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IOL News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
How Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's football skills will help him steer Springboks' ship in the wet against Barbarians
Springboks captain for the Barbarians match, Jesse Kriel, has a word with flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at the captain's practice on Friday at the DHL Stadium. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media South African rugby fans probably have Bishops' massive rugby culture to thank for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's decision to take up oval-ball sport instead of football. Last year, during an unbelievable debut season for the Springboks, where he went toe-to-toe with the All Blacks at Ellis Park and came out with the win, his father, Nick Feinberg, mentioned that he was quite the soccer player. This statement is backed up by various videos on social media, where the young flyhalf does some pretty nifty tricks with his feet. 'I maintain Sacha was as good if not a better footballer than a rugby player,' Feinberg told the Daily Voice last year. 'In my opinion, he could have made it in the 'Beautiful Game'. You can check him on TikTok doing stuff with a rugby ball that most footballers can't do with a football'. He does it on a rugby field as well, as his juggling act with the ball at his feet before scoring against the Lions in a United Rugby Championship match still fresh in everybody's memory. But that football background is noticeable in his kicking game, as he has a variety of kicking options, whether it is a very high bomb, a flat kick to find a '50-22' or just a little dink to collect himself. His kicking game is really an underrated part of his game because of the other special skills in his armoury, such as his passing and running games, which has already been compared to the All Black great and flyhalf GOAT Dan Carter. 'Some people don't understand how strong his kicking game is. He is a natural footballer. He can do things with a ball that I, coming from the township, can't do!' assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said with a smile at the Springboks' captain's press conference on Friday. Feinberg-Mngomezulu's kicking game and game management will certainly be in the spotlight in the Boks' first outing of 2025 when they take on the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in his hometown of Cape Town on Saturday. Heavy rains continue to lash the Mother City and Saturday is expected to only clear up shortly before the match starts at 5.10pm. So the plan may be to kick a lot more in behind the dangerous Barbarians' backline. But Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the type of player that loves to go off-script and chance his arm when he sees an opportunity to run. Most times it works out for the best, which makes him such a joy to watch. But sometimes he tends to overplay a bit, like in the Stormers' URC quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors, where he tried to force the issue on his own and not bring other players into the game. One thing about Feinberg-Mngomezulu is that he doesn't sulk when he makes a mistake and tends to brush off quite quickly. Another mark of a champion. 'One thing about him, he has got a very big heart for such a young man. That is one thing I enjoy about him,' Stick said. 'Even if he makes mistakes he can bounce back and still back himself to make the decisions. We always want our attacking players to keep asking questions. 'He is young and he is going to make mistakes, but we enjoy watching him try. The impact that he makes for the team is the most important thing for us. 'I have never seen a youngster mature like he has, how he conducts himself around the team. His leadership skills … he is definitely one for the future.'
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Floyd Shivambu gains support from 10+ parties for Mayibuye Consultation initiative
Former MKP secretary-general Floyd Shivambu announced progress in his campaign to form a new political party. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Media Former uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) secretary-general Floyd Shivambu has claimed that more than 10 parties have pledged to support his idea of forming the Mayibuye Consultation process, which would give birth to a new ultra-left political party. He first announced the consultative process when he addressed the media last week after he was fired as secretary-general of the Jacob Zuma-led party, which failed to honour its promise to deploy him to the national Parliament. In another media briefing held in Johannesburg on Friday, Shivambu said the political parties that supported his move were represented in various municipalities. He said he had also received a list of volunteers through the online platform, which has established a submission form that was filled out online to suggest the nature of the new political party. 'We are deeply humbled by the confidence of those who came forward to pledge their solidarity and volunteered their time for the consultation process that we are embarking on,' said Shivambu. According to him, the number of volunteers he had received was huge enough for the formation of the new party. 'Out of the people that we have, we can be able, as the Mayibuye Consultation Team, to identify leadership structures in all 4,634 wards, all 257 sub-regions, 54 regions or districts, and all nine provinces in South Africa. 'We are in a space now, with the number of volunteers, to constitute a fully-fledged national organisation,' said Shivambu. He said some ANC, EFF, DA, and MKP members who are in municipalities and the Government of National Unity MPs have pledged support while some of the incumbent councillors have already offered to resign and become part of Mayibuye. 'What stands out in the submissions we have received thus far is that those who have submitted say we should form a party that would not just be a talking instrument or a party of complaints or an empty promise. 'They are saying the party must be involved in social upliftment programs, inclusive of healthcare awareness, educational assistance, skills development in our communities, and a variety of other programs that are reachable and practical for a party to fulfil.' He said the submissions suggested that the party should encourage black people to fully participate in the country's economic projects. 'We should also promote black economic solidarity, meaning we should encourage black South Africans to support each other in business and entrepreneurial projects,' said Shivambu. He stated that he was agreeing with the submissions because blacks were recipients of more than a trillion rand annually through income generated through business activities, salaries, and social grants, but they do not spend the money among themselves. 'They spend up to 80% of that trillion rand in businesses that are not owned by black South Africans. 'There is a spirit that is being infused as to why shouldn't we pursue a program of black community solidarity, which will be a collective upliftment of all our people as the rest of other people (races) circulate money among themselves and it is only us who give 80% of our income to other people (races) and therefore remained in a vicious circle of poverty,' he said. He said Mayibuye has also received advice from foreign countries that the new party should associate itself with anti-imperialist countries. He said some submissions suggested that the party should associate with and respect traditional and religious leaders. 'We must be guided by the principle of ubuntu. There is also a submission that instead of being a political party, we must be a United Democratic Front-like movement, which has affiliate membership, meaning that civic organisations and community-based organisations can join as organisations instead of being a party that is joined by one person, a one membership form, and one membership card,' he said.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Former President Jacob Zuma challenges ANC expulsion in court
MKP president Jacob Zuma has launched a court application to challenge his membership expulsion from the ANC. Image: Independent Media Former President Jacob Zuma's battle to remain an ANC party member has again been thrust into the spotlight after he hauled president Cyril Ramaphosa and his former party to court on Thursday. Zuma, who is the former president of the ANC and now leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) launched a court application in a bid to challenge his expulsion from the party. His decision to take the ANC and its leader to court came after the party's disciplinary committee expelled him in July 2024 for publicly endorsing the MKP ahead of the general elections. He argued that the disciplinary steps that the ANC followed in 2024 were illegal and violated his constitutional rights. In a surprising revelation, Zuma admitted that he wants to remain in the ANC to take it over and "rescue" it from its current leadership. In a podcast, Zuma stated that he wants to stay within the ANC to change it from within, claiming that the current leadership had strayed from the principles of the party's founders. 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. 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Zuma's court application, launched on Thursday, the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, seeks to set aside the ANC's decision to terminate his 65-year-long membership. MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela has labeled the ANC's disciplinary hearing as a "kangaroo court" and accused the party of "betraying the people by entering into a Government of National Unity (GNU) with the DA and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus)". 'President Zuma is on record saying that his membership of the real ANC of Luthuli, Tambo and Mandela cannot be erased by sell-outs and DA puppets like Ramaphosa and Mbalula (ANC secretary-general). 'It was indeed the sell-out tendencies of these traitors which led to the formation of the MK Party on 16 December 2023 and the removal of the ANC from power 5 months later in the May 2024 elections,' Ndhlela said. Ndhlela further said his party was fully behind Zuma and would hopefully see his dual membership of the MK Party and the real ANC, not the 'sell-out ANC of Ramaphosa', restored. 'Such an outcome will bring us closer to the much-needed unity of black people in the centuries old struggle for total liberation and the return of the land to its rightful owners, the African people as a whole,' Ndhlela said. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu did not respond to a request for comment, however, Mbalula had previously labelled Zuma's attempts to challenge his dismissal from the party as mischief. 'He (Zuma) is a mischievous, uncouth, ridiculous old man who basically thrives on disunity for his own self-interest,' Mbalula had said, although it was not clear whether the ANC would oppose the court challenge. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya had also not responded to questions. ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has been taken to court by Jacob Zuma who wants to retain his ANC membership. Image: Kamogelo Moichela Sources within the ANC have expressed skepticism about Zuma's intentions, with some suggesting that he is simply trying to destabilise the party and others saying he would be good for the party ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections. "This man (Zuma) just wants to waste money with lawyers and the courts. This is precisely why he created the MKP, just to destabilise the ANC," a source said. Another source hinted that Zuma's desire to remain in the ANC might be linked to his pension benefits. "There is talk amongst comrades of changing the country's constitution on the remuneration of former presidents to take away Zuma's that would be another reason he wants to continue within the party," the source said.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
The Freedom Charter at 70: A vision betrayed by the ANC?
The ANC and the Freedom Charter: A Betrayal of Foundational Ideals Image: Cara Viereckl/Independent Media As South Africa marked the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, leading voices in South Africa have raised concerns about the ideals enshrined in the nation's founding document, having been hollowed out, replaced by elite-driven agendas and systemic failures that threaten to undo the progress made in the liberation struggle. Seventy years ago, in the dusty streets of Kliptown, Soweto, the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies adopted the Freedom Charter - a bold, inclusive blueprint for a democratic South Africa rooted in the principles of equality, shared wealth, and social justice. The Charter was born from a comprehensive, cross-class, and cross-race consultative process. It embodies millions' hopes for a free, fair, and united nation. Today, as South Africa marks this significant milestone, critics argue that the ANC has drifted far from those foundational ideals, betraying the very values that inspired the struggle against apartheid. The Freedom Charter articulated a vision where 'the people shall share in the country's wealth,' land would be shared among those who work it, and poverty, unemployment, and inequality would be eliminated. It was more than a document; it was a rallying cry-a call for grassroots involvement, gender inclusivity, and racial unity. Its adoption in 1955 symbolised collective resistance, galvanising the fight against apartheid and laying the groundwork for the democratic Constitution of 1996. In the decades following democracy, the ANC claimed to be the custodian of the Charter's ideals. Yet, many South Africans now see a stark contrast between the lofty promises of 1955 and the reality of today's socio-economic landscape. Poverty persists, unemployment remains entrenched, and inequality is among the highest globally. The triple burden the Charter sought to eradicate continues unabated, raising questions about the ANC's fidelity to its founding principles. The political landscape has shifted dramatically. The ANC, once the undisputed leader of South Africa's liberation movement, is now relegated to a coalition partner in a fragmented multiparty system following its failure to secure a majority in the 2024 elections. 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. 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Their inability to deliver on key clauses, particularly wealth sharing and land redistribution, reflects a betrayal of those ideals.' 'Many South Africans believe that the ANC has reneged on its promise to implement the clauses of the Freedom Charter. They base their assessment on the condition of their lives and unfulfilled promises made by the ANC in each election.' Mngomezulu drew disparities in the ANC, which holds a view that only two of the ten clauses of the Freedom Charter have not been fulfilled. 'These are clauses three, which says, 'The people shall share in the country's wealth,' and clause four, which says, 'The land shall be shared among those who work it.' However, even with these clauses, the ANC claims it is a work in progress.' He argued that it was safe to say that the question on poverty and other challenges have not all been answered, as people still lived in poverty. Political Economy Analyst Zamikhaya Maseti proposed marking the 70th anniversary by returning to the roots of the Charter and holding the commemorative events in Kliptown itself. 'Kliptown was the site where our great-grandparents gathered under difficult, illegal conditions on June 25–26, 1955, to craft a vision for a democratic South Africa,' Maseti noted. 'Their gathering produced the Freedom Charter, a lodestar for the liberation struggle. Today, we face an equally historic task: rebuilding South Africa born from their sacrifices. A nation now fractured and drifting, desperately in need of repair.' She said that 'holding the anniversary in Kliptown would root it in the moral soil of people's struggles and remove the sting of elitism that often surrounds state-led initiatives. It would strip the dialogue of unnecessary extravagance.' Maseti stressed that 'the original Congress of the People saw delegates arrive by bus, taxi, train-some even on horseback. 'Reflecting this spirit, the proposed R700 million budget for this national dialogue is seen as absurd and morally indefensible I am relieved that the Presidency rejected that outrageous proposal.' Former ambassador Lassy Chiwayo reflected on the nation's current state as the nation comme 70th anniversary approaches. He warns of a dangerous phenomenon. 'Political sclerosis' is a form of institutional rigidity that stifles progress. 'Once, the ANC was Africa's most respected liberation movement- an icon of hope,' Chiwayo laments. 'Today, what has happened to that movement, and what does it mean for our nation?' He described 'political sclerosis' as 'a state of stagnation, gridlock, and paralysis,' warning that 'when our institutions become inflexible, they stop functioning effectively, and progress stalls. The ANC is suffering from a kind of political leprosy that threatens to consume the very ideals it once stood for.' If unchecked,' he warns, 'this disease could lead to the collapse of hope and the end of our dreams for a free, liberated Africa.' Chiwayo urges the movement to shed its sclerosis, embrace flexibility, and reconnect with the core principles of liberation and service. 'Otherwise, we risk losing the very essence of what our ancestors fought for-an Africa free from foreign domination, inequality, and oppression.' Activist and author Kim Heller laments that 'the Freedom Charter lies in ruins in democratic South Africa.' She argued that 'today, the portraiture of the ANC as a devoted and dutiful servant to its citizens has all but collapsed. The party has abandoned its scripture.' Heller critiqued the current elite-driven, VIP-dominated political culture, contrasting it with the grassroots participation and volunteerism underpinning the Charter's formation. She pointed out that the proposed R700 million National Dialogue, led by President Ramaphosa, 'lacks the nation-building spirit and grassroots involvement that defined the Charter and the UDF. It appears to be an elite talk shop, disconnected from the struggles of ordinary South Africans.' Independent analyst Professor Sipho Seepe highlighted that the implementation of the Charter was doomed from the start. 'The ANC adopted a constitution that appreciated past injustices but made socioeconomic transformation difficult,' he stated. 'The architecture of apartheid remains largely intact, and inequality has only worsened, making South Africa the most unequal country in the world.' He criticised the ANC's partnership with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in government, arguing that 'the party has become an empty shell incapable of delivering on the promises of equality and justice, betraying the very ideals of the Freedom Charter.'
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Family praises Umngeni Mayor Pappas for progress in murder case
uMngeni Mayor Chris Pappas with Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, the uMngeni Municipality chief whip and DA councillor who was gunned down in December 2023. Image: Independent Media archives The family of an induna who was killed in an execution style in broad daylight in front of his children two years ago has commended uMngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas for the help that led to the arrest of the alleged killers, which includes Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma. Inkosi Zuma of the AmaNxamalala Tribal Authority, was arrested on June 13 for the murder of his Chief induna Qalokunye Zuma on January 14, 2023. Zuma made his second appearance at the Impendle Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, where the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) argued against his bail application. Zuma, who is Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) leader Jacob Zuma's nephew, appeared alongside one of his co-accused who is also his induna Zwelithini Buthelezi. Buthelezi, who is alleged to have organised hitmen for Zuma, is also a co-accused in a case that is at Howick Magistrate's Court for the murder of Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor and uMngeni Municipality's chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, who was gunned down at his Howick home in December 2023. Qalokunye Zuma's son, Sifiso Zuma, believed that without the arrest in Ndlovu's murder, the police would have struggled to arrest his father's alleged killers. 'As a family, we should be grateful to Pappas, because I am sure that my father's case is where it is now through him. 'Because if he were not involved in the investigation of the uMngeni councillor murder, my father's case would have been sabotaged and collapsed,' claimed Sifiso Zuma. 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. 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Sifiso Zuma said he had been visited by about eight investigating officers from Durban and Johannesburg, who were dealing with serious crimes, including political murders and claimed some of them told him that the gun that was used to kill his father was linked to Ndlovu's murder. 'The suspects were arrested for Ndlovu's murder, then they were linked to my father's murder,' said Sifiso. Pappas said it was known that the suspects were involved in intimidation and even alleged murder in Impendle. 'Despite the public awareness of these allegations, many remain silent out of fear of victimisation. 'We are encouraged that our relentless pursuit of justice for Nhlalayenza has also contributed to the arrest of individuals connected to other senseless acts of violence in the area,' said Pappas. In opposing Simphiwe Zuma's bail application, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Innocent Chamane told the court how Simphiwe Zuma attempted to collapse Qalokunye Zuma's murder investigation by helping Buthelezi evade arrest in Ndlovu's murder and another crime, which was related to theft of Eskom electricity's transformers and the illegal selling of uMngeni municipality's electricity. 'Accused three (Buthelezi) was on bail in another matter (electricity), appearing in the Howick Magistrate's Court when he decided to disappear. 'A warrant for his arrest was authorised by the Howick court, and the applicant (Simphiwe Zuma) facilitated that Buthelezi should continue running away from the police,' said Chamane. Out of frustration with the police delay in making an arrest, the DA and Pappas enlisted AfriForum's private investigators, who allegedly identified Buthelezi as the mastermind in Ndlovu's murder. It was only after Buthelezi's arrest on Ndlovu's murder that police allegedly connected Buthelezi to Qalokunye's murder.
