Latest news with #DosSantos
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘We're hoping that we can turn the tide soon'
It's been the same story with Valour FC since their inception in 2019. They consistently lose and have never come close to even sniffing contender status. Sure, along the way, they'll show the odd flash here and there that maybe — just maybe — they're capable of turning things around, but they haven't yet, and there are zero signs that this will finally be the year that they do. The club has lost five straight Canadian Premier League matches heading into Friday's road tilt against Vancouver FC (1-5-9), at 9 p.m. CT, in what is a battle of the basement dwellers as both sides have a pitiful eight points at the midway point of the season. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Calvary FC celebrate Sergio Camargo's goal against Valour's Raphael Ohin (right) on Sunday. The loss was Winnipeg's fifth straight. 'I think the guys are in a good place. I mean, we keep building, and we keep working on our plan for the next game, and we're hoping that we can turn the tide soon,' said midfielder Kianz Froese. Valour supporters have heard that one before. Winnipeg's pro soccer club sits at 2-2-10 which is the worst start the team has ever had through their opening 14 matches. They've also been outscored 16-4 on their current losing streak. Vancouver had seen enough and sacked manager Afshin Ghotbi earlier this week. If Valour doesn't figure it out soon, head coach and general manager Phillip Dos Santos will likely be next. Dos Santos was asked by the Free Press on Thursday whether or not he's been assured that he will finish the season with the team. Dos Santos, who took over from Rob Gale in 2021, does not have a contract beyond 2025. 'I think that it's a legit question that you ask. It's the professional world of football. I'm a guy who always stays in my responsibilities. Assurance in football, to use the word assured, never,' responded Dos Santos. 'This is something when you sign up, you can't come in and say, 'I'm assured of what tomorrow is going to look like.' It's just not what we sign up for. And that maybe brings the adrenaline and a little fire. But I'll tell you this, I'm not one who worries too much about my future because I'm a person that lives strongly by faith, and I believe that the one who holds it all together has been taking care of me for years now and he'll continue to keep doing it, and that's all I can say about that.' Out of all CPL teams that have been in the league since Day 1, Valour boasts the worst all-time record at 45-35-81 in wins, draws and losses. Their latest defeat came last Sunday at home where they coughed up a goal in the 93rd minute to allow Cavalry FC to escape with a 2-1 victory. It was a game-winner that would even be unacceptable by rec league standards, as Valour left Cavalry midfielder Sergio Camargo all alone in the box for what has to be the easiest goal of his pro career. York United FC (6-3-6) currently holds the fifth and final playoff spot with 21 points. 'It's these micro moments that are making us go from winning a match or drawing and getting points that allow you to build for the next one, and losing,' said Dos Santos. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Valour head coach and general manager Phillip Dos Santos said Thursday that 'micro moments' are often costing the club the game. 'There are moments in games that you cannot replicate. You can't replicate in training what happened at the end of the last game. You have to keep working with the guys, and you need to find a balance between holding the guys accountable, but staying positive with them because, the truth is, there's nobody that wants to win more than the group that works together every day.' It would make a world of difference if Valour had a legitimate striker, but they don't. The past two years they trusted their attack with CPL veteran Shaan Hundal, but with nine goals in 35 matches, the 26-year-old from Brampton, Ont., wasn't the answer. Valour shipped him off to York earlier this week in an uninspiring swap for 21-year-old Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy, a Toronto product who was born in Ukraine and has three goals in 23 career games. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Valour has found the back of the net just 13 times this summer. Defender Kelsey Egwu leads the team with three goals. 'It's never just one player. I think that it's a collective and that's the way we need to look at it,' said Dos Santos. 'We need to find the solutions internally.' Valour returns home July 29 for another showdown against Cavalry (7-4-3). Taylor AllenReporter Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor. Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
The Citizen
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springs Boys High debate team secures spot at nationals
Springs Boys High School's debate team is a force to be reckoned with. The junior and senior teams participated in the National Debate League, featuring 19 senior schools in Johannesburg east, during the second term. The senior team secured first place, while the junior team secured third, meaning they will compete in Durban from October 6 to 8. Despite their competitive spirit and drive to win every debate, the team wasn't discouraged by losses. Instead, they treated each one as a chance to learn and improve. 'We lost a debate recently, and it was memorable not because we lost but rather how we lost. I found it amazing how our opponents presented themselves in front of the adjudicators. 'They laid a foundation that flipped the table on us and made us lose from the beginning. It was memorable and trying,' the senior team's captain, Carlton Maburuse, said. He joined the team in Grade Eight, expressing a fascination with how lawyers presented their cases in court. 'Someone I admired who used to debate at our school encouraged me to pursue debating, and I haven't looked back since,' Maburuse said. He said debating had improved his public speaking and allowed him to speak as fast as he thinks. 'It opened my eyes to how much pressure there is in leadership, and also how rewarding it is.' The ability to be objective is crucial in debating. Maburuse said a debater might find themselves arguing against something they wholeheartedly believe. 'The key is to view things from different perspectives. If you allow your emotions to control you, you will lose points and contradict yourself.' This publication also spoke to Maria dos Santos, the junior team's coach, former learner and coach Salifya Nyirenda and co-ordinator Liezel van der Nesd. Van der Nesd said the key factor behind a successful debate team is the learners' willingness. 'There were lots of last-minute debates the learners jumped into and were willing to be a part of without any complaints.' Dos Santos and Nyirenda shared the same sentiments, with Dos Santos saying their learners had a passion for it and wanted to improve and help themselves. Van der Nesd shared some words of advice for schools that might want to begin or improve their debate teams. 'Just start. When I got here, we had three debaters, and now we have 40. Grab every learning opportunity. Most debate teams have some form of training, so make sure you're learning,' she said. Dos Santos added that establishing a debate team is beneficial for learners' development. 'Not only do learners gain the ability to speak well or disagree with someone in a civilised manner, they also improve their writing skills because they have to write their argument and do extensive research,' she said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
10-07-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
DA flags Gauteng schools facing water and power cuts as R58m debt mounts
More than 500 schools across Gauteng have been left without water and electricity due to unpaid municipal bills, sparking outrage from the DA, which has accused the Gauteng department of education (GDE) of avoiding accountability. In a statement this week, DA Gauteng shadow MEC for education Sergio Isa dos Santos revealed that 536 schools have had their water and/or electricity disconnected since January 2024, up to from 525 previously reported. He blamed this on the department's failure to settle more than R58m in outstanding debts. 'The situation in Gauteng schools has reached breaking point, as more than R58m in unpaid utility bills have led to electricity and water disconnections,' said Dos Santos. 'This has made it impossible to provide lighting in classrooms, power educational technology, and maintain hygiene and safety standards. As a result, stress levels are increasing and morale is plummeting among learners and educators.' The DA has reiterated its call for the GDE to reverse its decision that no-fee paying schools had to cover their utility bills. It also proposed the creation of an intergovernmental task team to resolve municipal disputes and prevent further disconnections.
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Tshwane school utility debt crisis deepens
The utility debt crisis crippling Gauteng schools, including more than 100 schools in Tshwane, has taken a disturbing turn with more than R58-million in unpaid municipal bills resulting in widespread electricity and water disconnections. As the DA intensifies pressure on the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), DA MPL Sergio Isa Dos Santos has condemned the department's handling of the crisis as 'neglectful, evasive, and damaging to learners' constitutional right to basic education'. In a recent statement, Dos Santos, who has been vocal in highlighting the severity of the situation in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, confirmed that over 100 schools across Tshwane's southern, western, and northern districts are without essential services, due to unpaid utility bills. 'These are not isolated incidents,' said Dos Santos. 'Schools in Hammanskraal, Winterveldt, Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa, Temba, Bronkhorstspruit, Erasmus, Ekangala, Cullinan, Lotus Gardens, Olievenhoutbosch, and Laudium are suffering under the weight of a department that refuses to take accountability. The largest outstanding amount at a single school is R177 637, with the median debt hovering around R45 000. That is more than a budget line item, it is a direct threat to the safety, dignity, and future of our learners.' Dos Santos emphasised that both primary and secondary schools have been impacted, many of which serve underprivileged communities already burdened by inadequate infrastructure. 'The GDE's insistence that no-fee schools carry the burden of utility payments is not only short-sighted, it is unjust,' he added. The disconnections have made classrooms dark and unusable, cut off access to water and sanitation, and left educators struggling to teach without the most basic resources. 'We are hearing from teachers and principals daily who are desperate. Learners are sitting in cold classrooms without lights, computer labs are idle, and sanitation conditions are deteriorating rapidly. This is no longer a financial issue. It is a humanitarian one.' In response to written DA questions in the Legislature, Education MEC Matome Chiloane confirmed that 536 schools in Gauteng had their services disconnected since January 2024, an increase from the 525 previously reported. Yet, according to Dos Santos, the MEC failed to provide meaningful responses to follow-up questions regarding disconnection durations, services affected, or what support — if any — was provided to schools. 'This evasive approach is unacceptable,' said Dos Santos. 'We cannot allow vague annexures and non-answers to obscure the reality: the department is failing, and learners are paying the price.' The DA has called for the immediate reversal of the policy that forces no-fee schools to pay their own utility bills, and said the party will demand the establishment of a task team within the MEC's office to address billing issues, coordinate with municipalities, and prevent further disconnections. 'If the DA were in government in Gauteng,' Dos Santos stated, 'we would ensure that no school goes without water, power, or sanitation. A functional intergovernmental task team would resolve disputes before they become crises, and contingency support like generators, water tankers, and mobile toilets would be dispatched immediately. For long-term resilience, we would invest in solar energy and boreholes.' He concluded with a call to action: 'We will not stop fighting until every learner has access to a safe, dignified, and uninterrupted learning environment. The GDE cannot continue to hide behind bureaucracy while our children sit in darkness.' The GDE was asked for comment, but none had been received by time of publication. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
14-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
R19,000 fine for man who ignored tax returns for 16 years
A man has been fined for failing to submit his tax returns for 16 years. Image: File The Rustenburg Magistrate's Court has fined a 48-year-old man R19,000 for failing to submit tax returns. This is despite the South African Revenue Service's (SARS) attempts to remind him to do so between 2007 and 2023. Paulo Silvino Dos Santos appeared before the court, facing 19 counts of contravening Sections 234(d) and 234(i) of the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 for failing to submit Personal Income Tax returns. His offences relate to the period from 2007 and 2008, during which he failed to comply with statutory obligations and directives issued by SARS. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the North West Division, Sivenathi Gunya, said despite numerous telephonic reminders and written notices, Dos Santos failed to comply. Gunya said the court appearance of Dos Santos was a result of the diligent work of the NPA's Specialised Tax Unit, which is tasked with promoting accountability and compliance by taking legal action against individuals and entities who wilfully disregard tax obligations. 'The NPA welcomes this outcome, as it underscores the importance of tax compliance in ensuring effective revenue collection and upholding public confidence in SARS's enforcement capabilities,' Gunya added. The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, emphasised the critical role of enforcing South Africa's tax laws in maintaining a fair and functional tax system. She said the NPA, in collaboration with SARS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), remains committed to combating tax non-compliance under the Honey Badger Project. 'The hefty fine imposed on Dos Santos for failing to submit tax returns sends a strong message that such offences will not be tolerated,' Dr Makhari said. Additionally, she said the outcome underscores the seriousness with which the state treats tax non-compliance and reaffirms the legal obligation of all taxpayers to submit returns, an essential function that enables effective revenue collection to fund vital public services. Meanwhile, SARS has announced the official start of the 2025 filing season, which would effectively start from July 07, 2025, to October 20, 2025. In its statement, SARS said taxpayers who are automatically assessed would receive a notification from them from July 7-20. 'Taxpayers who do not receive an auto assessment notification from SARS and are required to file a tax return can do so from July 21,' read the statement. Additionally, SARS urged all taxpayers to prepare their documentation early to check their assessments and to avoid last-minute delays when submitting an income tax return.
