Tabla de contenidos para 2023-06-23 en Star

Award-winning South African singer and actress Nandi Madida joined the Apple Music team this month, as the new host of the fourth season of Africa Now Radio on Apple Music 1. As the host of Africa Now Radio, Apple Music's first global African music radio station, Madida interviews some of Africa’s biggest stars. This is Madida’s second radio gig; her first was in 2017, with The Coke Radio Studio Hour. For her second radio rodeo, Madida told IOL Entertainment that she had to record a demo to land the part. “The fact that I was chosen amongst so many amazing talents, really made it worthwhile. I’m so incredibly grateful. I love the continent, I love that the world is looking at Africa now more than ever.” Madida headed to…

Early this month, ActionSA filed a motion of no confidence in Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, who has been accused of allegedly running an illegitimate funeral scheme that swindled Soweto residents out of their hard-earned money. In a statement issued on Monday, ActionSA Joburg caucus spokesperson Sthembelo Majola said the newly-elected mayor had a serious case to answer, which is why the party was calling for him to step down. “Mayor Gwamanda faces serious criminal accusations of fraud, with reports this weekend that a funeral scheme he ran in Johannesburg was never registered at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), and is therefore illegal. ActionSA believes mayor Gwamanda has a serious case to answer and is not fit to be mayor when there are accusations that he defrauded the very residents…

The Africa Diaspora Forum (ADF) said it was concerned about xenophobic utterances on social media, especially towards Zimbabweans affected by the cancellation of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP). The South African government has discontinued the ZEP and appealed to all affected Zimbabweans to apply for mainstream visas. There was also the option of applying for a waiver. Civil society organisations had taken the matter to court, with over 100 000 Zimbabweans expected to be affected by the discontinuation of the ZEP. The Zimbabwean community affected has until the end of the year to migrate to normal visas. The ADF said the latest government decision on the ZEP had again unleashed a torrent of xenophobic abuse on social media and elsewhere. According to the ADF, migrants are under constant attack in…

Keep Her Leora Krygier Loot (R345) She Writes Press Destiny doesn’t factor into 17-year-old adoptee Maddie’s rational world, where numbers and scientific probability have always proven to be the only things she can count on as safe and reliable. Still, Maddie is also an artist who draws on instinct and intuition to create the collages she makes from photographs and the cast-off scraps she saves. But when her brother falls in with a Los Angeles street gang, Maddie loses her ability to create art. Then fate deals Maddie a card she can’t ignore: Aiden, a young film-maker she meets when a water main bursts inside a camera store. Aiden is haunted by the death of his younger brother, and a life-changing decision he must now make – whether or not…

Former army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighbourhood near Baltimore. Her friend and room-mate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But Morgan’s life is turned upside down when she returns from work one day to find Nina dead on the floor. This was no random attack. Nina was murdered by a man Morgan had let into their lives. The man Morgan thought was Luke is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets women, steals their assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder. Morgan is devastated by Nina’s death but the nightmare is just beginning. It wasn’t Nina but Morgan who was Gavin’s intended target, Nina was simply in the wrong place at…

(Serves 4-6, cooking/prep time: 1hr:30min) Ingredients • 45 ml olive oil • 12 mixed chicken pieces, about 1-1.2kg (legs, thighs, etc.) • salt & pepper • 1 onion, cut into thin wedges • 125g streaky bacon, sliced • 3 - 4 sprigs thyme • 250 g button/portobellini mushrooms (keep small ones whole, slice large ones in half) • 15ml tomato paste • 25ml cake flour • ½ bottle red wine • chopped Italian parsley, to serve Method In a wide, heavy-based pot/casserole, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the chicken pieces in 2 batches on the skin-side until golden, seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken with tongs and set aside. Now add the onion, bacon and thyme to the pot and fry, stirring, until the onion…

Rand Water and the Water Research Commission of SA will co-host the African Water and Sanitation Association’s (Afwasa’s) Scientific and Technical Council meeting from July 3–5 at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, Boksburg. The 91st meeting will be attended by 200 delegates from water and sanitation utilities in Africa. Formerly known as the African Water Association (Afwa), it was renamed Afwasa to include sanitation utilities and related organisations. According to Makenosi Maroo, Afwasa spokesperson, the three-day meeting will be held under the theme, “From Afwa to Afwasa: What can governance and management structures do to boost water and sanitation performance in Africa?” “This event will serve as an opportunity for members to fully demonstrate their capabilities, efficiencies, and willingness to share experiences and knowledge to add wisdom…

According to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Thembi Nkadimeng, he will launch the Customary Initiation Act awareness campaign under the ‘Preserving lives, promoting customs’ theme today. According to the department, customary initiation is a deeply rooted cultural practise in South Africa, representing a significant rite of passage signalling a transition to adulthood. The department further said that it was essential that this tradition be carried out with the utmost care, respect, and adherence to the law, ensuring the safety and well-being of all initiates. The department further said the primary objective of this campaign is to promote awareness, education, and compliance with the Customary Initiation Act, which was officially enacted into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2021. “This initiative is a collaborative effort between the National and…

My brother and I had a discussion about the chief aim of Father’s Day. He impressed upon me that he regarded fatherhood as a lottery; where so many people entered the procreation race and only a few fathers won the relationship race. Those who won, were showered with gifts and praise on Father’s Day, and those who lost the race were eternally and shamefully condemned. We must all admit that relationships can be frustrating, challenging and even heart-breaking experiences. But they can also be, and often are, our greatest opportunities to learn, grow, love and be loved. All messengers of God have been mandated to fix human relationships. During a Father’s Day sermon, Archbishop Duncan Williams, of the US, called a spade a spade and not a silver spoon. He…

GOOD Party MPL and former Springbok rugby coach Peter de Villiers has a way with words. In his maiden speech in the legislature, De Villiers made the interesting observation that the Western Cape was a province that “wants to play in global politics, arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin and directly negotiate deals with the US”. Using a rugby analogy, De Villiers said: “In rugby, we have international, national and local competitions. The Stormers can’t play in the World Cup.” That pearl of wisdom was seemingly lost on Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, who travelled to the US earlier this month on a diplomatic and trade mission of sorts. Winde said the purpose of the “official visit” was to “secure the renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) with…

KYIV: Ukraine is carrying out the largest campaign of repairs in modern history to its power system to prepare for another winter of possible Russian air strikes, its energy minister said yesterday. Missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure following Russia’s full-scale invasion last year caused sweeping blackouts and water outages for millions of Ukrainians during the winter. Ukraine has nearly doubled electricity tariffs for consumers since June 1 to find funds to prepare for winter. About 43% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been damaged in air strikes. | Reuters…

The five people aboard a missing submersible died in what appears to have been a “catastrophic implosion,” a US Coast Guard official said yesterday, bringing a grim end to the massive international search for the vessel that was lost during a voyage to the Titanic. “These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans,” OceanGate Expeditions, the US-based company that operated the Titan submersible, said in a statement. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time.” An unmanned deep-sea robot deployed from a Canadian ship discovered the wreckage of the Titan yesterday morning about 488m from the bow of the century-old wreck, 4km below the…

NEW AmaZulu FC coach Pablo Martin has promised to make the club a major force in South African football. At 91, Usuthu are the oldest club in the South African top flight. However, they have failed to do anything of note in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) era, having last won a major trophy when the late Clive Barker led them to the Coca-Cola Cup in 1992. “I have the intention of making history by bringing the team back to the place it deserves – to make everyone, especially the fans and people in the club, proud,” said Martin in a recorded video from the club. Since acquiring the ownership of the club in 2020, Usuthu chairman Sandile Zungu has made no secret of his desire for the club to…

MANCHESTER City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to leave the treble winners to join Barcelona on a free transfer, according to reports this week. Gundogan is believed to have been offered a three-year deal by Barcelona and is expected to complete his move to the Spanish champions when his City contract expires at the end of June. City were reported to have been willing to give their 32-year-old captain a one-year extension with the option of a further 12 months. But Gundogan’s impending move to the Camp Nou was revealed on the same day City agreed a £30-million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic. Kovacic’s versatility and experience would help compensate for the loss of the influential Gundogan, whose leadership and knack for scoring crucial goals played a key…

MARUMO Gallants FC have shot down media reports which say their players are awaiting outstanding salary and bonus payments. In a statement released yesterday, Gallants say the accusations have tarnished the club’s reputation, which took a severe knock in April. At the time, two Marumo Gallants FC staffers, media officer Rufus Matsena and physiotherapist Tebogo Dhlomo, were held in Libya and had their passports taken because their club Gallants did not pay their bills in Libya. Gallants refused to pay after they claimed they were charged way above the original prices. It now appears the players have not yet been paid their bonuses for playing in the Confederation Cup because the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has not yet paid the club. “In response to recent media reports alleging outstanding…

Bidders Choice Auctioneers will be hosting the auction of a deceased estate on July 5 from 11am. The auction will take place on-site at 71 Von Broembsen RD, Fairleads AH, Benoni. Interested parties can also bid online. The luxury mansion features a garden cottage and is set on a 5.6 hectare agricultural holding. The main house comprises: Four bedrooms. Four bathrooms. Two guest toilets. A kitchen. A scullery. Four lounges. Three TV rooms. Two dining rooms. Two studies. A gym. A wine cellar. An entertainment lapa with a storeroom Two guest toilets. The garden cottage comprises: Two bedrooms. A bathroom. A lounge. A kitchenette. The servants’ quarters comprise: Two bedrooms. Two bathrooms. A TV room. A kitchenette. The property also features five lock-up garages and four undercover parking areas, a…

An Angel’s Demise Sue Nyathi Loot (R266) Pan MacMillan This is accomplished writer Sue Nyathi’s fourth novel. Originally from Zimbabwe, Nyathi who now lives in Johannesburg, has always touched on her home country whether from the prism of her fellow countrymen leaving their land and trying to make it anew in South Africa (The Gold Diggers) or, as in The Family Affair, a delightful saga charting the ins and outs of the Mafu family in Bulawayo. In this sweeping story, she follows the lives of farm owner Paul in then southern Rhodesia, and the labourers in his service, Douglas and Simphiwe, on the farm Belle Acres at Somabhula. Filled with heart-rending episodes, joy, angst and superbly and accessibly evoked history, Nyathi takes us from the turbulent pre-independence years from 1977…

Magic - Desiree Ellis, From Salt River To The 2023 World Cup Luke Alfred Loot (R245) Pan Macmillan Desiree Ellis has been associated with Banyana South African women’s national football team, for 30 years – initially making her mark as a player (1993-2002), before moving to coaching. Taking the experience of 32 caps, including captaining the team when South Africa won the inaugural Cosafa Women’s Cup in 2002, she became the most successful women’s coach in South Africa. After a stint as assistant coach to Vera Pauw, Desiree was appointed head coach in 2018 and continued adding to her outstanding CV. A high point came in 2022 when she coached Banyana Banyana to the Wafcon title in Morocco. The win earned the team automatic qualification for the 2023 Fifa…

REMARKS made by a worker about a female colleague’s “attire” – that she wore white slacks “with the wrong underwear” – coupled with a rumour that she and another worker had had an affair, as well as an article sent to her about “cheating husbands”, were the subject of an application before the Labour Court in Johannesburg. The male colleague who had offended his female colleague was fired from Pioneer Foods, where both of them worked, following charges of sexual harassment against him. Ms B lodged a grievance and told her employer she had had previous issues with the employee regarding verbal abuse and comments. Unhappy with the fact that he was fired, the employee turned to the CCMA, where an arbitrator found his dismissal to be procedurally and substantively…

A 34-YEAR-OLD man was arrested for allegedly raping an eight-year-old boy, Limpopo police said. Spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the rape ordeal happened between June 2022 until May 26. “Police received a complaint on May 3, 2023 from the principal of a primary school in Modimolle about a Grade 1 learner who was living in unhygienic conditions,” said Ledwaba. “They were also informed that the mother was confronted to improve the living conditions of the child which were not adhered to their satisfaction. “Unfortunately, on May 26, 2023 the minor was removed from his mother’s care and placed in a place of safety at a children’s home in Modimolle where he was later allegedly taken for medical examination because the victim displayed symptoms of sexual abuse.” On Tuesday, police further…

SONDELA rapper Riky Rick, who took his own life two years ago on February 23, 2022, wanted to do much more with his life. His wife, Bianca Naidoo, revealed this and more in a recent Metro FM interview with DJ Sabby on the “Best Mornings” show. “I feel like he wanted to do more than he was actually doing and making a difference. When I look at it now, I feel like he probably didn’t feel he was doing enough. That was definitely something that hurt,” said Naidoo. She continued: “There were a lot of thing happening in the country, in the industry, those are the things that really didn’t sit well with him, and I think just a whole lot of worldly things he did struggle with. “And,…

We have heard horror stories about almost all the public hospitals in our country. It hurts a lot to think that some people might wonder how we survived under such dismal health-care practices. The truth is, it was not always like this. Our health services were among the best in the world, both public and private. We had pioneering work, such as the first heart transplant performed by Professor Chris Barnard at Groote Schuur hospital, because he had everything he needed to perform the operation successfully. To be successful, doctors need to work in a supportive environment. The problem started in 1996, when drastic changes were introduced to our health-care system. When, for the first time in our history, in March 1996, a circular was sent out, inviting all who…

South African Sign Language is set to become the country’s 12th official language. Parliament approved a constitutional amendment in a bid to “promote the rights of persons who are deaf (sic) and hard of hearing”. What is the educational environment today for Deaf learners in South Africa? There are 43 schools for the Deaf across the country. Of these, 38 use South African Sign Language (SASL) as the language of teaching and learning. The aim is to ensure the complete academic curriculum is taught. However, the anecdotal feedback we get from teachers of the Deaf suggests they are unable to fully complete the curriculum each year, and this gap keeps growing. There isn’t any data on hearing versus Deaf education nor on the number of qualified teachers of the Deaf.…

MATADOR: A tornado ripped through the northern Texas town of Matador this week, killing four people and injuring several others while damaging at least a dozen buildings, officials said. It brought high gusting and battering winds to the small community of about 600 residents, according to Lubbock Fire Rescue. At least 10 people were transported to area hospitals, of whom one died, officials said yesterday. Video showed a string of homes reduced to rubble, and downed power lines. Power was knocked out to most of the people in Motley County. | Reuters…

LONDON: Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said yesterday that it had arrested an Egyptian man suspected of co-ordinating the smuggling of thousands of people across the Mediterranean from north Africa to Italy. The NCA said it believed the 40-year-old man was working with people-smuggling networks in north Africa to organise boats for migrants and then communicating with criminal associates during the crossings. It cited a crossing in October last year where more than 640 migrants were rescued by the Italian authorities after they tried to cross by boat from Libya. | Reuters…

SEKHUKHUNE United have signed former Maritzburg United goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner on a three-year deal. Just before Sekhukhune made the announcement, Leaner thanked Maritzburg for the opportunity of playing for the ‘Team of Choice’. Leaner’s social media post read: “My appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved at Maritzburg United will never know any boundaries. “Thank you to the chairman, the staff, my teammates, and of course the fans for supporting me throughout my time there, and not only making me into a better footballer but also a better person.” The 25-year-old Cape Town-born Leaner started his football career with Ajax Cape Town Youth Team (development squad) in 2014 when he was 16 and was promoted to the senior team in 2019 when he spent two seasons with The Urban Warriors. He…

THE Crusaders aim to secure a seventh straight Super Rugby title and a triumphant swansong for talismanic All Blacks coach-to-be Scott Robertson tomorrow – but the in-form Chiefs could spoil the party. Having lifted silverware with the Crusaders each season since he took charge in 2017, this is Robertson’s last game before leading the New Zealand national team after the World Cup. With a host of All Blacks on display, tickets for the final at the Chiefs’ Waikato Stadium in Hamilton are sold out. Robertson knows to expect a rough reception from the home crowd. “It’s going to be hostile, it’s going to be passionate,” he said yesterday. “You know you are walking into a pressure environment. Crusaders love these moments.” Victory would complete the set of seven consecutive titles…

Candace Bushnell, the iconic author and creator of Sex and the City, is bringing her acclaimed one-woman show, True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex in the City, to South Africa in September. The tour will begin in Johannesburg at Montecasino’s Teatro on September 22, with additional performances on September 23 and 24. The show will then move to the Artscape Theatre Centre from September 29 to October 1. In True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex in the City, the original Carrie Bradshaw takes audiences on a whirlwind tour of New York City, from Studio 54 to Sex and The City to Lipstick Jungle and beyond. “Through her books and television series, Candace Bushnell’s work has influenced and defined two generations of women,” said Hazel Feldman, from Showtime management,…

Mothata has made a high court application seeking a series of relief measures, including the urgent setting aside of his suspension The UNISA registrar, Professor Steward Mothata, is not taking his suspension lying down. On Tuesday, Mothata hit back at what he previously termed a “witch-hunt” against him after he spoke out against some of the issues affecting the embattled institution under the leadership of principal and vice-chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula, who had contributed to the demise of the institution, according to the independent assessor’s report. The university has been embroiled in a string of maladministration scandals even before the release of the report, which unearthed tender irregularities as well as incidents of bullying and intimidation in which the VC is directly implicated. The report also found that Lenka -Bula…

BEYONCÉ’S bidet is for sale on eBay. The Formation singer and her husband, Jay-Z, rented a mansion in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, California, back in 2015. When their year-long lease was up the owner sold the property and the people who bought it wanted to carry out a renovation. According to TMZ, the new owners passed on many fixtures and fittings to Eric’s Architectural Salvage LA in 2017. The company has now put many of the items, including the bidet, which has an asking price of $2 400 (R44 000), on the auction website. Other items include exterior lights, a window frame, a huge arched metal door frame and French doors. A listing for the bidet states: “This is one of the prettiest bidets it features amazing…

The Imposters Tom Rachman Loot.co.za (R240) Riverrun The Imperfectionists is the story of a chameleonic writer desperate to finish her final book, and the indelible characters from her life who intrude on those efforts with increasingly unpredictable results. Dora Frenhofer knows her mind is going. She is determined, however, to finish her final book, and reverse her fortunes, before time runs out. Alone in her London home during the pandemic, she creates, and is in turn created by, the fascinating, real characters from her own life. Like a 21st-century Scheherazade, Dora spins stories to ward off her end. From New Delhi to New York, Copenhagen to Los Angeles, Australia to Syria to Paris, Dora’s chapters trot the globe, inhabiting the perspectives of her missing brother, her estranged daughter, her erstwhile…

THE Bloemfontein High Court ruled against a man who wanted to claim back more than R1.44 million which he had paid towards child maintenance, saying his ex-wife deceived him into believing the child was his. The man learnt through a paternity test that the child (identified as N in court) was not his. The couple got married in 1991 and had three daughters during their marriage. They divorced in 2012. Some time around February 2015, the ex-husband learned through DNA tests that N was not his biological child. Following the exposure of the results, the ex-husband instituted legal action against his ex-wife, saying she had deceived him into believing that N was his child. As a result of her misrepresentation, he suffered a loss of R1.44m, paid towards maintaining N.…

PRETORIA beauty queen Mapula “Mau” Sedibe, 26, was born in the small town of Leeufontein in Mpumalanga and grew up with modest means. Her family had to work hard to make ends meet – and it wasn’t easy for her growing up. Despite the challenges, she always remained determined and focused on making a better life for herself and her loved ones. With her charm, intelligence and unwavering confidence, Sedibe set herself apart from her peers and soon after relocating to Gauteng she became an ambassador for various brands. “I wasn’t into pageants at an early age, but growing up, seeing the body I have and my height, most people would ask if I’m a model and if not, why didn’t I consider modelling, because I fitted the criteria,” said…

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) said constructing an effective HIV vaccine is necessary even though it has its scientific challenges. This was revealed at the 2023 11th Aids conference. The conference started on Tuesday afternoon and will end today. It is taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban under the theme “Act, Connect and End the Epidemic”. SAMRC president and chief executive, Professor Glenda Gray, said they had a rich scientific portfolio in approaches, but their scientific challenge was to put these different approaches into a coherent vaccine regimen. She said one needed to prevent acquisition or cure early-established disease, a much higher bar than traditional vaccines such as Covid-19. She said the genetic diversity of the virus was greater than any other…

Election fever has enveloped the US and Donald Trump stands a reasonable chance to regain the presidency despite the determination of those in the corridors of power to eliminate him politically. Should he win in 2024, the political realignment will change the landscape of the US for the next 10 years. The FBI, the Justice Department, the Education Department and other critical political institutions could be overhauled drastically. New revelations will shake America, making the Watergate scandal look like a tea party. Arrests and raids will engulf America as Trump wreaks havoc on all those who besmirched him. The possibilities of a new 1865-type civil war could envelop the US with global ramification as the world’s only superpower stars to fragment internally. The Republican Party has changed. It is ideologically…

When former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said: “Pray for Peace in Jerusalem”, he was venomously attacked for quoting biblical Scripture. When he stated that he loved Jewish people, loved Israel, loved Palestine and loved Palestinians, he had to publicly apologise for his statement too. Now, we have Judge Siraj Desai, who was recently found guilty of becoming involved in political controversy after signing his name to a BDS Movement petition. Judge Nambitha Dambuza, from the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC), has confirmed that Judge Desai is guilty of misconduct on the issue, and has warned him to not participate in politically controversial events. Shockingly, Judge Desai has simply reaffirmed his position on the matter, stating, rather inexplicably, that he is advocating for human rights issues. Let’s be clear about another important…

PARIS: Six people remained in a critical condition and one person was believed missing yesterday, one day after a blast ripped through a street near Paris’s historic Latin Quarter, officials said. About 50 people were injured in the blast, which set buildings ablaze and caused the front of one to collapse on to the street. Of two people initially believed missing, one has been found in hospital and is being taken care of, and searches were ongoing to find the second person. Witnesses said the explosion followed a strong smell of gas at the site. It led to scenes of chaos and destruction. | Reuters…

Nablus: Israeli forces yesterday demolished the home of a Palestinian accused of killing a soldier in the occupied West Bank. This week, at least 17 people have been killed in the territory, in Israeli military incursions or in attacks by Palestinians or Israeli settlers. Soldiers entered Nablus, a Palestinian city in the north of the West Bank, during the night and left at dawn after destroying Kamal Jouri’s home in an apartment building, witnesses said. Jouri is in Israeli custody along with Osama Tawil, who is also accused of taking part in the attack. | AFP…

RUSSELL Martin vowed to lead Southampton back to the Premier League after being hired as the relegated club’s new manager on Wednesday. Martin has moved to Southampton from fellow Championship side Swansea City on a three-year contract. The 37-year-old oversaw Swansea’s 10th-place finish in the Championship last season and has been entrusted with the task of lifting the Saints back into the top flight. “It’s a privilege to accept this opportunity at Southampton, a club with such a long and rich history,” Martin said. “My aim is to get this club back where it belongs, in the top flight of English football. “I am ready for this challenge and will give everything to achieve this aim and to give the supporters a team that makes them proud. I’m thrilled to…

TOP of new Boland Rocks head coach Justin Ontong’s agenda for the upcoming domestic season will be to get Janneman Malan firing again. Ontong has returned to his home union after a four-year spell with the Proteas Men’s team as fielding coach and takes over from former Cape Cobras teammate JP Duminy at Boland Park. The 43-year-old inherits a Rocks team who have managed to survive their first two seasons of top-flight provincial cricket, which was always their first priority. But having tasted success by winning the CSA T20 Challenge competition in their maiden season, the Rocks have struggled to find any form of consistency across competitions. The absence of captain Pieter Malan for four months due to a hip injury last season certainly played its part, which in turn…

IT’S not just Scotland and Ireland that the Springboks will have to worry about in Pool B of the World Cup in France later this year, but one of the Pacific Island teams can also cause some headaches for the world champions. Tonga, who form part of the ‘group of death’, and their coach, former Wallaby international Toutai Kefu, are assembling a stellar line-up for their campaign loaded with internationals from different tier-one countries. Just like the Boks made use of World Rugby’s Regulation 8 to get the services of South African Irish lock Jean Kleyn as they prepare for the World Cup, Tonga have several former All Blacks and Australian players in their current squad. The regulation allows players to switch from one country to another on birth or…