Latest news with #DuPlessis
India.com
3 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
MLC 2025: Faf Du Plessis Creates History, Sets All-Time T20 Record After His Century For Texas Super Kings
Continuing his red-hot form in the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, Faf du Plessis smashed another century for Texas Super Kings (TSK) on June 29. Du Plessis' fantastic century helped Texas Super Kings (TSK) beat MI New York by 39 runs in the MLC 2025 match at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. After being invited to bat first, Du Plessis scored 103 not out off 53 balls with the help of 9 sixes and 5 boundaries and helped TSK post a big total of 223/4 in 20 overs. In reply, MI New York were restricted to 184/9 as TSK won the game to qualify for the playoffs. This was the second century for Du Plessis in four games and he became the first batter in T20 cricket history to smash multiple hundreds after turning 40. At 40 years and 352 days old, du Plessis' first hundred in his forties came against San Francisco Unicorns on June 20. Within ten days, Du Plessis slammed another century to script history. The man for the big moments Faf Du Plessis, MLC 2025, Texas Super Kings, MI New York, TSK vs MI #TSKvMINY#WhistleForSuperKings#MLC2025 — Texas Super Kings (@TexasSuperKings) June 30, 2025 The 40-year-old South African also surpassed Pakistan's Babar Azam and Australia's Michael Klinger to become the captain with the most T20 centuries. Most T20 Centuries as Captain Faf du Plessis - 8 Babar Azam - 7 Michael Klinger - 7 Virat Kohli - 5 James Vince - 5 Meanwhile, Du Plessis now also holds the record for the most centuries (3) in Major League Cricket, surpassing New Zealand's Finn Allen, who previously held the record with two. With 317 runs, the 40-year-old is currently the highest run-getter in the MLC 2025 season.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Here's how to manage household electricity usage as municipal tariff increases kick in
More electricity hikes are coming after municipalities received approval to go ahead with increases of up to 14%. Newly approved electricity hikes will come into effect tomorrow and will have households scratching their heads as to how much more they can limit their usage. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved tariff increases between 4 to 5 times higher than latest inflation figures for over 100 municipalities in recent weeks, placing strain on consumers across the country. Alarm over the increases was illustrated by Nersa's comment that a record number of objections and submissions by affected customers were received from individual households. High tariff increases Nersa approved an 11.32% increase in Eskom's wholesale prices to municipalities earlier this year, but these municipalities made individual applications for increases for their own customers. Metropolitan municipalities covering Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Gqeberha and East London will have their electricity increase between 12.4% and 12.8% from 1 July. The City of Tshwane customers escaped with a 10.2% increase, while those in Ekurhuleni were slapped with a 13.4% increase. 2025 municipal electricity tariff hikes Municipality Increase Buffalo City 12.74% City of Cape Town 12.8%* City of eThekwini 12.72% City of Tshwane 10.20% City Power (Johannesburg) 12.41% Ekurhuleni Metropolitan 13.40% Mangaung Municipality 12.40% Nelson Mandela Bay 12.80% * Cape Town's increase is based on Nersa's approved 2024/25 tariffs. The City implemented a 4.5% higher increase in 2024, which is currently the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. Among the reasons Nersa used to justify limiting even higher increases were poor financial performance, mounting municipal debt and high energy losses, essentially preventing the results of mismanagement being passed onto the consumer. Winter pressure on bills Electricity bills are naturally higher in winter and these added costs could plunge households headfirst into a billing abyss. Standard Bank's LookSee home efficiency platform has continued to keep customers at the forefront of their thinking, understanding the strife facing everyday South Africans. 'We keep having to deal with these above inflation increases for what is an essential service. It is painful not to have access to electricity, but at this stage it is becoming an affordability issue,' said LookSee Executive Head Marc Du Plessis. To propel its drive to create eco-conscious electricity customers that prioritise savings, LookSee has formulated a two-pronged solution to change and monitor behaviour. 'Behaviour is all about habits and habits can be changed. They may be hard to break but it is possible to make a shift that has a fundamental impact on your pocket,' advises Du Plessis. He notes that there are two variable municipal charges that households can do something about — electricity and water — and by evaluating the usage of those, increases can be absorbed or even offset. Household savings a sought-after destination LookSee's newly launched Smart Save journey is a tool to help households better understand their energy efficiency and plan ways to close any previously unseen gaps. Freely available on the LookSee platform, the Smart Save journey cross-references in-depth geographical, electricity consumption standards and municipal information with a household's unique specifications to enable users to make accurate energy decisions. 'The Smart Save journey is a commitment to not only helping households save, but to giving them reliable information and insights into what their comparable costs are,' states Du Plessis. Coupled with the Energy Efficiency Score that measures how efficiently a household consumes electricity, each home can build their own energy profile. 'We really believe that by empowering households with knowledge and insights, they can then do more in their own homes to manage their monthly costs and put money back into their budget,' he explains.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Faf du Plessis makes MLC history with quick-fire century as Texas Super Kings beat MI New York
Texas Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis created multiple batting records as he scored a quick-fire century during the big win over MI New York in MLC. read more Faf du Plessis is the first batter to score three centuries in MLC. Image: Texas Super Kings on X Faf du Plessis blasted a quick-fire century on Sunday (Monday in India) for Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket (MLC) as he equalled top batters like Jos Buttler, Rohit Sharma, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell in the list for most centuries in T20 cricket. The former South African cricketer is showing no sign of slowing down, even at the age of 40, as he smashed nine sixes and five fours in his blistering knock of 103 not out off just 53 balls as Texas Super Kings defeated MI New York by 39 runs at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Texas Super Kings scored 223/4 in the first innings and despite Kieron Pollard's heroic 70, MI New York could not come even close to the target. Du Plessis breaks multiple records with quick-fire century Super Kings lost the toss and were asked to bat first. However, that decision backfired against the Nicholas Pooran-led side as the opener and captain of the Super Kings, Du Plessis, led the batting by example despite his partner Smit Patel getting out early on just 3. Saiteja Mukkamalla and Marcus Stoinis scored 265 each, but it was fellow countryman Donovan Ferreira, who gave the much-needed support to Du Plessis. They forged a partnership of 81 as Ferreira scored 53 off just 20 balls. Meanwhile, Du Plessis went on to score his eighth T20 hundred, which has helped him equal Michael Klinger, Aaron Finch, Jos Buttler, Rohit Sharma, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell in the list for most centuries in T20 cricket. Du Plessis now has the joint fourth-most centuries in T20 cricket with eight tons to his name. West Indian legend Chris Gayle holds the record for most centuries in T20 cricket with 22 hundreds. Babar Azam (11) is in the second place, while Rilee Russouw and Virat Kohli are third with nine centuries each. This is also Du Plessis' third century in MLC, making him the first player to score three centuries in the league.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Lowveld training centre gears up bikers for safer rides
The Lowveld is known for its scenic motorbike routes, particularly in the Sabie area and along the Long Tom Pass – a road that has proven deadly for some reckless bikers. Since its establishment in 2023, Lowveld Motorcycle Training CC has focused on equipping bikers with the skills needed to ride safely and remain aware of their surroundings. ALSO READ: Sabie Classic tests mountain bikers' mettle The organisation's two founders, Johan du Plessis and Francois Niehof, launched the training centre with a mission to reduce the number of devastating motorcycle accidents in and around the Lowveld. 'You can get a bike learner's permit at the age of 16 and ride a bike with a 125CC engine without ever doing a riding test, which is not safe at all,' Du Plessis said. Learners can ride for a full year on this permit – a major contributing factor to bike accidents in South Africa. 'To ride a motorbike you need to possess certain skills, like good balance and hand-eye co-ordination. If you don't have these skills you shouldn't be riding,' he explained. Among other things, they teach bikers basic safety principles, such as wearing proper protective clothing and using suitable equipment. 'We dress for the slide, not the ride,' Du Plessis added. Other training areas they focus on are carrying a passenger, riding in a group, and how to safely execute an emergency brake or turn. Du Plessis also believes in teaching road awareness from a young age. 'Look twice for bikes,' he tells schoolchildren, aiming to instil safe habits early. The team has delivered voluntary talks at schools such as Hoërskool Bergvlam and Lowveld High to educate students about bike safety. ALSO READ: Unlucky incident unveils hidden quad bike in Mbombela, possibly stolen They recently provided training for 78 Checkers Sixty60 drivers from Mbombela, Hazyview and White River. The focus was on teaching safe riding techniques and testing to ensure they are fit to ride. Checkers has confirmed that since starting the training in May 2025, there have been no accidents involving their riders. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Star
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Disarray in court as State fails to produce charges in high-profile SAPS fraud case
The high-profile tax fraud trial tied to the SAPS 'blue lights' corruption scandal descended into chaos at the Palm Ridge Magistrates' Court today, after the prosecution failed to produce a valid charge sheet, despite claiming to be ready for trial. The case, which includes former acting police commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane, businessman Vimpie Phineas Manthata, and bookkeeper Judy Rose among the accused, was meant to proceed with evidence from SARS officials. Instead, it was marked by confusion, missing documentation, and fierce courtroom arguments. In a stunning turn, Defence Attorney Piet du Plessis, who represents Phahlane, called for the charges to be withdrawn entirely, stating that the State had repeatedly failed to meet even the most basic requirements for a fair trial. 'We are in 2025, and the State still does not have a charge sheet for a 2018 case. After 40 minutes of flailing, the prosecutor was still unable to produce a single valid charge sheet,' said Du Plessis. Tensions reached a boiling point when it was revealed that three different charge sheets had been circulated, none of them complete, and all riddled with discrepancies. The court had previously adjourned multiple times over the last few months due to procedural issues, but today's proceedings drew sharp criticism from all defence attorneys present. The presiding magistrate, clearly frustrated, confronted the State directly, asking the lead prosecutor whether, 'in light of the law,' he believed the matter was truly trial-ready. The prosecutor hesitated—then argued that the case was ready for trial. Adding to the disorder, one of the accused, referred to as 'Accused No. 9', remained without legal representation. The State attempted to push forward regardless, arguing that the absence of counsel for one accused should not halt the proceedings, as charges can be separated. The defence disagreed, pointing out that such a move would violate the constitutional rights of the individual and taint the fairness of the entire trial. As the proceedings spiralled further, Du Plessis and other legal representatives demanded that the charges be withdrawn and the matter struck from the roll until the State could demonstrate full preparedness. All defence teams agreed that the ongoing procedural failures made a fair trial impossible. Despite the State's earlier insistence that it had long been ready, Monday's session revealed the opposite. The prosecutor admitted, in response to questions from the magistrate, that several errors in the charge sheet were his own.'It was an oversight on my part; numbering and printing were the problem' The case centres around allegations of R19 million in tax fraud, linked to irregularities during the 2018/2019 tax year involving 'Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement, a company owned by Manthata. Rose, employed as a bookkeeper, is accused of playing a key role in the alleged fraud. The charges are closely tied to the broader R191 million SAPS corruption investigation involving the irregular procurement of emergency blue light equipment. According to Investigating Directorate spokesperson Henry Mamothame, the State had planned to continue with evidence from SARS officials this week. That now hangs in limbo. The case will resume on Thursday, though it's unclear if the State will be able to rectify its documentation problems in time. The chaos in court has drawn criticism from legal experts and observers alike, many of whom see the debacle as emblematic of deeper challenges facing South Africa's justice system, particularly in high-level corruption cases.
