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IOL News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
England's Lionesses party with thousands of fans after Euro 2025 triumph
The bus carrying the England women's national football team drives along the Mall during the homecoming victory parade near Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday to celebrate the team winning Euro 2025. Photo: Adam Davy/AFP Image: Adam Davy/AFP England's victorious Lionesses celebrated their dramatic women's Euro 2025 triumph along with tens of thousands of ecstatic fans outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Sarina Wiegman's team successfully defended their European crown by beating world champions Spain on penalties in the Swiss city of Basel on Sunday, sparking an outpouring of national joy. They flew home on Monday and were immediately whisked to 10 Downing Street, the working home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for a reception. On Tuesday it was the turn of supporters to celebrate the astonishing success of the Lionesses, who repeatedly defied the odds during their run to glory in Switzerland. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Two open-top buses emblazoned with the words "European Champions" set off from the bottom of The Mall, the road leading to Buckingham Palace, under grey skies shortly after midday. Captain Leah Williamson held the Euro 2025 trophy aloft and supporters responded with cheers and by waving their flags in a sea of red and white. The decibel count rouse as the bus crawled along the road, lined with Union flags and the St George's Cross, led by a military band. The Football Association said at least 65,000 were packed onto The Mall. The huge crowds then swarmed down the road towards the palace – King Charles III's official London residence – to party with the squad, with two large screens showing tournament highlights. 'Still we rise' An emotional Williamson was first to speak from a stage at the Queen Victoria Memorial, saying she had been crying all the way down The Mall. "There's lots of ways to win a football match, and we repeatedly did it the hard way," she said. "But I think that you can see how much we care about playing for England, how much we love it. "(Victory in) 2022 was a fairytale, but this feels really hard-earned, and we're very proud of ourselves." The skipper said the team had overcome adversity, including defeat to France in their opening match: "Nasty things to deal with, and still we rise." She added: "Everything we do, obviously we do it for us and our team, but we do it for the country, and we do it for the young girls. "This job never existed 30 or 40 years ago, and we're making history every single step. Thank you so much, thank you so much for being with us. Stay with us, this story's not done yet." Wiegman told the cheering crowds that her players "showed up" when they had to before dancing on stage with Nigerian singer Burna Boy. "I had hoped for a little less chaos but they didn't keep their promise to finish things quicker," she said. "But as we always have a plan, and we try to execute that, and the players on the pitch, and we just kept having hope all the time, and belief, and they just showed up when it was really necessary and urgent." Williamson lifted the trophy beneath red fireworks and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" was played over the speakers. Fans had queued for hours to celebrate their heroes – the first senior England team to win a major football tournament on foreign soil. Signs included: "In Sarina we trust" and "So nice had to win it twice". Sue Plummer, 57, a company director from the Isle of Wight, said: "They're just the epitome of British resilience and resolve. "It's nice to see the total spectrum of people that have come out especially for this." London retail worker Naomi Rumsby, 30, said she used to play football. "It's nice to see so many people here," she said. "I never thought it would be like this. It's nice to see so many little kids with ladies' names on the back of their shirts." Victory in Switzerland was sweet revenge for Wiegman's team, who suffered bitter defeat against Spain in the World Cup final two years ago. The Lionesses were hosted at number 10 on Monday by Deputy Prime minister Angela Rayner and Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock while Starmer was in Scotland meeting US President Donald Trump. Rayner hailed the players as a "shining example of talent and excitement for women's football". AFP Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Former Umzimkhulu municipal official arrested for the murder of ANCYL leader Sindiso Magaqa
A former senior Umzimkhulu municipal official has been arrested for the murder of former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa by the Political Killings Task Team. National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said the 55-year-old suspect was arrested on Monday in Malvern, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Mathe added that he is expected to appear at the Umzimkhulu Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Meanwhile the hitman, Sibusiso Ncengwa was recently sentenced to 85 years in prison. During his trial, Ncengwa implicated other people in plotting and coordinating the assassination. His two alleged accomplices were former police officer Sibonelo Myeza and businessman Mbulelo Mpofana. The third accomplice, Mlungisi Ncalane, will not see his day in court as he had been declared mentally unfit to stand trial and has been confined to a mental institution. Ncengwa is now expected to testify against the two other accused, who were allegedly present during Magaqa's shooting on July 13, 2017. Two councillors, Jabulile Msiya and Nonsikelelo Mafa, who were with Magaqa during the attack at a car wash, were also shot but survived. Another alleged accomplice, Jabulani Mdunge, who allegedly sprayed Magaqa and others with AK-47 bullets, died in a shootout with police. During the mitigation of his sentence, Ncengwa confessed that a day before the shooting, he went to Umzimkhulu from Durban to confirm Magaqa's identity. On the day of the murder, he spotted Magaqa arriving at the car wash he often frequented. The assailants were paid a total of more than half a million Rand for the murder. Magaqa was killed for speaking out against a corruption-riddled tender to construct a local memorial hall. [email protected] IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Could 19-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi be the next captain to lead Orlando Pirates?
New Pirates captain? Teenager Mbekezeli Mbokazi's name has been thrown into the hat as Soweto giants Orlando Pirates look to appoint a new captain Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix At just 19, Mbekezeli Mbokazi is emerging as a shock candidate to captain Orlando Pirates – a sign of just how quickly the rising star has made his mark. Since making his senior debut last season, the defender's commanding performances in the famous black and white jersey have sparked growing calls for him to inherit the armband from the recently retired Innocent Maela. Now, after only a few senior appearances, Mbokazi is being mentioned among the contenders to replace Maela as club captain. Handing him the armband now could be seen as a big statement about his leadership qualities at such a young age. In a recent podcast, Mbokazi had the backing of former Pirates star Gerald Modabi, who felt he was ready for the extra responsibility. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. 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. 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Next Stay Close ✕ 'The coach said, even if you are 16 years old and you are good enough to play, he will play you. So, Mbekezeli is good enough to be captain,' Modabi said on the Total Football Podcast. 'He loves the football club, judging by his performances. I've worked with him, and he also loves his food. He wants to eat even five minutes before the start of training, which is crazy for me.' Even at such a young age, Mbokazi brings a sense of maturity to his game. This was something that was noted by Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, who gave him his international debut last month. 'I think what I saw from Mbokazi was, for me, his game is very mature, he makes good decisions, and he's a good defender,' the Bafana coach said last month. He has also been praised for his ability to read the game, his physical presence, composure under pressure, and most importantly, his leadership. In his first season in the senior team, his performances defied his age and he walked away with a number of man-of-the-match awards. Mbokazi's rapid rise reminds one of Mbulelo 'Oldjohn' Mabizela, who was discovered playing amateur football in KwaZulu-Natal. After being signed by Pirates at 20 years old, Mabizela became a regular fixture in the first team, and in his second season with the club, he was appointed captain. At just 21 years old, he led the club to a league title, and convinced then-national team coach Stuart Baxter to also hand him the armband. Unfortunately, Mabizela's career was later marked by off-field disciplinary issues. Mbokazi has all the talent in the world, and the attributes needed to lead a big club, but the club needs to learn from past lessons when it comes to handing such a young player the responsibility of leading one of the biggest clubs in the country. Whatever decision Abdeslam Ouaddou takes will be the right one, as he will have thoroughly weighed up all the pros and cons. What's clear, though, is that Mbekezeli Mbokazi has already captured the imagination of the Orlando Pirates faithful. Whether or not the captain's armband is placed on his sleeve just yet, he represents the club's future. His story is still being written, but the early chapters already read like the beginning of something special. If nurtured correctly, Mbokazi could not only lead Pirates into a new era, but become a symbol of what it means to wear the badge with pride, hunger, and heart. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to iolletters@ Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication). Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
SARS introduces new enhancements for non-resident taxpayers in 2025 tax return process
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has moved to make things easier for non-resident taxpayers earning income from South African sources Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has moved to make things easier for non-resident taxpayers earning income from South African sources by introducing new enhancements to the 2025 tax return process. These changes include updates to the ITR12 tax return form to help ensure non-residents complete the correct sections and submit accurate returns. "These enhancements aim to ensure that non-residents complete the correct required fields in the return. An interim solution to activate this part of the tax return has been introduced via the SARS Online Query System (SOQS)," SARS said. "This allows non-resident taxpayers to request the non-resident section of the tax return. A more permanent solution, directly on the tax return through the tax return 'wizard', will be introduced later. To use SOQS to enable the non-resident section of the tax return: On the SARS website homepage, click on the SOQS icon , and navigate to the ' Non-Resident Tax Return Type '. Complete the personal details as prompted. Once SARS has validated the information, a One-Time Pin (OTP) will be sent to the contact details on record. Choose the 2025 tax year and answer yes or no to the questions that will follow. Depending on your answers, your tax return will now be in the correct format and can be retrieved through eFiling in the normal way. According to the revenue service, the "taxpayer's information will be stored and used in the subsequent year of assessment unless the taxpayer's circumstances have changed subsequently". Currently, South Africa has a residence-based tax system, which means residents are, subject to certain exclusions, taxed on their worldwide income, irrespective of where their income is earned. By contrast, non-residents are taxed on their income from a South African source. "Since tax systems differ from country to country, there is a chance that a particular amount could be taxed twice. "This possibility of double taxation is, however, often alleviated by tax relief contained in various Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs). These DTAs are international agreements contracted between countries to deal with potential competing taxing rights against the income of the same taxpayer. Under the provisions of the DTA, the non-resident's remuneration earned in South Africa may not be subject to normal tax in South Africa where specific requirements are met". IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Prasa says it is cooperating with Hawks amid R18 billion tender probe
Prasa is cooperating fully with the Hawks after a raid on its offices linked to an investigation into irregular tenders worth billions. The agency stresses transparency and accountability in the probe. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) is under intense scrutiny after the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) executed a high-profile raid at its Braamfontein headquarters on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. The operation forms part of an escalating investigation into irregular tenders allegedly worth a staggering R18 billion. In a letter released on Saturday, July 26, 2025, following the raid, Prasa stated that it is 'fully cooperating' with the Hawks after the seizure of laptops, cell phones, and critical documentation from senior executives' offices. The agency emphasised its commitment to transparency, accountability, and its core mission of providing safe, reliable, and efficient rail services to the public. The Hawks obtained a search warrant to collect various information and electronic devices amid increasing allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the agency. However, authorities have been tight-lipped about the specifics, aiming to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation. Prasa welcomed the Hawks' involvement and assured the public that it has nothing to hide and remains committed to supporting all legitimate investigative processes. ''The Agency has nothing to hide and stands ready to provide complete cooperation to law enforcement authorities,'' said Prasa. Prasa also said it will 'provide further updates as appropriate, while respecting the integrity of the ongoing investigation.' National spokesperson for the Hawks, Brigadier Thandi Mabombo, confirmed the operation, stating: 'An operation was conducted as part of an ongoing investigation. To protect the integrity of our investigation, we cannot disclose details about that operation.' [email protected] Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
