Latest news with #SouthAfrica
The Star
37 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Star
Cricket-Captain Cummins backs youngster Konstas as Australia cruise to West Indies win
Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 Australia's Sam Konstas in action fielding Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers (Reuters) -Captain Pat Cummins backed inexperienced opener Sam Konstas to deliver on the international stage despite the youngster's struggles against the West Indies as Australia won the first test in Bridgetown by 159 runs on Friday. The highly-rated 19-year-old was out for three runs as the Australians made a slow start to the first innings and scored five in his second spell at the crease, but Cummins threw his support behind the Sydney-born right-hander. "One of the hard things about playing test cricket is you get thrown different conditions all the time," said Cummins. "You might not have the flying hours under your belt as a youngster coming in, so you've got to come in and work out your craft on the bigger stage. "The hardest thing when the pitch is doing a lot is getting out of your little bubble, trying to score and take good options, which is really hard in these conditions. You saw today how hard it can be to fire a few shots. "Sammy tried a few different options yesterday, not too many worked out. But (I have) full confidence." Both Konstas and Cameron Green, at number three, struggled but the Australians were set up for victory by the batting performances of Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey. The West Indies were left to chase a target of 301 to win but, with Josh Hazlewood producing a bowling masterclass to claim five wickets for 43 runs, the hosts were dismissed for 141 as the match ended with two days remaining. "The wicket was playing a lot of tricks," said Cummins. "I thought we might make decent in-roads, but I didn't think we'd get 10. Always nice to get a couple of days off. "I thought those three (Head, Webster and Carey) were brilliant. They kept the scoreboard ticking over. They took really good options and they were always looking to score. That was the difference. "We turned up today thinking that we wouldn't get a big lead, it was 50-50 really and those guys took the game away from West Indies. I thought all three of those were really impressive."
Straits Times
39 minutes ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Captain Cummins backs youngster Konstas as Australia cruise to West Indies win
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 Australia's Pat Cummins celebrates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Temba Bavuma, caught out by Alex Carey Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo REUTERS Captain Pat Cummins backed inexperienced opener Sam Konstas to deliver on the international stage despite the youngster's struggles against the West Indies as Australia won the first test in Bridgetown by 159 runs on Friday. The highly-rated 19-year-old was out for three runs as the Australians made a slow start to the first innings and scored five in his second spell at the crease, but Cummins threw his support behind the Sydney-born right-hander. "One of the hard things about playing test cricket is you get thrown different conditions all the time," said Cummins. "You might not have the flying hours under your belt as a youngster coming in, so you've got to come in and work out your craft on the bigger stage. "The hardest thing when the pitch is doing a lot is getting out of your little bubble, trying to score and take good options, which is really hard in these conditions. You saw today how hard it can be to fire a few shots. "Sammy tried a few different options yesterday, not too many worked out. But (I have) full confidence." Both Konstas and Cameron Green, at number three, struggled but the Australians were set up for victory by the batting performances of Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey. The West Indies were left to chase a target of 301 to win but, with Josh Hazlewood producing a bowling masterclass to claim five wickets for 43 runs, the hosts were dismissed for 141 as the match ended with two days remaining. "The wicket was playing a lot of tricks," said Cummins. "I thought we might make decent in-roads, but I didn't think we'd get 10. Always nice to get a couple of days off. "I thought those three (Head, Webster and Carey) were brilliant. They kept the scoreboard ticking over. They took really good options and they were always looking to score. That was the difference. "We turned up today thinking that we wouldn't get a big lead, it was 50-50 really and those guys took the game away from West Indies. I thought all three of those were really impressive." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
News24
2 hours ago
- Business
- News24
Ties that bind: Inside Mashatile's inner circle behind SA's new lottery operator
Photographs and footage reveal the close personal relationships behind the company that clinched the multibillion-rand lotto licence and its links to Deputy President Paul Mashatile. They provide insight into the powerful people who orbit the deputy president, with a new name surfacing: former Adapt IT CEO Sbu Shabalala. Following amaBhungane's reporting, MPs put the heat on Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, asking him to account for possible conflicts of interest in the licence-bidding process and award. A cache of pictures and videos show the cosy ties between Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the inner circle behind the new lottery operator, Sizekhaya Holdings. It also introduces a key new figure linking them: Sbu Shabalala, the disgraced former Adapt IT chief executive. AmaBhungane understands that Shabalala is engaged to Khumo Bogatsu, Mashatile's sister-in-law, and is also the cousin of Moses Tembe, the Durban businessman who leads Sizekhaya. Earlier this week, amaBhungane revealed that Bogatsu is the twin sister of second lady Humile Mashatile and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Tembe. Bellamont Gaming is a shareholder in Sizekhaya Holdings, which has received the nod from Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to take over the national lottery licence, which is valid for eight years and generates about R7 billion annually. amaBhungane Shabalala is believed to be a key person helping knit together the politically connected group, which includes Sandile Zungu, a prominent member of Sizekhaya who reportedly co-leads the consortium with Tembe. Shabalala's presence is also controversial because of his spectacular fall from grace and departure from Adapt IT in 2021 following a violent incident at his estranged wife's home. He did not respond to questions. Power video The group's proximity to power is most strikingly demonstrated in a video circulated online around March 2025 - three months before the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) announced Sizekhaya as the winning bidder. The video captures the group, minus Zungu, at what appears to be a holiday gathering at an upscale resort. The scene is relaxed and familiar: Tembe in a crisp white shirt, his wife in jeans and a white shirt, Shabalala in a black shirt and shorts, Bogatsu in a sun hat and white blouse, Mrs Mashatile sipping a bottle of water and the deputy president caught dancing. Deputy President Paul Mashatile taking a break from his demanding duties to spend quality time with family and friends. — MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 15, 2025 Other photos, which we'll detail, place members of the group - including Zungu, Mashatile and their spouses - in each other's company at various personal and private events. The visuals are significant, not because powerful people have friends, but because these friendships sit at the nexus of a major public tender worth billions, raising questions about proximity, access and influence. In this regard, state capture amply demonstrated the potential sway of informal networks over formal decision-making. The visuals add to concerns about the potential for political interference in the award of the hotly contested lottery licence, despite both Tau and Mashatile emphasising this week that the deputy president played no role whatsoever in the lottery decision. In a response to amaBhungane, Sizekhaya said: 'The questions put forward to advocate Bogatsu, Mr Tembe, and Mr Zungu are irrelevant to the award and operation of the fourth national lottery licence and, as such, Sizekhaya is unable to respond to them. Sizekhaya added: Sizekhaya reiterates that the allegations relating to 'interested, politically connected parties' are baseless, and that our directors and shareholders are fit and proper, as per the Lotteries Act. Tembe told amaBhungane he did not believe any answer they gave would ever satisfy the 'insatiable appetite to incriminate' Mashatile: 'We're private individuals who've got private lives like you… You're welcome to continue down that trajectory without our cooperation.' He maintained that they had submitted all necessary declarations to the NLC and that the consortium won the bid on merit. Fallout Following amaBhungane's reporting, MPs grilled Tau during a committee meeting on Tuesday about Mashatile's possible conflicts of interest. Tau indicated he had been unaware that the deputy president's sister-in-law had an interest in Sizekhaya and said the matter would be investigated. Mashatile also later claimed he was unaware of Bogatsu's participation in the lottery bid. Then, in a shocking turn of events, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that he had decided to remove Deputy Trade Industry and Competition Minister Andrew Whitfield, a DA member. Whitfield's firing was allegedly due to his official overseas visit in February, which took place without Ramaphosa's permission. A furious DA gave Ramaphosa 48 hours to remove other poor-performing and corruption-implicated ministers, threatening 'consequences' if he did not. In a speech on Thursday, DA leader John Steenhuisen told Parliament that 'perhaps there is something even deeper at play here… Andrew Whitfield … had opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments; he was standing in the way of the looting that will follow from the Transformation Fund - and all of this in a department mired in corruption allegations involving the tender for the national lottery.' In a statement on Friday, Ramaphosa said Whitfield's firing was unrelated to anything else other than his trip. 'There is really no basis for suggestions that the dismissal of the former deputy minister is related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the executive of the Republic of South Africa,' he said. Shabalala's rise and fall For Shabalala - whose engagement to Bogatsu appears to have given him direct access to Mashatile - being included in the deputy president's circle provides him with a comeback after his dramatic fall from grace. In May 2021, the Sunday Times reported that Shabalala's estranged wife, Neo Shabalala, sought a High Court interdict against him, claiming he had hired armed men to assault her then-partner, Sipho Nzuza, at her Zimbali home. Nzuza was eThekwini's city manager but was at the time out on bail of R50 000 after being arrested in connection with the now notorious Durban Solid Waste case, where he is still on trial alongside former mayor Zandile Gumede. ALSO READ | amaBhungane: Who went to Paris with Paul? Tenderpreneur joined Mashatile's France-SA business trip The Sunday Times report said Nzuza had been left in critical condition after the attack and had his spleen and part of a kidney removed. Neo claimed in her affidavit that the assault - at which Shabalala was allegedly present - was meant to intimidate her into signing a divorce settlement that she believed was for less than what she was entitled to. She claimed Shabalala was invading her privacy by planting listening devices in her home and monitoring her cellphone. Neo said: I do not feel safe in the slightest with the first respondent [Shabalala] being near me or entering the immovable property. Although Shabalala maintained his innocence, saying the allegations were without merit, he consented to the interdict, and the fallout resulted in his fall from grace. After taking a three-month leave of absence to 'attend to personal matters', he resigned from Adapt IT, the feisty tech company he founded and took to a listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. 'We are coming home' - and bringing friends In growing closer to Mashatile through Bogatsu, Shabalala is said to have also brought his cousin, Tembe, into enhanced proximity. Tembe co-directs and co-owns Bellamont Gaming with Bogatsu, the twin sister of Mashatile's wife, Humile. The company is a minority shareholder in Sizekhaya, and it is central to questions about a conflict of interest for the deputy president. The company's name, Sizekhaya - which translates to 'we are coming home' - seems apt for a group bound not only by business but also by longstanding personal relationships. Aside from the revealing video, the group also appeared together in a photo previously published by amaBhungane. The photo was taken at St Paul's Anglican Church in February 2024, where they gathered to honour victims of a bus crash following the ANC's manifesto launch at Moses Mabhida Stadium. While the published photo focused on Tembe, Mashatile and his wife in the front row, a closer look reveals Shabalala standing behind them to the right and a partially obscured woman, who may be Bogatsu, to his left, just behind the red jacket. Supplied That year, Mashatile had frequented Tembe's home in uMdloti, KwaZulu-Natal, according to people in the area, and around the time the photo was taken it is said that Mashatile's presidential protection unit stayed over at Tembe's house for around six days. Coincidentally or not, Bellamont Gaming was registered just months before that visit, in December 2023 - four months after the NLC published the request for proposal for the licence and just two months before bids were due. In that month, Zungu was seemingly celebrating a special moment with Tembe, and a photo shared to his WhatsApp story shows the pair allegedly holding Zungu's baby girl. Supplied Miami and milestones 2023 was also the year that Shabalala and Bogatsu allegedly celebrated their own milestone - their alleged engagement in August in Miami. Tembe and Reggie Kukama - a well-known friend and associate of Mashatile's - as well as Kukama's son were allegedly there to witness the special occasion. Supplied Kukama and Mashatile are members of the so-called 'Alex Mafia', a group of successful businessmen and politicians who hail from Alexandra in Johannesburg. More pictures from the same year show Shabalala and Bogatsu arm-in-arm with Zungu and his wife, Nozipho. Supplied Supplied Another image shows the alleged couple with a close friend at a lunch hosted for the group. Another shows Bogatsu and Shabalala alongside the ANC's Tony Yengeni in an intimate lunch setting. On 2 February 2024, the day before the lottery bids were due, Shabalala, Bogatsu, Tembe and his wife, Princess Ntandoyesizwe Tembe (formerly Zulu), were photographed at the opening of the Anele Tembe Library at Durban Girls' College. Supplied It was a special occasion for Tembe as a grieving father. Anele died in 2001 after falling from a balcony in the presence of her then-fiancé, rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes. Forbes died two years later after being shot in Durban. 'Not enough to buy an aeroplane' In response to amaBhungane's questions, Tembe dismissed questions about his relationships as an 'invasion of privacy and humiliating'. He said in his various positions, he met 'almost all leaders across the political spectrum in their home and my home'. 'It's my duty to share notes on all issues that impact business and to influence them to inculcate and live Godly values. None of them [across the political spectrum] would ever say I discussed personal interests.' Mashatile, Tembe added, had no financial interest in Sizekhaya's bid, saying the bid was never discussed with Mashatile and confirmed his shareholding in Sizekhaya, but he claimed that it was 'insignificant' and 'much less than 10%'. 'The NLC takes the biggest chunk of the top line and winnings even higher. No shareholder would make money to buy an aeroplane.' Political alignment Tau and Mashatile have also risen through the political ranks together. From December 2000, Tau served as a member of the mayoral committee in Johannesburg for various portfolios until 2009, when he was elected to the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee. From 1994 until 2009, around this time, Mashatile served as MEC in various portfolios, also in Gauteng. From 2007 to 2017, Mashatile served as provincial chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng and from 2011 to 2016 - the same period - Tau served as mayor of Johannesburg. Parliamentary grilling Tau maintained in a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting this week that the process of awarding the licence to Sizekhaya Holdings was fair but said he would go back and investigate allegations of a conflict of interest between the deputy president and his sister-in-law. He said: Fit and proper is a continuous process. There are allegations that have been raised in the media. 'We have looked at those allegations, and we will look at them because they are specific allegations; you cannot ignore them. It would be irresponsible of us to ignore what has been raised in the public domain by investigative journalists in the media and so on.' Tau added that the department would get appropriate advice on whether the deputy president's relationship constitutes a conflict of interest, political affiliation and any other considerations. AmaBhungane sent questions to Mashatile's office regarding the allegations, but he had not responded by the time of publication. The story will be updated if a comment is received.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
New documentary explores one of the most turbulent periods in All Black history
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the most iconic and transcendent game of rugby ever played. Unfortunately for the All Blacks, it was one they lost. The 1995 Rugby World Cup final , won 15-12 by the Springboks after extra time, has gone down as the day that the new nation of South Africa was born. The truth is a little bit more complicated than that, but New Zealand's memories of it generally revolve around Jonah Lomu and Suzy the Waitress. Frank Bunce in action during the final of the Rugby World Cup between the All Blacks and South Africa in 1995. Photo: Photosport Sky Sport are filling a rare rugby-free Saturday evening with Back From The End Of The World , a documentary about the All Blacks' journey through a very turbulent period leading up to the World Cup. It's told very much from coach Laurie Mains' point of view, as well as players like Ian Jones, Eric Rush and Frank Bunce, and takes its name from the famous French try that handed the All Blacks their last defeat on Eden Park way back in 1994. Back From The End Of The World certainly does its best to hit all the right nostalgic buttons, with enough time passed between then and now to elicit some refreshing honesty from the infamously tight-lipped All Black environment. You have to remember that the World Cup was only one part of the dramatic situation rugby found itself in at the time, with the game hurtling towards professionalism and everyone trying to get their hands on the wheel. Here's a look back at what was happening: Jonah Lomu and Sean Fitzpatrick. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport If you think the last few years of All Black rugby was up and down, Mains' tenure as coach was a real rollercoaster. He started with a shock loss to the World XV, had the Bledisloe Cup bounce back and forth across the Tasman every season and lost to England for only the third time ever. On the other hand, they won series' against the Springboks and British Lions in consecutive years and won at Ellis Park. In order to get the All Blacks fit enough to play the style of game he wanted, Mains put the players through a hellish fitness regime across three training camps. Days would usually involve six hours of team training, followed by fitness sessions. "The only way I could get them fit to the level we want was if I was controlling it and not their provincial coaches," said Mains. "We said 'at the end of these camps, some of the players will fall by the wayside and it'll make our selections easier'." All the while, the constant narrative was whether Mains should be coach at all. John Hart had been publicly lobbying for sole charge of the job after being a co-coach in 1991, and it felt like everyone had an opinion of the matter. It didn't quite reach the same sort of drama as when Ian Foster was competing against Scott Robertson, but it wasn't far off. Jonah Lomu and Eric Rush. Photo: supplied "We desperately wanted Jonah and we were going to do everything we could in our power to get him up to the fitness levels required," said Mains. "I included Fitzy [captain Sean Fitzpatrick] in the discussions I had with [assistant coaches] Earle Kirton and Brian Lochore, who both said 'he's not ready to play in a World Cup for the All Blacks. Within a quarter of an hour, Eric Rush and Olo Brown both came to me and said we'll take Jonah running and make him work." Lomu's teammates' support and encouragement meant he was able to gain selection and become the most iconic player in the game's history. Right now we're trying to predict who will start in the 10 jersey next weekend between Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie, two players that have almost 200 caps worth of experience between them. Andrew Mehrtens had one by the time the World Cup started, a selection that would be utterly unthinkable now. "It was getting pretty desperate… We were so lucky one just fell into our lap" admitted Mains. Back From The End Of The World wisely skips over the main controversy of the World Cup, with Mains thankfully not quoted on a matter that saw him launch a private investigation at his own expense. The story of Suzy the Waitress has been done to death and it's quite clear from the players ever since that they believe it was a simple case of food poisoning rather than anything nefarious.
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Stealing back what was stolen: South African game ‘Relooted' targets colonial spoils (VIDEO)
JOHANNESBURG, June 28 — Under the cover of darkness, Nomali jumped over a wall, burst into a museum and snatched a human skull from a pedestal before escaping through a window to the wail of an alarm. The daring heist was not the work of a real-life criminal. Nomali is the protagonist of a new action-packed video game where players 'reclaim' artefacts taken from African countries to be displayed in the West. Developed by Johannesburg studio Nyamakop, Relooted is set in an imaginary future but tackles a topical issue: calls for Western institutions to return to Africa the spoils of colonisation. Players are tasked with taking back 70 artefacts — all of which exist in real life — with a 'team of African citizens', said producer Sithe Ncube, one of a team of 30 working on the game. The items include the 'Benin Bronzes' sculptures removed from the former kingdom of Benin more than 120 years ago, and which The Netherlands officially returned to Nigeria on June 21. Another is the sacred Ngadji drum from Kenya's Pokomo community, which was confiscated by British colonial authorities in 1902. 'Its removal destabilised the community,' Ncube said as an animated drawing of the wooden instrument flashed on her computer. Players 'can see where it's from... and read about the history,' she said, giving a demo. 'Is it stealing?' On the screen a crew of characters in Afrofuturist costumes debated a plan to recover the remains of Tanzanian chiefs hanged by German colonial forces. One asked: 'Is it stealing to take back what was stolen?' 'We are going to do whatever it takes to take back Africa's belongings, and we are going to do it together,' said the character Nomali. 'Sometimes the stories behind these (artefacts) are actually very upsetting,' Ncube told AFP. 'It makes you see how much colonialism has affected... and shaped the world.' Growing up in Zambia, she knew of her country's iconic 'Broken Hill Man', a skull about 300,000 years old held in London's Natural History Museum and which is also featured in Relooted. But it was only when working on the game that Ncube realised how many African cultural artefacts were held abroad, she said. In France alone, museums stored about 90,000 objects from sub-Saharan Africa, according to a 2018 report commissioned by the government. 'Africans, to actually see these things that are part of their own culture, have to get a visa, pay for flights and go to a European country,' Ncube said. 'My whole life, I've never seen 'Broken Hill Man'.' Sithe Ncube, producer at Nyamakop video game studio, plays a soon to be launched video game called 'Relooted' at their office space in Rosebank, near Johannesburg, June 20, 2025. — AFP pic Skewed identity The looting of artefacts over centuries robbed communities of their 'archives' and 'knowledge systems', said Samba Yonga, co-founder of the digital Museum of Women's History in Zambia. 'Our history predates colonisation by millennia,' she told AFP, but many people 'don't even realise that we have a skewed sense of self and identity.' Reclaiming these objects would enable 'a shift in how the next generation views their culture and identity,' she said. The same hope underpinned Relooted, which was unveiled this month at Los Angeles' Summer Game Fest where it attracted a lot of interest from the diaspora and other Africans, Ncube said. 'I hope that the game encourages people from other African countries to want to tell their own stories and bring these things to light,' she said. One character felt personal for the producer: Professor Grace, Nomali's grandmother and described as 'the brains behind the mission'. 'I started seeing my own grandmother in her,' Ncube said with emotion. 'She represents a connection between our generations, fighting for the same thing we've always been fighting for.' — AFP
