’s health, safety and environment (HSE) specialist, Siphe Kulu, in a collaborative effort with Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, initiated and deployed PPE as well as Covid-19 safety education sessions for almost 2 000 pupils via local schools. Kulu recognised that he had the expertise and experience with issues related to health and safety to upskill and increase awareness in local communities, by providing the necessary equipment and information directly to two local schools, which didn’t have the required resources. “Having worked and lived in this town for many years, I am aware that many schools don’t have any safety measures in place, with learners having little to no defence against Covid-19, and understandably many families in the community have been battling to put food…

Goitsemang Tlhabye staff writer UNILEVER’S Lux has become the latest brand to pledge its support behind renowned South African Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya’s challenge against the World Athletics Board (IAAF) in order to compete in the 2021 Olympics. Lux announced its support for Semenya after she lost her fight against the IAAF to allow her to compete in the upcoming 2021 Olympics 800m race. The brand said the decision to lend its name and to campaign for Semenya, who is seeking to overturn the ruling barring her from competing in the 800m and 1 500m distances in which she was the dominant runner, was due to the fact that it believed that no woman should be “stripped of being a woman” or “judged for how they look”. The company…

Ntombi Nkosi STAFF WRITER PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation have arrived in Maputo, Mozambique to attend a summit to address terrorist attacks that have taken place in the country. The extraordinary double Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is under way. The meeting provides an important platform for regional engagement on measures to be taken to resolve the security challenges confronting Mozambique. South Africa as a member of SADC, will participate in the meeting with a view to assist in the development of a solution that will secure peace and continued development in Mozambique. The attacks by Islamic State-linked insurgents killed a number of people, including a South African, Adrian Nel, in the town of Palma two weeks ago. Last…

Zaahier Adams CAPE Town City boss John Comitis has sent a stern message to the Citizens squad ahead of tomorrow’s crucial DStv Premiership home clash against SuperSport United. City have gone eight matches without a victory in the league and are currently seventh on the table. This is not acceptable for a team that has lofty ambitions, matched with the talent they have at their disposal. Comitis has, therefore, stressed that the turnaround must begin tomorrow against SuperSport. “The players need to step up. They need to be accountable because this is certainly a top squad that we have put together. I am very confident that we will persevere. If you remember in the bubble last year we actually won the quarter, so I am confident we will change it…

Staff Reporter BENNI McCarthy says nothing would make him prouder than leading Bafana Bafana to the World Cup. With former national team coach Molefi Ntseki fired two weeks ago after failing to qualify the team for next year’s African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the door is open for a new mentor to step up. And in steps Hanover Park ‘se eie’ McCarthy, who has been on fire as mentor of AmaZulu this term – leading the team to third place currently on the PSL standings. As the country’s record goalscorer with 31 strikes, many believe the time is right for the 43-year-old to step into the biggest role in South African soccer. And with Bafana still looking to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar, McCarthy tells the…

Mayibongwe Maqhina staff writer BUDGET cuts have compelled the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to hold one voter registration weekend instead of two ahead of the municipal elections to be held between August and November. This was revealed by chief electoral commissioner Sy Mamabolo when he briefed the co-operative governance and traditional affairs portfolio committee this week. “We all know that because of Covid-19, departments have had their budgets reduced. That is the case at the IEC too,” Mamabolo said. “As a result the IEC, on this occasion, would be able to offer a single registration weekend instead of the normal two,” he said. A presentation to the committee showed that electoral body was requested to make budget cuts of R109 million in the current financial year. In the next three…

Reuters ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a large ancient pharaonic city that had lain unseen for centuries near some of Egypt's best known monuments. The city was built more than 3 400 years ago during the opulent reign of Amenhotep III, one of Egypt's most powerful pharaohs, the Egyptian archaeologist overseeing the excavations, Zahi Hawass, said. The team began searching for a mortuary temple near Luxor in September, but within weeks found mud brick formations in every direction, Zahi Hawass said in a statement. They unearthed the well-preserved city that had almost complete walls and rooms filled with tools of daily life along with rings, scarabs, coloured pottery vessels and mud bricks bearing seals of Amenhotep's cartouche. "The city's streets are flanked by houses . . . some of their walls…

Benida Phillips staff repoter COUNTERFEIT goods worth about R1 million were seized by the Kimberley police this week following raids at several retail outlets in the city. Police spokesperson Captain Sergio Kock said the confiscated goods included liquor, clothing items and grocery items. “On Wednesday, a sting operation focussing on illicit and counterfeit goods was conducted in Kimberley. The Provincial Organised Crime Detectives, Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations, K9 unit, Crime Intelligence and the South African Liquor Board Association (Salba) participated in the operation,” said Kock. “The team raided several liquor and retail outlets. They confiscated a large amount of alleged illicit and counterfeit goods such as liquor, clothes and groceries. Fines amounting to R25 000 were issued to the store owners. “The head of the Provincial Organised Crime Detectives,…

Kailene Pillay staff writer ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has shied away from questions around whether he intended to step-aside or defy a party resolution after he introduced the ANC Youth League National Youth Task Team at Luthuli House yesterday. Journalists took the opportunity to ask Magashule about his intentions following an ANC NEC ruling that members who are facing crime or corruption charges and allegations must step-aside at the end of April, or face disciplinary action. “These matters of step aside etcetera are for the NEC. This briefing is for the Youth League,” he said. Magashule introduced Nonceba Mhlauli as the convener of the newly established ANCYL NYTT. Mhlauli is a spokesperson in the Ministry of the Presidency, while Joy Maimela was introduced as the structure’s co-ordinator. The duo will…

Se-Anne Rall STAFF WRITER THE Department of Health has slammed reports that people 65 and over can register for vaccines. On Wednesday, messages began circulating on social media, sending communities into a frenzy. "Vaccine registration is now open for people ages 65 and over. Please register the elderly for their vaccines as soon as possible. Even if you under 65 you can still register for now. Your turn will be according to the phased in approach," the message claimed. Spokesperson at the Department of Health, Popo Maja, said the message was not true. "The Department of Health alerts the public (that) the rumours circulating on social media claiming that the registration is now open for the elderly people of 65 of age are obnoxious and completely false. These rumours are…

Zaahier Adams BENNI McCarthy and his high-flying AmaZulu team will be in the "18-yard area" this evening when they face Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium. It will be the first time McCarthy will be back in the Mother City after parting ways with Cape Town City last year. He has certainly bounced back after that disappointment by transforming "the sleeping giants" of KwaZulu-Natal into genuine Premiership title contenders with Usuthu potentially moving up to second place on the log should they overcome Stellies. Furthermore, McCarthy is being heavily touted to take over from Molefi Ntseki, who was fired last week, as the new Bafana Bafana coach. Wherever Bafana's leading marksman goes he is bound to be the headline act, although plenty of credit should be afforded to the…

Mihlali Baleka BANYANA Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has dangled a juicy carrot in front of the inexperienced players who are in camp with the national team and banks on the scoring prowess of in-form striker Thembi Kgatlana to help the team. Banyana are preparing for two international friendlies against Zambia and Botswana tomorrow and Tuesday. These matches will be hosted at Bidvest Stadium in Braamfontein. Ellis, though, has assembled a squad that's full of local players, with Kgatlana, Amanda Mthandi and Noko Matlou, who are all based in Spain, being the only three overseas-based players. Most overseas clubs didn’t release their players due to Covid-19 restrictions. Nonetheless, Ellis is looking at the bigger picture – considering that she’ll need to have a strong squad at her disposal later this year…

Sandi Kwon Hoo CHIEF REPORTER FOLLOWING the recent rains in the ZF Mgcawu District, police divers offered water safety demonstrations at rural schools around Postmasburg as part of the safer schools programme. Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Mashay Gamieldien said yesterday that a team comprising of members from the Postmasburg SAPS, Kimberley Search and Rescue, Provincial FCS, Provincial Corporate Communications, Provincial HRU, the ZF Mgcawu District CPF chairman, Upington K9 and Upington POPS visited Refentse Primary School in Groenwater. “Water safety has become a concern, especially since the majority of drownings reported involve children. Police divers gave demonstrations as to how to react when in trouble in the water and how to help others in distress. They also gave tips on how to react if they became lost in the…

Kelly Jane Turner staff wrIter AS THE Sisonke implementation study passes the halfway mark in administering the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to health care workers, co-principal investigator of the study, Professor Ameena Goga, says positive results can be expected. Close to 280 000 health care workers have received the vaccine and Goga says they expect to reach the 500 000 mark and conclude the study by the end of April. “It’s really looking very positive. I think the phase 3 trial set the standard and guided us as to what we should expect, and certainly so far it does seem similar. “We are expecting positive results and we will keep monitoring the data,” she said. Earlier this year, Johnson& Johnson announced results from the phase 3 Ensemble clinical trial…

ANA Reporter BEIJING has surpassed New York City (NYC) as the city with the most billionaires after gaining 33 billionaires last year, taking its total to 100 and topping NYC for the first time. According to Forbes’ 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List released earlier this week, the Big Apple added just seven new billionaires to bring its total to 99, with NYC’s richest resident, Michael Bloomberg, a former mayor and co-founder of Bloomberg LP, boasting a fortune worth $59 billion. Meanwhile, the founder of social media video-sharing app TikTok and chief executive of ByteDance tech company, Zhang Yiming, accumulated a net worth of $35.6 billion. “The number of billionaires on Forbes’ 35th annual list of the world’s wealthiest exploded to an unprecedented 2 755 . . . 660 more than…

Stuart Hess AT TIMES it looked like a couple of naughty school kids passing crib notes to each other and not a professional cricket team trying to win a series. Temba Bavuma had a note in his pocket while on the field. Up in the changeroom Mark Boucher had another longer note; Boucher, Bavuma and the injured Rassie van der Dussen then looked to be comparing notes, and at another point Tabraiz Shamsi was passed a note by Bavuma, which Shamsi showed to Lizaad Williams in the dugout. Given the age we live in, where a helicopter, controlled in Houston, is about to fly around Mars, passing notes does seem archaic. There was nothing sinister about it, no classified secrets, just targets for the players according to Boucher. “When you’re…

Herman Gibbs MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena relied on biblical insights when responding to media questions yesterday ahead of the CAF Champions League Group B match at Loftus Versfeld this afternoon when they host Algerian visitors CR Belouizdad (kick-off 3pm). Sundowns presently have a near-full squad to choose from, with very few players on the injury list or serving suspension. In recent matches, they have been able to field weakened teams because they were not under pressure to win matches. Today's clash will be their final Group B match, and unbeaten Sundowns have already qualified for the quarter-final round. As a result, Sundowns again have the luxury of fielding second-stringers in the starting XI and keeping key players fresh for later games. This situation prompted a question from a pressman…

OUTSTANDING Rassie van der Dussen: Showed two different sides of his batting in the opening matches of the series; on the first occasion he steadied the ship and made a classy century after a top order collapse; in the second game, he attacked early and often to propel the Proteas to a big total. One of the first names on the teamsheet. Kyle Verrynne: Must have moved ahead of Heinrich Klassen now and, given his recent form he should have played the first two games. Excellent acceleration in the third ODI with the bat, and he can hit big, worthy of more than a back-up spot. Keshav Maharaj: Swung the momentum of Pakistan’s innings the Proteas way, and given that the 2023 World Cup’s is being played in…

Mihlali Baleka SOME players are lucky, and some are just blessed. It is not every day that every player enjoys the splendour of being coached by the same person in two different ranks: academy and senior structures. But well, one can only hope that Njabulo Blom, Happy Mashiane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo et al are counting their blessings. It’s an honour to play for Kaizer Chiefs. This is a club that has preserved its culture and history since their establishment in 1970. That’s why those who’ve been fortunate to don their famous gold and back jersey are bemused by their recent decline. Chiefs are the most successful club in local football with 93 trophies, official and unofficial. But they are on the brink of a sixth successive season without silverware. Unless, of…