Latest news with #Mkhize
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Royal AM must give up on their fight to be reinstated in the PSL . . . they've done more harm than good
Shawn Mkhize continues to be a thorn in the side of the PSL, this time due to a recent court battle that is awaiting judgment. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix COMMENT The tug-of-war between the PSL and Royal AM appears far from over — but the league may have made the right call by expelling the club earlier this year. This week, Pretoria High Court Judge Boitsheko Seleka reserved judgment on Royal AM's bid to be reinstated in the PSL. 'Thwihli Thwahla' turned to the High Court after being expelled from the league for bringing it into disrepute. SARS placed the club under curatorship earlier this year in an effort to recover R40 million in unpaid taxes owed by club president Shaun Mkhize. However, after SARS failed to secure a buyer for the club, the PSL removed it from the league — finishing the season with just 15 teams. 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 ✕ In court papers, Mkhize contends that the family had relinquished ownership by the time the club entered curatorship, transferring directorship to a certain Shamis Sadab. According to her, this meant the club could not be used to recover her personal tax debts. However, PSL legal representative Michael Murphy argued that Mkhize never informed the league of this change in ownership. Therefore, the league acted within their rights when the Board of Governors (BoG) voted to expel the club in April. Mkhize also claimed that Royal AM were not permitted to attend the BoG meeting — a point rendered moot by the fact that, had they appeared, they would have been asked to leave due to the nature of the proceedings. Attempts by Independent Media to reach Murphy for comment on Thursday were unsuccessful. Exclusive : Royal AM Sale Details Bidders required to submit refundable deposit of R1 million and indicate intention to bid on 14 March. Successful bidder to be informed 17 March Thread 👇🏽 — Cash N Sport (@CashNSport) March 5, 2025 If the league can prove to Judge Seleka that the club was still under Mkhize's consortium at the time of curatorship, a verdict in their favour seems likely. Royal AM's administrative chaos has dented the PSL's image, which their leadership, under chairman Irvin Khoza, have spent decades building. This isn't the first time the club has courted controversy — from failing to appear for promotion/relegation play-offs to buying their way into the top flight. Their mismanagement also threatened vital commercial partnerships, with sponsors like Betway and Nedbank likely displeased that the season concluded with an odd number of teams. Khoza has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining strong relationships with sponsors, who are the league's financial backbone. That's why the league could not allow a 'rotten potato' to spoil the entire bag — especially when livelihoods, reputations and operations are on the line. DA Victory: Royal AM R27 million sponsorship terminated Following relentless pressure from the DA - the Msunduzi Municipality resolved to terminate the controversial Royal AM sponsorship contract. — DA KZN (@DA_KZN) July 3, 2025
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
KZN SAFA President slams PSL clubs' scouting failures as top talent leaves the province
SAFA KZN President Mazwi Mkhize @Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix KwaZulu-Natal SAFA President Mazwi Mkhize has issued a stinging rebuke to the province's Premier Soccer League clubs, accusing them of failing to properly scout and retain local talent. His comments come as the province prepares to welcome a fourth club into the Betway Premiership for the 2025/2026 season, with the return of Durban City — formerly known as Maritzburg United — to the top flight. But Mkhize has warned that merely having representation in the league is not enough if clubs continue to overlook the wealth of talent on their doorstep. Speaking to Ukhozi FM following the launch of the 2025 Engen Knockout Challenge, Mkhize praised the return of Durban City but expressed deep frustration at a trend that has seen the province's brightest footballers thrive elsewhere. 'It's important, very important, that clubs gain promotion but we have a big problem with clubs in our province. I'm not sure if Durban City will follow the same route as AmaZulu and Golden Arrows,' said Mkhize. 'They go out there and sign over 30-year-old players whilst there are 21/22-year-old players that they ignore, and when those young players go to Gauteng and shine, they want to buy them back with millions in transfer fees.' KwaZulu-Natal has long been a hotbed of football talent, producing players who have gone on to feature at the highest level both locally and abroad. However, Mkhize pointed out that clubs within the province continue to lose out on these talents due to ineffective scouting and poor development structures. 'You ask yourself why Thabo Cele and Thalente Mbatha are both from KwaMashu but are at Chiefs and Pirates, and how Richards Bay missed Mbekezeli Mbokazi who is from Hluhluwe,' he said. The SAFA KZN boss didn't mince his words, going as far as to suggest clubs take drastic action if their scouting departments continue to fail. 'If these clubs do have scouts at the moment, then they should fire them because how are they letting the best players in the province slip through their fingers.'
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
KZN flood victims face eviction as housing criteria excludes many from government support
After three years in shelters waiting for homes to be built, some 2022 flood victims are now scrambling to prove that they do indeed need help from the government despite not meeting the criteria. In April, some of the 2022 KwaZulu-Natal flood victims living in shelters received eviction letters – the deadline being 30 June 2025 – and now they are scrambling to write affidavits explaining their circumstances and why they cannot afford different housing or to build their own homes. Transport and human settlements spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya told Daily Maverick the verification process of flood victims had uncovered foreign nationals and individuals who did not qualify because they already had RDP houses or earned more than the amount to qualify for RDP houses. The 2022 floods were among the deadliest natural disasters in the region's history, resulting in at least 436 deaths and extensive damage to infrastructure and homes. The department is applying the same criteria to disaster victims as it does to people applying for government housing in general: they must have an income of under R3,500 per month, must never have had a home and an RDP house before and must be South African citizens over 18 years of age with dependants. Sibongile Mkhize from KZN Flood Victims and The Poor Dwellers said they have a number of questions because when the criteria were finally shared with them, they were told that those earning above R3,500 would be partially helped to secure homes. 'I feel like there has been a lack of communication. People should have been told what the meaning of 'we will assist those who don't qualify' is. Right now it looks like they are being kicked right out,' Mkhize said. Mkhize was employed and lost her job while in the shelter and had to go to the Department of Labour and other places to verify that she is indeed unemployed and qualifies for housing. Mkhize said that in previous engagements with officials they said R3,500 was too low as a threshold to disqualify people for housing. 'If you earn R5,000 you still cannot afford to build yourself a house. Some of the people who will get evicted lived in RDP houses that were destroyed in the floods, so now they are disqualified for the new housing. Is this right and just? That is the question we have.' Gladys Nongoboza (47) has seven dependents, the youngest of whom is four. She doesn't qualify for housing because she earns R6,000 a month. Before the floods they lived in a three-bedroom shack in Megaville. She said she had been hopeful the government would help her build a home, as officials had said. 'They said no one would get left behind. I can only afford rent that is below R1,000 and that will not fit a family of eight. Any assistance from the government would make a difference. After we received the notice, I have been looking for rentals everywhere. I just cannot manage with my salary. We have waited in hope for three years but now we are helpless. I have no idea where to go when we get kicked out of this flat – my children and I will end up on the streets. Any help we can get would be great to just find a place to live.' The KZN human settlements department said it submitted a detailed report on the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission. The commission 'agreed with the department on the correct steps undertaken to manage this matter. The 2022 flood victims have been accommodated in private self-catering accommodation across eThekwini since December 2022. More than R185-million has been paid so far by the Department of Human Settlements for private self-catering accommodation for the 2022 flood victims and those who were affected recently,' it said. The department needed a further R128-million for self-catering accommodation for the victims. Transport and human settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said every cent should be saved and used to build permanent houses for the victims. 'In order to ensure that there is no irregular or fruitless expenditure, in line with prescripts of the Auditor-General, a verification process of individuals and families in self-catering accommodation was conducted months ago.' Sibiya said his department had written letters informing individuals who do not meet criteria that they would no longer be put up in self-catering accommodation after the verification process. 'Living in self-catering accommodation is not viable for these individuals because those that live in self-catering accommodation are linked to houses that are currently being built by the department.' The findings of the verification exercise had included: Currently there are 179 individuals who do not qualify to live in self-catering accommodation; The verification process uncovered that some individuals have government-built RDP houses. And the government cannot build a RDP house twice. It is against government policy; Some individuals earn enough and above the stipulated amount of money to qualify for an RDP house. Therefore they should not be accommodated in self-catering accommodation; Some individuals claimed not to have identification documents. When we offered to assist them to obtain IDs through the Department of Home Affairs, they refused and others disappeared; We uncovered that some individuals are foreign nationals; and We also uncovered that some individuals that have benefited from the government in the form of newly built houses have brought relatives to the self-catering accommodation. 'The department asked them to look for alternative accommodation as they will never qualify for government-built houses in the future. Some houses for individuals have been built in the land acquired from traditional leaders and these will be handed over by the MEC in the next few days,' Sibiya added. Despite the 30 June deadline, people have not been evicted, while the authorities consider their motivations to remain in self-catering accommodation. Sizilwethu Chili explained in his affidavit that he earns R5,000. He pays R2,500 to support his two children, whose combined school fees come to R6,000 per month, in addition to about R1,000 for transport. He pays R850 for transport to work and R155 for a funeral policy, as well as other costs. His affidavit ends with a plea: 'I need assistance to find a house.' Chili's affidavit is similar to a number shared with Daily Maverick – people explaining their particular circumstances, hoping for a different outcome to eviction. Noting this, Sibiya said: 'Critically, there are individuals who have pleaded and asked to bring more concrete evidence to back up their position that they still qualify to be accommodated in self-catering accommodation. The MEC for transport and human settlements, Siboniso Duma, has supported the decision to give such individuals an opportunity to provide evidence. He believes that this will ensure that in the future the department is not accused of being involved in fruitless and irregular expenditure.' DM
The Citizen
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Parents open up about teen driving fears and first-car plans
THE Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival is a key annual event on the KwaZulu-Natal school sports calendar. This year's event also offered an opportunity for important conversations off the field. As a proud sponsor, Halfway Ford used the event to connect with families about a topic that weighs heavily on many parents' minds: teen driving. Also read: Mkhize's luxury cars to go under the hammer Over the course of the festival, Halfway Ford spoke with parents and asked them to complete a questionnaire to gain insight into their concerns and expectations as their teens prepare to get behind the wheel. They also explored the key factors that influence parents' decision-making when it comes to choosing a vehicle for their children. 'Selling cars is only part of what we do,' said Chilton Penery, chief operating officer at Halfway Ford. 'We're part of our communities – and we wanted to better understand how we can support families during this major milestone in their children's lives.' Top Parental Concerns: Safety First The questionnaire results revealed that road safety and accidents (66%) was the biggest concern among parents. Other pressing worries included peer pressure and reckless driving (16%), the cost of vehicle insurance and maintenance (12%), and the availability of safe, affordable cars (6%). Timing, Safety, and Budget Drive Parents' First-Car Decisions When asked whether parents had plans of buying a car for their teen: 82% of parents said yes, but opinions differed on when – half indicated they planned to buy a car immediately when their child received their driver's licence, while the other half said they would only do so after a period of supervised driving 13% said their teen would need to share a family vehicle 5% said their child was expected to buy their own In terms of vehicle features that mattered most: Safety features topped the list at 31.5% Affordability followed closely at 29.5% Fuel efficiency was cited by 20% Brand reputation by 15% Resale value trailed at 3% When it came to budget: Nearly half (44%) of parents reported a price range of between R50 000 and R150 000 26% were willing to spend between R150 000 and R250 000 21% indicated a budget of between R250 000 and R350 000 3% of parents planned to spend between R350 000 and R500 000 6% of parents sat on either side of the budgeting spectrum – half (3%) indicated their price range would be under R500 000 while the other half said they would be spending more than R500 000 Mixed Feelings About Driver Education One of the standout findings was widespread concern about the quality of driver education in South Africa: Only 28% of parents believed driving schools adequately prepare teens 40% felt driver training was insufficient 32% were unsure Despite these concerns, 66% said they would consider enrolling their child in an advanced driving course for added safety, while 27% said they would consider it if the cost was affordable. What Parents Want: Better Training, Safety Tech, and Support When asked what would make them feel more comfortable with their teen taking to the roads, the majority pointed to improved driver education and training. Others cited the need for stricter laws for young drivers, vehicle safety technology such as speed monitoring, and reduced insurance premiums for responsible teen drivers. More importantly, the survey also highlighted a strong appetite for continued support. More than 80% of parents said they would be interested in receiving information and guidance on teen driving safety, car choices, and financing options. 'These insights have highlighted just how much support and guidance parents are looking for as their teenagers take their first steps toward independence behind the wheel. We are committed to using what we've learnt to develop practical resources that speak directly to these needs,' concluded Penery. For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Legal battle brews between KwaZulu-Natal premier and former director-general over resignation retraction
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli has been given seven days to say whether he will retract his director-general's resignation. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives A legal storm is brewing between KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and former director-general, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, over her reinstatement after her resignation. Mkhize resigned with immediate effect earlier this month; however, five days later, she retracted her resignation, arguing that she was under duress because of the incident of alleged intimidation by a youth director in the Office of the Premier, whom she claimed had threatened her. However, Ntuli argued that since he had already accepted the resignation, in terms of the Public Service Act, she cannot retract the letter and could only reapply when the position is advertised. Mkhize disagrees with this interpretation, and her lawyers have sent the premier a letter of demand. In the letter that was seen by Independent Media and confirmed by the Premier's Office, Mkhize's attorneys demand that the premier respond to the retraction letter from their client. 'Our instructions are to request the acknowledgement of the receipt of our client's retraction letter of resignation and also respond within seven days,' read the letter. In the letter of retraction, Dr Mkhize cited the incident between her and the youth director as a reason for her resignation. She said the letter was sent after being traumatised by the event that took place, which she described as insolent and unlawful conduct by the youth director. 'I was left severely traumatised by the incident. The matter has been taken under consideration, and I have since the incident received professional psychological counselling. Having filed a criminal case and recorded the incident for the honourable Premier's consideration, I am now feeling more confident of my safety; therefore, wish to retract the resignation letter and continue with dedicated years of service to the public. I request the honourable Premier to accept the withdrawal of the resignation,' read the letter. The premier's spokesperson, Bongani Gina, said the letter from Dr Mkhize's attorneys is under review. According to legal expert Advocate Bo Dlamini, the premier has no legal standing in the matter, and Dr Mkhize was legally entitled to rescind her resignation letter because she filed it in response to purported threats of violence. 'Now that it looks like there was a threat to her life when she submitted the letter of resignation, the employer is bound to accept the retraction since she resigned under duress. If the matter goes to court, chances are that she will win,' said Advocate Dlamini. In a statement, Ntuli announced that his office is investigating the matter even though Youth Director Melusi Ndima has resigned. He dismissed the insinuation that he did nothing to act against the allegations, which were described as having elements of gender-based violence, saying the investigation was instituted immediately after it was reported to him. [email protected]
