Star -julkaisun 2023-05-11 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

SOUTH African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago has outlined the challenge facing the central bank in fighting inflation with a “very constrained policy toolkit” on the back of rising prices globally, a weaker rand and slow domestic economic growth. Kganyago was delivering a lecture on “Challenges facing the global economy: a South African perspective” at the University of Johannesburg. This comes as SARB is expected to raise its benchmark lending rate by another 25 basis points this month, in a bid to tame persistently elevated consumer inflation. SARB’s hiking cycle has had a crippling effect on the purchasing power of South African households, with more disposable income going to servicing the rising cost of borrowing. Kganyago yesterday said SARB’s Monetary Policy Committee had had to act decisively to prevent…

SOUTH African lawmakers have hauled Eskom’s top brass over the coals for failing to investigate serious wrongdoing, fraud and corruption at the power utility, following allegations made by former group CEO, André de Ruyter. De Ruyter deposed an affidavit to Parliament last month, formally stating his televised allegations of corruption amounting to R1 billion a month at Eskom by at least four politically connected cartels. Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) yesterday, that the board had convened a special meeting with De Ruyter to discuss his shocking allegations and their impact. He said the board was of the view that some of the utterances De Ruyter made had brought the utility into disrepute, and that the board had resolved to agree to the…

THE FOSCHINI Group (TFG) said yesterday it had had lost nearly 700 000 hours of trading due to load shedding in South Africa, which shaved off retail turnover by in excess of R1.5 billion for the financial year 2023. As a result the retailer was defending its gross margin and was in a consolidation phase as it slows down its store roll-outs and tightens up expenditure. In a trading update for quarter four (Q4) for the financial year 2023 and the 12 months ended March 31, 2023, it said TFG Africa lost, conservatively, 360 000 trading hours during the 12 months ended March 31, 2023 (FY2023). “The true impact, however, has been estimated at more than double this figure (ie 730 000 lost trading hours) as…

A woman who described her role in the Rivers of Living Waters Church as a “prayer warrior” told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria that the day their leader, Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, “shoved his private part into her mouth, she could see he is not a man of God”. The alleged victim, who claimed that Zondo sexually violated her in December 2018 in an office at the church, was grilled by the bishop’s advocate for the second day about her allegations. The elegant-looking woman, who said she holds a Master’s degree and occupies a high position within the Education Department, earlier broke down as she testified that while Zondo prayed for her in his office, she felt him shoving his private part into her mouth. Defence advocate Piet Pistorius SC…

THE ANC said it was outraged by allegations of barbaric rape and sexual abuse against two of its councillors in Matlosana, North West, and eMalahleni, Mpumalanga respectively. The party said the abuse and exploitation of women and children were an intolerable affront to the values of the ANC. On Tuesday, the Orkney Magistrate’s Court deferred the case against Tebogo Sepale, 43, a councillor at the Matlosana Local Municipality, to May 17 for legal representation. The National Prosecuting Authority said Sepale requested a week to appoint a private attorney to represent him, and he will remain in police custody until his next court appearance. “Sepale is facing 11 provisional charges: two for statutory rape, three for the violation of a child’s consent, one for manufacturing pornographic material, four for rape, and…

There are about 970 million people in the world with mental health disorders. This was revealed by the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Report. The report revealed that in 2019, 14% of those affected were in the 10 – 19 age group. According to the WHO, suicide is one of the leading causes of death: in 2019, more than 700 000 people died by suicide: one in every 100 deaths. Suicide was ruled as fourth leading cause of death in the 15 – 29 age group. The director-general of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the Covid pandemic took a huge toll on people’s mental health. He said the rates of already common conditions such as depression and anxiety went up by more than 25% in the first…

With gender-based violence and femicide widespread problems in South Africa, many hoped that Thuli P’s case would take a different turn. Her withdrawal of charges against DJ Maphorisa was met with a wave of disappointment, although it was no surprise to some. The former Generations: The Legacy actress, real name Thulisile Phongolo, has joined a list of women who have opted to withdraw assault charges against their partners. Phongolo, who alleged that she was physically attacked by the popular amapiano DJ, real name Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, with many infuriated by her decision. Women For Change (WFC), a non-profit organisation that advocates for the constitutional rights of women and children in South Africa, also weighed in on Phongolo’s decision. The organisation educates, advocates,…

A property owner whose boundary wall was found by the Western Cape High Court to have encroached on a neighbour’s property has been given until Tuesday to demolish the wall voluntarily, or be forced to pay for its demolition by the affected neighbour. Judge Phillipa van Zyl issued an order for the demolition of the wall between two adjacent properties in Langa after she found that the wall, built by the developer of the properties before either owner bought theirs, meant the aggrieved party stood to “lose the increase in the value of her property”. Nomnandi Mbane and Babalwa Gxenya own adjacent properties in Langa’s Gumbi Close, which they both bought in 2005. The properties are physically separated by a concrete wall on the western boundary of Mbane’s property, and…

WITH fuel prices constantly fluctuating, mostly increasing, South African motorists have had to bear the brunt of various factors beyond their control that has a serious impact on their budget. For this reason diesel engines continue to be popular locally but they are becoming scarcer, especially with local importers, as global legislation frowns on oil burners no matter how technology has advanced in terms of their CO2 emissions. For now, at least, Kia have bucked the trend with the introduction of the CRDi Sportage to complement the 1.6-litre turbo-charged petrol range launched last September, in the compact and medium SUV segment. There aren’t many diesel options available in the segment. The CRDi engine is good for 100kW and 320Nm powering the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.…

The eThekwini Municipality is engulfed in challenges that have resulted in it being put under administration, all because of lack of service delivery and its failure to use the budget allocated to it to look after the interests of its residents. Instead of fixing the problems it faced, the city has apparently failed to disburse R300 million of its grant funding, including that for disaster management. For months now, the city has been embroiled in endless infighting, with the ANC-led municipality removing the then-deputy mayor and leader of Abantu Batho Congress, councillor Philani Mavundla. Opposition parties and many sectors of society began calling for the mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda to resign. The city’s failure to spend the about R322 million grant provided by the provincial government has raised red flags, resulting…

They say a week is a long time in football, and for Kaizer Chiefs, the past two weekends must still weigh heavily on their shoulders as a potentially positive conclusion to their season may have gone. Amakhosi’s defeat to Soweto rivals Swallows FC in the Premiership and a semi-final loss to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup have ruled out a possible return to the CAF Champions League and an opportunity to take home any silverware. This means the Naturena-based club are now going to suffer a ninth year without a trophy. Chiefs, led by under-pressure coach Arthur Zwane, will next take to the field for perhaps their only ‘cup final’ this season: a huge clash against SuperSport United. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium will host this titanic battle on Saturday…

Psychological blows will want to be landed on Saturday when Orlando Pirates face Sekhukhune United in the penultimate round of the Premiership. The two Gauteng teams are set to face each other in the Nedbank Cup final at the end of May, and although both teams will certainly play down that encounter when discussing their league clash this weekend, one suspects it will occupy a healthy space at the back of each club’s collective minds. The match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off) is a crucial one, and it will be up to coaches Jose Riveiro and Brandon Truter to keep their charges focussed on their respective target and objectives. The Sea Robbers, after all, are looking to secure second spot and CAF Champions League qualification for next season,…

Regular matches between New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides and teams from Japan’s League One could be on the cards after the countries’ rugby unions signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday. The agreement, aimed at helping the game grow across the Asia-Pacific region, will also see New Zealand and Japan meeting more regularly in internationals for both men and women at all levels. “We have a long-standing and strong history of collaboration and mutual respect on and off the field,” said New Zealand Rugby (NZR) chief executive Mark Robinson. “The intention is for teams across the spectrum to play more regular matches, while also looking at how our men’s and women’s competitions could work together in the longer term.” Beneath Test level, Japanese rugby has been carrying on in isolation…

The Sharks travel to the defending champion Pumas for a vital Currie Cup game tomorrow (5.05pm kick-off), but they are in no hurry to boost their team with reinforcements from the United Rugby Championship (URC) squad that lost to Leinster last week. Instead, the URC players are going to have to work hard to force their way into Joey Mongalo’s side, who have won three games in a row, including impressive away victories over the Cheetahs and Blue Bulls. Reniel Hugo has been captaining the side, and he said that those who played a lot of rugby in the URC and the Champions Cup will enjoy a few days off, but then will have to put their hand up to make the Currie Cup side. “There are guys coming back…

Big plunge in half-year earnings because of ‘uncertainty of future cash flows’ SHARES in Transaction Capital, the holding company for SA Taxi and used-car firm WeBuyCars, plunged by more than 35% on the JSE yesterday after it reported a worse-than-expected fall in half-year earnings, with analysts saying this was because of uncertainty regarding the group’s future cash flows. The shares later closed the day on the JSE at R7.11. Transaction Capital fell into a massive loss of nearly R1.9 billion in the interim period to end March, retreating off a R615 million profit in the prior year’s contrasting period. This meant the company was skipping a dividend payment to shareholders. Core earnings on a continuing basis for the group amounted to R353m, down 46% on the previous…

JSE LIMITED shareholders have called for the bourse to review the way it conducts its business, and requested it to consider share buybacks for shareholders while listing more companies on the exchange. Speaking at the JSE’s annual general meeting on Tuesday, shareholder Howard Lowenthal said the JSE issuers were complaining about the red tape. “We’ve got a big moat. We don’t need you investing our cash for us. Warren Buffett will tell you that he’s never paid a dividend at Berkshire Hathaway, and they embark on share buybacks, and so do numerous others”, Lowenthal said. “We are appealing to you to review despite all the hard work that goes on here. Quality of earnings. All of these things are vital and required regardless. But R94 on an 8% dividend yield?…

BUSINESS leaders in Zimbabwe are concerned that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is seeking to institute price controls after the cabinet resolved on Tuesday to engage manufacturers, retailers and other businesses over the current spate of price increases sparked by continued loss in value for the local currency. Zimbabwe’s local unit of exchange has been nose-diving in the past few weeks, plunging to US$1:ZW$2 200 on the parallel foreign exchange market this week, compared to nearly half of that value on official channels. This has sparked a new wave of daily price increases for goods and commodities. “The cabinet is concerned by the spiralling prices of the 14 basic goods, especially bread, flour, cooking oil and mealie-meal. The Minister of Industry and Commerce is already engaging the concerned stakeholders including…

It’s been a while since viewers last saw some of our favourite African stars put their lives on display and have been waiting patiently for their return. Thankfully, the wait is almost over with exactly eight days to go until season two of Young, Famous & African premières on Netflix. This time around, the likes of Khanyi Mbau, Nadia Nakai, Swanky Jerry, Andile Ncube, Naked DJ, Zari Hassan, 2Baba, Kayleigh Schwark and Annie Macaulay-Idibia will be joined by a few familiar faces like media personality, Bonang Matheba, Ghanaian singer, Fantana and renowned fashion designer, TV personality, entrepreneur, model and children’s show creator, Luis Munana. After watching the newly released trailer, we totally agree with Mbau when she says, “Wow, what a mess!” The tantalising, can’t-look-away trailer reveals a blow-up between…

l Law enforcement let us down, says former chairperson Makgoba THE directors of the board and executives of Eskom said yesterday they did not have the intelligence report commissioned by former CEO André de Ruyter into corruption at the embattled entity. This emerged when Eskom appeared before the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to answer questions related to allegations that De Ruyter made in an interview with public broadcaster eNCA on corruption, criminal activities and maladministration. Board chairperson Mpho Makwana said the new board had no knowledge of the intelligence report. “The executive has no sight or knowledge of it. As the board we don’t have anything in writing or in any format that articulates this intelligence report other than what we read or heard in the media,” he…

Layton Mabalane, a resident of Ha-Matsika, quit his job in order to assist individuals who have been having difficulty obtaining their citizenship documents. Mabalane realised how many people were living without IDs, how difficult it was for new mothers to obtain birth certificates for their children, and how difficult it was for families to bury loved ones without IDs, so he made the decision to start the Limpopo Show Foundation in 2017. “I used to work in a Johannesburg Builders Warehouse, where I was helping people to apply for jobs before I started my foundation. I realised that the majority of people who came to apply or look for jobs did not have all the needed documents. “I realised that there are a lot of people who do not have…

THE friend of slain Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has denied ever providing officials with a description of the gun that was used by the intruders who accosted them at the Vosloorus home of Kelly Khumalo in 2014. Mthokozisi Thwala, under cross-examination by advocate Charles Mnisi, denied that he had provided the sketch artist with a description of one of the intruders wielding “an old revolver” upon entering the home. Thwala said he never mentioned the type of gun as he didn’t know the types of guns available, and that the sketch artist may have included that detail on their own. This was despite Thwala previously testifying while under cross-examination by advocate Sipho Ramosepele that the gun in the intruder’s possession was short and not long. Mnisi also questioned the…

The cosy cuddling season is officially here as temperatures drop. Pack your bags, grab your significant other, and travel to the following locations for a romantic baecation right in your own neighbourhood: Hartbeespoort (North West) This town is a true jewel with its stunning views of the Magaliesberg mountains and the Hartbeespoort Dam. Numerous romantic activities are available for couples, including hot-air balloon excursions, sunset cruises, horseback riding and hiking. There also adventure activities like zip lining and quad biking A romantic dinner and a bottle of wine may be had while admiring the breathtaking environment, and the area is also home to a number of wineries and eateries. God’s Window (Mpumalanga) God’s Window, on the Panorama Route in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, has unparalleled natural beauty and…

Seeing her age-mates attending lecture classes every day while doing her job as a security guard at Mangosuthu University of Technology is what inspired Zonke Ndaleni to enrol for diploma in public management in 2020. “Seeing students who are at my age every day attending lectures, I got inspired to go back and study, since I already had a matric certificate. That is when I decided to enrol for a public administration diploma. Also I wanted to change my life for the better and become a successful woman.” Ndaleni, who graduated with a diploma in public administration at MUT, is still aiming high and doing an advanced diploma in public management. “It was difficult to find balance between working time and academics. I had to sacrifice my off days, like…

At the fifth Global Conference on Biodiversity Finance in Cape Town, governments from a variety of countries, academics and the private sector stressed the importance of “moving money” for biodiversity to close the significant biodiversity funding gap in developing countries – or face unprecedented ecosystem collapse. Delegates at the conference at the Table Bay Hotel, from over 40 countries, explored biodiversity finance solutions from Tuesday till today to address challenges in biodiversity protection, which is in severe decline due to a combination of conflicting private and public interests, incoherent policy and governance, and insufficient financing. The conference was hosted by the South African government and UN Development Programme’s flagship Biodiversity Finance Initiative (Biofin) – which works with countries to create sustainable finance solutions to protect and nurture biodiversity. Inger Anderson,…

Mayville township in Durban is facing food insecurity, the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Food insecurity is a major problem globally and affects millions of people, and the situation in Mayville is no exception. The township is home to a diverse population, many of whom rely on low-paying jobs and struggle to make ends meet. As a result, many families are forced to make difficult choices about how to allocate their limited resources and often must choose between buying food or paying for other necessities such as housing, health care and education. In Mayville, the cost of living is high and many families find it difficult to afford healthy and nutritious food. Moreover, the situation was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic,…

LAUNCHED earlier this year, the New Ford Raptor has taken the popular South African bakkie market by storm. In fact they’re so popular that as they land from Thailand they’re sold to happy customers who continue to put their names on waiting lists. So why not take the petrol V6 3.0-litre twin-turbo with 292kW and 583Nm to the Simola Hillclimb and see what a stock standard bakkie can do? Which is what Ford did to show that apart from its undeniable off-road prowess, it’s able to scuttle up a 1.9 kilometre stretch of tar in one of the most popular motorsport events in South Africa. With well-known racing driver Anthony Taylor at the wheel, the Ranger Raptor quickly became a crowd favourite as it carved its way up the hill.…

Following South Africa’s automatic qualification for the 50-over World Cup, a relieved Proteas limited-overs coach Rob Walter says the idea of Faf du Plessis being selected in the squad is unlikely. Calls for Du Plessis to be part of the Proteas’ white-ball set-up have grown exponentially following the 38-year-old’s 500-plus runs in this year’s Indian Premier League T20. Walter, though, insists it is “unlikely“ that Du Plessis will be part of the one-day international squad, although he did not entirely rule it out. “First and foremost, for 50-over cricket, there’s a slight chance, but not a great one, that Faf would play,” Walter told Independent Media yesterday. “He’s got a few things that he needs to take care of physically that will allow him to continue to play T20 cricket,…

For once Manchester City goal monster Erling Haaland was shackled but when his side needed a moment of magic, the old reliable Kevin De Bruyne conjured it against Real Madrid in an absorbing Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday night. The 31-year-old De Bruyne, like the rest of City’s high-quality collection of internationals, has been outshone by Haaland’s record-shredding first season in England. Norwegian powerhouse Haaland has netted 51 goals in all competitions, but he found Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba a little less accommodating than the Premier League centre-backs he has bullied mercilessly all season. He was kept relatively quiet, with Alaba denying him with one sensational covering tackle, but De Bruyne popped up to make sure City emerged from the Bernabeu with a 1-1 draw.…

How much anger and intensity the Stormers pitch up with in Saturday’s URC semi-final against Connacht is in their own hands. That’s why captain Steven Kitshoff wants his team to lay down a marker early on in the match to prevent their opponents, who are heading to Cape Town Stadium as underdogs, from getting their tails in the air. Over 32 000 tickets have already been sold for the semi-final (4pm kick-off), with another vocal, capacity crowd expected to get behind the home side. But Kitshoff has warned about the ‘dawg’ (fighting spirit) in Connacht, who will be buoyed after an unexpected victory over Ulster in last weekend’s quarter-final in Belfast. “They are a tough team and also have a good run of form of late, with a couple of…

SOUTH Africa’s 44 basic basic food items basket as tracked by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMEJDG) had surpassed the R5 000 mark to R5 023.95, way above the around R4 000 minimum wage, programme co-ordinator at the organisation Mervyn Abrahams said yesterday. Consumers are facing the increasing pressure consumers of higher food prices and persistent load shedding, he said. Abrahams said there had been a R481, or 10.6%, year-on-year increase in the current crisis that was largely precipitated by loadshedding. “People are cutting back. The cost of the baskets exceeds the general workers salary and many people cannot afford that in the townships. “This may lead to major health issues when people have to cook a meal for two days, they cannot buy…

TRADE union Solidarity announced yesterday that it had served a summons on President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Department of Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi, the Director-General of Employment and Labour, and the Employment Equity Commission over the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of 2020. The union said it had taken these steps after the President, earlier this year, signed the amendment bill on employment equity. Solidarity said it disputed the constitutionality of the amendment bill in its court papers. It said it further contends that this law is contrary to international labour conventions and that the government is guilty of being in contempt of such conventions. Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said: “The level at which the government wants to normalise discrimination in the workplace is shocking. The government wants to…

While the leader of Rivers of the Living Waters Church, Bafana Steven Zondo, appeared at the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria yesterday on charges of rape and sexual assault, his counterpart, the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) Jerusalem faction leader, Michael Sandlana, appeared at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption. He had been arrested after his wife Benedicta Sandlana opened a case against him. Benedicta made the discovery that fraud had been perpetrated against her after she struggled to conduct transactions using her bank account. Benedicta opened another fraud case with Alberton police when she allegedly found out that the ownership of her Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which was previously registered in her name, had been changed. Last month, The Star reported that the SAPS had a hot potato on…

The ANC/EFF coalition in the Ekurhuleni Metro is under threat following Julius Malema’s tweet that the majority party in the council was allegedly responsible for the theft of waste collection trucks while still in power. Malema posted the damning tweet on his Twitter account, which has millions of followers, alleging that “on its database, the city of Ekurhuleni has 103 waste collection trucks. Since the EFF occupied the office of the MMC (member of the mayoral committee) for waste management, we can only confirm the existence of 32 trucks, meaning these thieves, before us, have stolen 71 trucks of the city. “We call on the people of Ekurhuleni to alert the EFF and SAPS wherever you see a waste collection truck, the possibility is that it is stolen!” Malema wrote.…

WASTE collection is not simply digging in dirty trash bins and sorting out rubbish – it is a way of making a living while ensuring a clean community, says a KwaZulu-Natal woman who gave up her normal day job to scratch around for waste discovered. In 2014, Nokubonga Mnyango quit her job as a driver-cum-admin clerk at a wood chipping mill in Richards Bay for what some community members described as “digging in dirty dustbins”. Today, she runs two thriving buy-back centres in Empangeni, employing 22 full-time staff and supporting 100 waste collectors in the community. Her hard work and passion for recycling have been recognised by South Africa’s longest-standing producer responsibility organisation, Petco, who on behalf of its members have supported her journey from wastepreneur to buy-back centre owner.…

Sandile Cedric Mfusi Jr., also known as Masandi, is an inspirational soul musician, songwriter, and actor raised in Durban. Driven by passion, Mfusi was always drawn to pursue entertainment because he believed he could become something big. Mfusi is a born entertainer who, at seven, began performing at church and local talent shows. “It was at this time that I became the lead trumpeter position in the school brass band,” he said. He said he’s always believed that his gifts were God-given, and he knew that in order for him to fulfil those dreams, he would have to work hard. “It takes a lot of patience and endurance to become a recognisable artist because I have waited for years to actually make it in the industry, which inspires me to…

The difference between First and Third World countries, sometimes called developing countries, was glaringly and aptly displayed, following the coronation of King Charles III. I don’t know what effect those pictures of extreme opulence had on the majority of spectators and readers, but no doubt to many revolutionaries it hurt like hell. There were even those who have started calling for the return of that largest diamond in the world, that was taken from South Africa by British colonialists when they conquered South Africa; a reminder of a painful past. But we can’t cry over spilt milk. The coronation, with the celebration of all their traditions, was not intended as a means to gloat, but it was simply exercising a ritual that was established many centuries ago, therefore what belongs…

THERE may have been an ultimate winner for the King of the Hill title at the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna at the weekend, but if you had to ask anyone who the real star of the show was, it would hands down be Petter Solberg in his VW Polo R WRX Supercar. Both the car and the Norwegian former World Rally champion and Rallycross champion were coaxed out of retirement by Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa – and it proved to be an inspired decision, lighting up the tar and the Modified Saloon Cars. His flamboyant style, pleasant demeanour and incredible ability to take the turbo-charged, two-litre, four cylinder all-wheel drive with 419kW and 650Nm of torque up the hill at full tilt left spectators and fellow competitors amazed at the…

Mamelodi Sundowns expect to face a Wydad Casablanca side who will play a slightly higher defensive line than they used to when the two teams meet in their Champions League first leg semi-final at Stade Mohammed V on Saturday (9pm kick-off). The Brazilians’ coach Rulani Mokwena said that he has studied their perennial Champions League adversaries, who are now under the guidance of a new coach, and has spotted a difference in their approach. “The new coach, there’s not too much in terms of the profile of the team that has changed. The profile of the team before the coach was (that they had) very good players, very aggressive wing play, very aggressive possibility to threaten on the counter-attack,” Mokwena explained, having said that he and his team had spent…

The dream of CAF Confederation Cup glory for Marumo Gallants hangs in the balance after a 2-0 semi-final first leg loss to Young Africans yesterday which could so easily have been kept to just one goal. But late in the match inside the magnificent National Stadium of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Gallants failed to live up to their name. At 1-0 with just the four minutes of added time to play, all theyhad to do was hold on for a narrow defeat. Substitute Bernard Morrison gave the home side the cushion that will see them make the trip to South Africa for the second leg at Royal Bafokeng Stadium with confidence. The Ghanaian was on the end of a counter-attack that saw Washington Arubi having to leave his goal…

The Blitzboks have arrived in Toulouse with a squad boosted by a core of experienced players who have returned for the final two legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The France Sevens is the penultimate tournament of the current World Series, and assistant coach Philip Snyman has welcomed back old campaigners in Justin Geduld, Dewald Human, Ronald Brown, Shilton van Wyk and James Murphy. Snyman, himself a former Blitzboks captain, said that they are not expecting miracles from these five, but said they add confidence to a squad that has been rocked by injuries. Half a dozen debutants have been among the 28 players the Springbok Sevens squad have been forced to use. “We have a lot of playmakers back, and that changes things. The reality is that they…

Tristan Stubbs may not recently have hit the highs that attracted the attention of T20 franchise owners around the world, but he is not letting it get him down. Stubbs, still only 22, shot the lights out in Cricket South Africa’s T20 Challenge in Gqeberha last year, when he muscled 293 runs at an average of 48.33 and strike-rate of 183.13. It earned Stubbs promotion to the Proteas’ T20 squad, where he booked his place for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia with a blistering 72 in his first international innings against England in Bristol. That set a whirlwind of events in motion, with Stubbs being picked up by Indian Premier League (IPL) powerhouse the Mumbai Indians and the Manchester Originals in England’s Hundred competition, before the Sunrisers Eastern…