Table of contents for 2023-05-16 in Star

THE IMPACT of South Africa’s energy crisis that has resulted in mining companies failing to sustain production is dimming the outlook for global platinum output. According to the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), “refined mine production declined 8%” or by 96 000 ounces in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year. Compared to the fourth quarter period demand, the global refined platinum output is down by as much as 11% or by about 151 000 ounces. “Output in South Africa declined 14% (or by 119 000 ounces) year-on- year as smelter maintenance and the impact of the ongoing electricity shortages hampered output,” the WPIC said in a quarterly report released yesterday. For South Africa, the Eskom power deficiency is casting an uncertain…

SOUTH Africa needs to invest in building between 5 000MW and 6 000MW of renewable energy every year until at least 2030, while slowly decommissioning ageing coal-fired power plants at a reasonable pace to deal with the ongoing power crisis. These are some of the recommendations of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), which could appear in the upcoming energy-mix policy that is being reviewed currently in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2019). The PCC yesterday released two reports on South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP) following extensive public consultations and stakeholder engagements within the first three months of this year. PCC executive director Dr Crispian Olver said the focus of solving the dire energy crisis should be getting as much public and private investment in renewables…

VODACOM Group said yesterday its headline earnings had dropped by 6.4% due to load shedding and the global economic slowdown. In its preliminary results for the year ended March 31, 2023, released yesterday, the mobile operator said its headline earnings came to 948 cents, a drop from the 1 013c posted a year ago. The group reported that it declared a 670c per share dividend from income reserves, which is 21.2% less than the 850c per share dividend it declared last year. It said the dividend payment was in line with its new dividend policy of paying out at least 75% of headline earnings. Its revenue for the year increased by 16% to R119 billion led by the purchase of a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt,…

“TRUST but verify” was a favourite saying of former US president Ronald Reagan during the arms-reduction talks with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s. The message conveyed by Reagan to Gorbachev was clear – we don’t trust you. The same words of wisdom could apply equally to chatbots such as ChatGPT, which are taking the world by storm, because of their ability to generate seemingly well-informed responses, within milliseconds, in response to human input queries. The danger for users of this technology is that the output from the chatbots is often accepted without question. This danger is attributable to several factors. First, chatbots have been marketed by the developers as a category of artificial intelligence (AI). The categorisation immediately signals to users that chatbots are imbued with humanlike…

The Covid-19 pandemic has made many of us more aware of the importance of hygiene, and disinfectant wipes and sprays have become increasingly popular in households and public spaces alike. However, a new peer-reviewed study (“Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A Chemical Class of Emerging Concern”) published in The Guardian has highlighted the potential health risks associated with the use of disinfectant wipes containing a group of chemicals called “quats”. The study has raised concerns about the long-term effects of the chemicals in many popular disinfectant wipes and sprays. Among the concerns raised by the study, co-authored by toxicologists at Michigan State University and published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, is that quats are not particularly effective at killing germs, and contribute to antimicrobial resistance, pollute the environment and are…

A further unscheduled delay to the resumption of the committee for section 194 inquiry into suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office means that hearings will only resume tomorrow. This latest delay comes after an ultimatum from House Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for the committee to either meet its deadline for the end of this month or abandon the process. On Friday, Mapisa-Nqakula said she was concerned about the numerous delays in the impeachment inquiry and said she feared that if the process was abandoned, the auditor-general would make an audit finding against Parliament. “The people who will bear the brunt of the criticism will be Parliament, as though it is our problem. It’s not our problem. It cannot be our problem.” The committee was established on March…

Eskom remains committed to keeping the lights on, this as more shocking allegations about maladministration and corruption at the state-owned utility have been revealed in a book by former Eskom chief executive, André de Ruyter. In his three years as Eskom’s CEO, De Ruyter writes, he learned how the utility “was crippled by corruption on a staggering scale.” Penguin Random House South Africa’s website said the book details how De Ruyter took the helm as Eskom CEO in 2020, and realised why it was considered the “toughest job in South Africa”. In a post shared on the publisher’s website, it stated: “In his explosive memoir, Truth to Power, De Ruyter candidly reflects on his three years at the power utility, his successes and failures; his reasons for leaving; and his…

In a display of unity, political parties and parliamentarians, civic organisations and ardent supporters of Palestine and the liberation of its people, gathered at the Castle of Good Hope to commemorate Nakba Day. Predominantly held on May 15 annually, Nakba Day highlights the dispossession of land and expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland. The programme was hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign on Saturday, and began with a simulation of Israeli checkpoints, regimentation, control and caging of people depicting Palestinian lived experiences, as part of experiential learning. Political parties present and among the speakers were the ANC, EFF, Al Jama-ah, and the NFP. The keynote address was delivered by activist Reverend Dr Allan Boesak. Talks included cultural pieces from young people, including poetry and musical items. “Archbishop Desmond Tutu was…

AFTER months of service delivery hanging in limbo at the City of Tshwane due to political bickering in the coalition government, the metro has finally taken steps to fast-track things. The municipality, through its mayor Cilliers Brink, last week announced that first on its list was to fix the city’s finances. The city has also closed two of its nine garden refuse sites as part of plans to improve operations and management, according to city spokesperson Lindela Mashigo. Mashigo said the Kruger Avenue and the Watloo garden refuse sites would be closed until May 21, to allow the city to clear the backlog at the sites. “The two sites form part of the six that are experiencing high volumes of garden waste. Residents and garden service businesses who make use…

The EFF in Gauteng has accused Premier Panyaza Lesufi of using the Expanded Public Works programme (EPWP) to win over ANC volunteers before the national elections next year. On Sunday, the premier, in yet another move to create jobs in the province, launched a Cleaning and Greening EPWP which is set to employ at least 6 000 residents. The launch of the programme took place at Dobsonville Stadium, Soweto. Lesufi said the programme was meant to address littering and illegal dumping in the province, adding that he would be cutting the budget for food parcels in order to create more work opportunities. Hundreds of recruits were in attendance, with the premier saying at least 6 000 people have received temporary employment through the programme to reduce the levels of dirt…

It was supposed to be a good season, the kind of campaign that would see Kaizer Chiefs’ management boasting about finally getting it right after making so much changes. Instead, Amakhosi will endure yet another barren season, a record eighth successive campaign without silverware. As if failing to win to trophy wasn’t bad enough, the club that was for years South Africa’s footballing kings also missed out on a top-three finish in the Premiership. That’s why Chiefs founder Kaizer Motaung has a daunting task on his hands if he is to get the club back to their glory days. He thought he had done that with the major technical appointments he made this season, but with no change in fortunes, what does Motaung do now? Does he exercise patience with…

Manchester City are on the brink of retaining the Premier League title after Arsenal's challenge crumbled in a 3-0 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday. City also did their bit to close on a fifth title in six seasons as Ilkay Gundogan starred with two stunning goals in a 3-0 win at Everton. At the other end of the table, Southampton's fate was sealed by a 2-0 defeat at Fulham to end their 11-year stay in the top flight. Here, we look at the key talking points from the Premier League weekend. Evergreen Gundogan going out in style Gundogan appears to be coming to the end of his seven-season stint at City with the German's contract expiring at the end of the season and Barcelona reportedly set to pounce. The…

Brad Binder invoked the rule of three as he reflected on his performance at the French Grand Prix on Sunday and while he rightly expressed disappointment, the weekend remained a relative success for him and his team. The 27-year-old came second in the sprint on Saturday and followed up that performance with a sixth-place finish in the grand prix in Le Mans. He started 10th on Sunday and his eventual classification remained an indication of how strong his Red Bull KTM could possibly be in the races to come. “I had a really good feeling for the race and had a fantastic start, but unfortunately in Turn 4, someone hit the side of me, and I went from sixth-seventh all the way back outside the top 20,” said Binder. “A…

Ockie Strydom will make his Major debut as one of four South Africans in the field for this week’s 105th PGA Championship, which tees off at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, on Thursday. Strydom said he is determined not to let the occasion change his focus for the week. “I’m trying not to approach anything differently,” he said via a Sunshine Tour statement yesterday. “It definitely sounds nice to say I’m playing in Majors, and it’s a word that changes the mindset. But I’ll try and approach it as just another golf tournament where I have the opportunity to play against the best players in the world.” Strydom will be joined in the field by Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Thriston Lawrence and Dean Burmester. Lawrence will also be making…

AS HIGHER stages of power cuts intensify due to constrained supply, Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has urged indus- tries to stay updated with information from their electricity service providers and keep abreast of system outlooks. This comes as Eskom yesterday implemented stage 6 load shedding an hour before schedule, due to the cold weather and the failure of two generating units. The struggling power utility has alluded to higher stages of load shedding in the winter months from June to August on the back of severe cold weather and deteriorating generation capacity. Eskom has put in place protocols up to stage 16 load by updating the third edition NRS048-9 document which would, in unforeseen emergencies, allow the system operator to implement drastic load shedding beyond stage…

CALGRO M3 exited 2023 as a more sustainable business with a robust balance sheet and strong earnings growth off continuing demand for its lifestyle-focused housing developments and memorial parks. Revenue has increased by 15.4% to R1.5 billion. Headline earnings per share increased 45.01% to 153.18 cents in the year to February 28, the highest ever achieved by the group. The gross profit margin improved to 23.5% from 21.3%, within the target range of 20% to 25% Net debt to equity decreased to 0.62 from 0.71. “We learnt some hard lessons from previous cycles. These results are based on our sustainable, well-diversified project rollout, a robust balance sheet featuring the lowest liabilities in seven years, and a net debt-to-equity ratio at an impressive 10-year low,” said group CEO…

RAUBEX Group’s secured order book of R20.04 billion and contract opportunities still pending adjudication were significant in value and encouraging from a market perspective, CEO Felicia Msiza said yesterday. The market welcomed the annual results, with its shares surging 6% in morning trade to an intraday high of R25.64. Later in the day the share moderated lower to close the day at R25. The group’s four divisions – Materials Handling and Mining; Construction Materials; Roads and Earthworks; and Infrastructure – lifted revenue 32.2% to R15.31bn in the year to February 28, supported mainly by SA National Roads Agency projects in KwaZulu-Natal, the Beitbridge Border Post project in Zimbabwe, and operations in Western Australia. Full year results for Bauba Resources were also consolidated for the first time. Msiza said the…

OVER THE PAST few days, I spent some time in the belly of global tech in Silicon Valley. I was there to attend the historical Google event, Google IO 2023. The tech giant had not hosted the event in three years, ever since we’ve had the pandemic. It comes at a time when many thought Google was under siege as the global tech movement is headed towards artificial intelligence (AI). Over the past few months, Open AI debuted something that almost shifted mindsets about Microsoft. ChatGPT, a product by OpenAI that has Microsoft’s backing has been seen as something that would change innovation perceptions about Microsoft. In fact, some who left when Microsoft was losing browser wars with Internet Explorer tried to go back, hoping to experience the ChatGPT…

The rights, obligations, liabilities, and statuses related to fatherhood are all social institutions, according to a study by the Sociology Group. The distinction between the words “father”, “fathering”, and “fatherhood” is helpful. The first is the link established (whether social or biological) between a certain child and a specific man. The second is behaviour: the real ways in which parenting is “done”. The third speaks to broader beliefs and social connotations connected to fatherhood. Numerous academic disciplines do parenting research, and fatherhood commentary in fiction and non-fiction has also become prevalent. Researchers in the social sciences interested in development use quantitative methods to examine the impact of father-child relationships and paternal influence on the well-being of dads and children. A Master’s degree study discovered that most fathers had a desire…

EFF leader Julius Malema yesterday said the solution to the energy crisis was not a minister of electricity. Addressing the media after the party’s central command team meeting, Malema said the Red Berets would not push for powers to be given to Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. “Why must we ask for more powers for him? These (energy crisis) solutions require no new ministry. “We don’t want a minister of electricity. Take electricity from (Department of) Public Enterprises and put it in Energy, that is where it is supposed to be,” he said. Malema said the EFF did not support Ramokgopa and that he must go. “He is paid a lot of money we don’t have. The government needs every little cent we spend on Sputla, who is not going…

The African People’s Convention (APC) has called for the removal of Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, which the party blames for longer stages of load shedding and poor performance. APC leader Themba Godi accused Gordhan of failing to fix the ailing state company, Eskom, and of being fingered as one of the problematic political figures at the company. Godi also accused Gordhan of having no compassion for the majority of the poor, who rely on public schools and hospitals. This comes after the minister said that his department would challenge a high court ruling exempting schools, police stations and hospitals from load shedding. ‘‘For me to hear the minister saying that he is appealing the ruling was perverse. Why is it that Cabinet ministers can be exempted from load…

Two prison warders are due in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court today on charges relating to corruption for allegedly hooking up with inmates in return for privileges, the Hawks said. Western Cape Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said a warrant officer and a sergeant were arrested yesterday. “Their arrest emanates from information received about suspected warders receiving money from inmates in January.” Hani said the two, aged 45 and 53, were arrested by the Hawks at the Goodwood Correctional Facility. The crime is alleged to have occurred between March 2020 and 2021. In a separate incident, a bookkeeper from George has been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment after she was convicted on 233 counts of fraud, alternatively, theft, in the George Regional Court. Gillian Mary Wileman, 56, stole R7.6 million from her…

The Senzo Meyiwa trial has hit another snag after a witness who was inside the house when the soccer star was killed brought an application to stop the media from showing visuals and audio of her testimony. The witness, who cannot be named pending a ruling by the court, was due to take the stand in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, yesterday. State prosecutor advocate George Baloyi said the witness feared for her safety should proceedings be broadcast. “Her standpoint is if she has to testify in an open court where there are live proceedings, she may have to reconsider testifying in this matter. The witness does not object to journalists being in the courtroom,” Baloyi said. The defence for all the accused was not pleased with the new development,…

The report, US Ambassador to South Africa apologises for Russia arms sales comments, refers: Based on past American security warnings, I would accept such statements with a “pinch of salt”. It should neither be ignored nor forgotten that many former American presidents used false flags to create panic in order to start a war to capture, subjugate and invade sovereign countries. A case in point is the illegal invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan by George W Bush. A similar casus bellis (occasion for war) or justification was used to validate the Vietnam War. Before going public with his unsupported announcement, why didn’t the US ambassador, Reuben Brigety, follow the proper channels in South Africa to raise his findings? Why issue an open-ended statement and cause unnecessary challenges for South Africans…

CHINA’S consul-general in Joburg Tang Zhongdong has led celebrations marking 25 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between South Africa and China. He reviewed the journey travelled since 1998 to the current day where the ties have reached unprecedented levels. At a prestigious event attended by several South African government officials, fellow diplomats and local and international media, Tang said the trade volume is at $56 billion (more than R1 trillion), a considerable rise from the $1 billion in 1998. “In 2022, China-South Africa trade volume grew up to $56.7 billion, 40 times more than that $1.56 billion in 1998. China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009, and South Africa has been China’s largest trading partner in Africa since 2010 with massive surplus,” Tang told…

A Durban snake catcher’s mother held a dead black mamba’s head so he could photograph the snake’s fangs. On Friday, Nick Evans said the black mamba was recently killed on a road and that gave him the opportunity to get the photographs. “My brave mother held the head of the snake, as I exposed the fangs and took the pics. No, she won’t grab a live mamba behind the head! Yes, she puts up with a lot,” Evans said. “As you’ll see, the front fixed fangs are relatively small (5mm±). However, they are extremely efficient and easily pass straight through the fur and skin of their prey (small mammals), as well as dogs, which frequently attack these large snakes,” Evans explained. “The hollow fangs work like hypodermic needles, injecting the…

The first of two Springbok preparation camps for May is set to start this week in Durban as the world champions get ready for the international rugby season in the southern hemisphere. Fifteen players – excluding the Stormers players who are playing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final in two weeks – will join Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber and his assistants for the camps. A handful of Stormers could join after their URC final against Munster. Nienaber wants to bring the rest of the players who were not part of the camps in February and March up to date with the Springboks’ planning, both on-and off-field, ahead of the Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup in France late this year. Fourteen Springboks joined the Bok coaches earlier this…

NO sooner had Polokwane City’s celebrations of their promotion back to South Africa’s top flight died down at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium than the football fraternity were installing them as favourites for relegation from the Premiership next season. The team from Limpopo’s capital lived up to their motto “Rise and Shine” by usurping Cape Town Spurs at the top of the standings via goal difference on the final day of the Motsepe Foundation Championship on Sunday to earn automatic promotion. Song and dance followed as players, club management and supporters turned the pitch into a sea of orange in celebration of Polokwane’s 4-0 victory over Pretoria Callies. The result meant they finished the season on the same 57 points as Cape Town Spurs who drew 1-1 with the University…

Joy Neville says selection on merit is more important to her than “tags and labels” as she prepares to become the first woman to officiate at a men's Rugby World Cup in France later this year. Neville has been selected as part of a seven-member TMO panel for the tournament and, while she understands the significance of the moment, wants to be acknowledged for her performance above all else. “I’d like to think that I’m there because I’m good enough,” Neville said. “I’ve always asked to be selected through merit and for no other reason – drop all the other tags and labels. “I understand there has to be a first and then the culture will change and hopefully more opportunity will open up for others to come…

Husband and wife team step down from country-wide billion-rand business DIS-CHEM Pharmacies is facing a new era as it yesterday announced that Ivan Saltzman, who co-founded Dis-Chem with his wife Lynette in 1978, would step down as CEO at the end of June, 2023. Under the Saltzmans, the drug group has grown from a start-up in 1978 to a major health products retailer, which listed on the JSE in November, 2016. It is now valued at roughly R20.3 billion, and competed with rival Clicks Pharmacies, which is valued at R62.5bn, trading as the largest dispensaries in the country. In a trading update yesterday, the group said Saltzman would remain an executive director on the board and continue to serve as an active member of the executive management team. “His…

META FAS FIXED a bug in Facebook that automatically sent friend requests whenever users visited a profile. According to The Daily Beast, the tech giant has apologised for the glitch after several Facebook users complained about the massive privacy breach on social media. “We fixed a bug related to a recent app update that caused some Facebook friend requests to be sent mistakenly. We’ve stopped this from happening and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused,” a Meta spokesperson was quoted as saying. One user posted on social media: “Facebook letting your stalkers be known today!” Another called it “the funniest thing Facebook has ever done”. According to some users, Facebook sent a request to a person they were attempting to block, the report mentioned. Several Facebook users…

Like skincare products, activewear is not a “one size fits all”. It doesn’t matter if you’re a gym bunny or starting out on your fitness journey, there are many things to consider before deciding what activewear to buy. Don’t compromise on activewear in a bid to save money. The breathability, flexibility, durability, quality and sustainability of the product are all important. Breathability Working out makes you sweat a lot. And there’s nothing worse than your clothes feeling sticky on your skin because they have trapped all your perspiration. You need something with a more breathable fabric that is able to absorb and release that moisture outwards and away from your body. Flexibility Any activewear must be stretchy and soft enough to allow you to move freely. Also, the clothing must…

Tea lovers will probably not like this one because most of them, especially the older generation born in the 1980s and earlier, like saving teabags. They use one teabag to make two cups of tea, and this was before the New Dawn. However, seeing that their favourite tea can be used in many ways should be thrilling. Moving with sustainability, most fashion brands are looking at natural resources to dye fabrics. Mushrooms, lichen, algae, plants and herbal tisanes, like rooibos, are some of the most sought-after natural resources by fashion designers. Adele du Toit, SA Rooibos Council spokesperson, says it’s great to see rooibos being used to dye everything from shawls to scarves, T-shirts, hoodies, dresses and trousers – because the fast fashion trend of rapidly producing inexpensive clothing by…

Theatre practitioner, choreographer and dance teacher Gregory Vuyani Maqoma has been named the 2023 Artfluence Human Rights Champion in recognition of his remarkable career, courage and commitment to social justice. The Soweto-born star was awarded this honour at the closing of the third annual Artfluence Human Rights Festival presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Launched in 2021 by the centre, the awards honour and celebrate individuals who advocate, promote and protect human rights through their craft. Maqoma was also recognised for being a pioneering voice defending artists’ rights during the Covid-19 pandemic. His visionary efforts led to the establishment of the Stand Foundation (Sustaining Theatre and Dance) which he chaired over the past two years. Maqoma has since passed the baton to child rights…

Tributes are pouring in for freedom fighter, Ambassador to Algeria and former spy boss Billy Masetlha, who passed away on Sunday after a long illness. The ANC hailed Masetlha, 68, for his dedication to the fight against apartheid. “The ANC dips its revolutionary banner in honour of one of its most loyal, disciplined and dedicated cadres,” said the party’s national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri. The party said Masetlha joined the Struggle at a young age when associating with the ANC attracted death and torture for the person and their family. The ANC said this dedication and choice to side with the oppressed is reflected in his membership of the Soweto Students Representative Council in 1976 and subsequent role in the 1976 uprisings. He joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, skipped the country in…

THE once thriving Magnolia Dell Park in Queen Wilhemina Drive in Muckleneuk, is still in a state of neglect despite promises to give it a new face. The park has long been a beloved treasure for residents and visitors to the capital city. Known for its stunning natural beauty and numerous recreational activities, the park was a popular destination for families and nature enthusiasts. But in recent years it has been neglected and though it was announced in 2021 that the park would be restored to its former beauty, nothing has changed. In 2021 business owners, city councillors, ratepayers’ association members and museum managers gathered to discuss the rehabilitation of the facility. Asked by the Pretoria News if there has been progress since the announcement in 2021, Huckleberry’s Restaurant…

POLICE officers at Rietgat police station in Soshanguve, which was hit by cable theft three years ago, have been forced to work without electricity despite their appeals for power from Eskom to be restored. The Pretoria News was told the station relied on generators. However, some police officers, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said generators were used at night. They claimed the generators would sometimes run out of petrol in the night, leaving them in the lurch. They said life was becoming increasingly difficult as they were unable to even charge their phones or boil water for tea or coffee, especially during the day. According to them, their pleas to their superiors to address the situation urgently fell on deaf ears. The…

WITH gender-based violence (GBV) and bullying in schools having been rife in recent years, a non-profit organisation (NPO) has taken it up to themselves to train school children on the subject. The Impact Facilitation Foundation, through the Bae’skop Filimi school enrichment programme, works with learners who are vulnerable to various types of GBV that include school violence, bullying and exposure to gangsterism. According to the organisation’s spokesperson Donald Liphoko, the goal of the volunteer-supported programme is to reduce GBV in schools by training learners across the country in preventative skills using film as a medium. “We found that school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic exposed many inadequacies in our education system and had a negative effect on our children’s well-being. “Without the daily structure of formal schooling, learners in…

Acting mayor of Johannesburg Kenny Kunene yesterday led interventions by the city to regain control over several hijacked buildings that are unsafe for habitation and are “stealing” utilities like electricity. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Kunene said the City of Joburg was concerned that criminals often used the hijacked buildings as hideouts. “Once you hijack a building, you have committed a crime. The word ‘hijack’ means you have occupied that building illegally. When you are now being removed, you want to use the law, to say there is a process of removing people,” he said. “Those buildings have got traps, booby traps inside them. As you are walking, there are drains that you cannot even see. It’s so dark. “When you look at the rats, the rats are so…

Maritzburg United’s appeal to the PSL to change the date of their Premiership fixture against champions Mamelodi Sundowns has fallen on deaf ears. As a result, Sundowns will host Maritzburg tonight at Loftus Versfeld and it will be the final Premiership fixture this season for both teams, and quite possibly the Team of Choice’s last elite league match for the foreseeable future. The fixture was meant to be played on Saturday when all 16 teams would have been in action, but due to Sundowns’ CAF Champions League commitments, the PSL brought the game forward by four days. After the match, the Premiership trophy will be presented to the Brazilians for a sixth consecutive time. While Maritzburg are forced to play today, the other relegation threatened teams Chippa United, Gallants and…

The Springbok Sevens squad need a miracle at Twickenham at the weekend to qualify automatically for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. While there is still an outside chance of them claiming a spot among the top four of the World Rugby Sevens Series, you could be excused for thinking that they won’t make it after their performance at the Toulouse Sevens this past weekend. The Blitzboks, currently seventh in the standings with 116 points, will have to get at least 10 points more than Australia (currently on 125) from the tournament. All Australia has to do is make sure they end in sixth place or better at Twickenham to secure their spot above the South Africans. Samoa, tied on 116 with the Blitzboks, can also still throw a spanner…