Vuvuzela craze spreads to baseball

June 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Get your ear plugs ready, the Vuvuzela is going global.

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The Florida Marlins baseball team handed out free horns to the first 15,000 fans through the gate for their game with the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

Not surprisingly, as anyone who has watched a World Cup match would know, the result was a night of constant, vibrating noise.

While the young fans brandishing the mini-version of the South African plastic horn enjoyed the fun, the players were not amused.

“This isn’t soccer,” Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, who wore earplugs, told MLB.com.

“I know the World Cup is going on, but this is baseball. We don’t want to hear horns or anything like that. We want to hear the crowd cheering. We want to hear the crowd getting behind us, not horns,” he said.

The Marlins, who often struggle to draw good crowds, frequently put on bands and other attractions on Saturdays.

“We try to create either a sound or visual giveaway,” said Marlins’ vice president of marketing Sean Flynn. “This is probably the loudest item we’ve had.”

(Writing by Simon Evans in Pretoria; Editing by Michael Holden)

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England Fans 2, Pretoria Prisoners 2

June 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

National flags fluttered in the wind, a local tenor sang the national anthems, fans mingled in the stands and government ministers jostled to be seen on TV.

On the pitch, the players exchanged nervous glances as they walked out holding hands with their young escorts. South Africa: tall, fit and watched over by their fellow inmates. England: overweight, sunburnt and slightly hungover.

The location was the Zonderwater Correctional Center and the teams were some aging England fans v the offenders.

“It is a dream that happened for us today,” Pieter Boshof, who has been in prison for 16 years, told Reuters.

“Everybody has been speculating would it happen. Everybody spoke about it in prison. Everybody has had sleepless nights.”

CRIME PREVENTION

The match was organized by the British High Commission, the Department of Correctional Services and crime prevention group Khulisa in a push to bring the World Cup spirit into the prison.

“Can you feel it?” one member of the offenders team shouted as he was led off the bus. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long, long time. This is the World Cup.”

They were given a pre-match speech by a fellow inmate who told them to apologize for any bad tackles

The England fans, who had their own physiotherapist, stretchers by the sideline and much taping on their knees, ranged in age from 11 to over 50.

“We’ve played all over the world,” David ‘Chopper’ Hancock told Reuters. “It does seem, however, that when we play we’re all fat and 40 and most of the teams we play are rather young and very fit.

“These guys are in prison, so they must be able to train every day. We’ve all got jobs and had a few beers last night.”

When the match kicked off, those England fans not playing opted to sit among the rest of the prisoners in the seats, mingling their colors of red and white with the prison uniform of orange with CORRECTIONS written from top to toe.

“There are 1,300 prisoners in this part of the prison, so the top 11 are very good,” one warden told the visiting fans, as he cheered on the offenders.

In the game of 25 minutes a side, played on a hard, dry pitch, England took the lead after one of their younger players chipped the goalkeeper.

The offenders then scored twice, prompting much celebration, before England leveled, thanks to some supportive refereeing by a local warden.

Both sets of players then hugged and posed for pictures.

“Our football brain isn’t bad and we can hold our own but when they decided to run we were in trouble,” 50-year-old fan Ian Hart told Reuters.

“But isn’t football great? I never thought I’d see the day when I played football in Soweto or in a prison.

“But we’ve done it and it’s been great.”

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Weiss keeps his son in check for Slovakia

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Father-son chats in the Weiss family are difficult affairs, with Slovakia coach Vladimir saying on Wednesday he was being extra strict with his son of the same name as they prepare for the World Cup.

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Three generations of Vladimir Weisses have played soccer for their country, one winning an Olympic silver medal in 1964, one playing at the 1990 World Cup and one getting ready to take to the field in South Africa.

Weiss junior does not get any favors from his father.

“It’s not so easy, I am very strict with him, much stricter with him than other players,” the coach told Reuters in an interview on the pitch after the team’s first training session in Pretoria.

“It’s not so easy for him either but he’s a nice guy so he’s is very popular with the rest of the team. I hope his talent is good and he can help his team.”

Grandfather Weiss, it seems, has the easiest job.

“He is sitting at home waiting to watch the matches on the television,” said 45-year-old Weiss, straining to speak over the din of the vuvuzelas being blown by the dozens of fans watching his players train.

“The grandfather is happy now, his son is coaching the team and his grandson is 20 years old and is playing at the World Cup, it’s very good for the family.”

Slovakia face Italy, New Zealand and Paraguay in Group F, with Tuesday’s opener with the All Whites likely to offer some clues as to how far they will progress in their first World Cup appearance as an independent nation.

“We must try to win the first game, it is historic for Slovakia to be here. If we win we have the chance to progress,” said the coach.

“I’m a lucky man because I started as a player in the 1990 World Cup and after 20 years I am a coach at the World Cup, it’s very nice for me.”

(Editing by Nigel Hunt)

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Slovakia’s Skrtel trains away from squad

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Slovakia’s key World Cup defender Martin Skrtel trained on his own on Wednesday as part of his recovery from an injured ankle but said he expected to be fit for their World Cup opener.

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The 25-year-old Liverpool defender, who limped off during a friendly match against Costa Rica on Saturday, told Reuters his ankle was still swollen but he hoped to resume full training shortly.

“It’s still swollen but it’s getting better each day,” he said, shouting over the sound of vuvuzela trumpet blasts from the local fans who watched Slovakia’s first training session in the country at a small stadium in Pretoria.

“In the morning I’ll be training with a personal coach and after that I hope to train with the team. We’re a little bit tired after the traveling but we should be fine by tomorrow.”

Skrtel, who is competing at his first World Cup, has become a key member of the Slovak team due to his aggressive tackling and quick pace, but his season has been hampered by injury after he broke a bone in his foot earlier this year.

On Wednesday he trained away from the rest of the squad and with a personal coach, working on upper and lower body strength and lunging on his ankle, but was also joking around and squirting water at nearby coaches.

Slovakia, competing at their first World Cup, face New Zealand on Tuesday, Paraguay on Sunday and Italy next Thursday.

(Editing by Michael Holden)

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World Cup hosts fear nobody, says coach Parreira

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hosts South Africa “fear nobody” in the World Cup, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said after his side completed their pre-tournament warmup programme with a weekend win over fellow finalists Denmark.

The Brazilian said Bafana Bafana, ranked 83rd in the world and previously tipped to be the worst host team yet in the 70-year history of the World Cup, had shown themselves ready for the tournament, which kicks off on Friday.

“Everyone has to respect us and we fear nobody,” said Parreira as South Africa looked ahead to a last week of preparation having beaten the Danes 1-0 in Pretoria on Saturday.

“I believe the team has shown itself ready for the World Cup. We will go into the tournament with confidence and now we can start to dream about a position, about achieving something,” the former World Cup winner said.

Katlego Mphela’s late goal handed South Africa a third successive win and stretched to 12 games their unbeaten run since Parreira returned to coach the team in November last year.

“This was a very special win because it was against a good team with lots of experience. We played with confidence and showed we were willing to compete.

“The path we chose for the World Cup has been proven to be the right one. The players bought into the vision that they could play the ball on the ground, keep the shape and be well organised.”

South Africa open the World Cup against Mexico at the cavernous Soccer City and Parreira was quick to temper any bold predictions of success in the tournament’s first match.

“Mexico have proved they are a very good team. It’s a very difficult group that we have and we have to take each game as a final. But the competition is open and we will go into it with confidence.” They also meet Uruguay and France in their group.

Parreira also had a word of praise for a sudden surge of support for the team, reflected in capacity crowds at all their home matches over the last two months.

“The people are behind us because we have shown them the team is improving. The spectators have fallen in love with Bafana Bafana again.”

(Editing by Jon Bramley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Germany brimming with confidence despite setbacks

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Germany will go into the World Cup in top form despite a string of injuries that ruled out several starting players, coach Joachim Loew said hours before the team was due to depart for South Africa on Sunday.

Injuries have so far ruled out captain Michael Ballack and four other players, severely restricting Loew’s options in midfield for the June 11-July 11 tournament and robbing his team of its natural leader.

But two comfortable wins against Hungary and Bosnia in the past days have shown the Germans were able to successfully absorb the shock of these withdrawals, with the team playing at times mesmerising football.

“We are going into this tournament well prepared,” Loew told the federation website before boarding the huge A380 passenger plane bound for Johannesburg. The team, who will arrive on Monday, will then travel to their base outside Pretoria.

“I have full confidence in the quality of our team,” said Loew.

While he still has to finalise his choices for the defence and attack, Loew seems to have decided on his new-look midfield.

Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger have made a seamless transition from supporting actors under Ballack to playing leading roles, combining beautifully to initiate Germany’s offensive play from their holding midfield positions.

Thomas Mueller also looks to have edged out any rivals for a spot on the wings after fine performances from the 20-year-old.

Overall Ballack’s injury looks to have been a blessing in disguise with the team playing more freely, his responsibilities shared by more than just one player.

“We know what we have to do,” said Schweinsteiger. “Most of us have gone through these situations before.”

Germany take on Australia in their first Group D match on June 13. They then play Serbia and Ghana.

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Bulls to meet Stormers in Super 14 final at Soweto, RGU

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The defending champion Bulls will host the Stormers in an all-South African final of rugby’s Super 14 after Saturday’s semifinals saw the elimination of New Zealand and Australia’s last title hopes. The Pretoria-based Bulls beat seven-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders 39-24 in front of 35,000 fans at Orlando Stadium in Soweto and will return to the township for next weekend’s final against the Cape Town-based Stormers.

The Stormers reached a Super rugby final for the first time, after semifinal defeats in 1999 and 2004, by beating the New South Wales Waratahs 25-6, ensuring the second all-South African final since 2007 when the Bulls beat the Sharks. Springboks flyhalf Morne Steyn kicked 24 points nine penalties and three conversions for the Bulls to break the record of his Crusaders and All Blacks opposite Dan Carter for most points by an individual in a Super 14 season.

Steyn’s first penalty in the ninth minute took him past Carter’s 2006 record of 221 points. No.

8 Pierre Spies scored the Bulls’ first try from a Crusaders error after only two minutes, setting the tone for a match in which the home team was never headed. Playing away from their regular ground at Loftus Versfeld, which has been taken over by the football World Cup, the Bulls were still unable to maintain a run of 19 straight wins in home games.

Coach Frans Ludeke rested 14 of his front-line players for last week’s final regular-season match against the Stormers but his players showed no ill-effects from that layoff, outclassing the Crusaders who made 22 handling errors. The Crusaders were forced to travel to South Africa for the second time in three weeks for Saturday’s match, after losing to the Bulls 40-35 in the penultimate round of the regular season.

Captain Richie McCaw refused to blame his team’s substandard performance on fatigue or the effects of travel. “We’ve got no excuses with the travel.

We were ready to go and we came up short,” McCaw said. Bulls captain Victor Matfield said his team was untroubled by its move from Loftus Versfeld to Orlando Stadium, which was hosting a major rugby match for the first time.

“I’ve played 100 games for the Bulls and this is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Matfield said. “Everyone’s going to be back here next week and it’s going to be huge.

” Spies’ try gave the Bulls a perfect start, breaking the natural tension of the semifinal, and Steyn’s conversion and record-breaking penalty put them 10-0 ahead after nine minutes. McCaw scored a try for the Crusaders two minutes later and Carter converted but fullback Zane Kirschner scored the Bulls second try at the end of a frantic first 15 minutes to set his team back on a winning course.

The Bulls led 23-10 at halftime and made their win safe when scrumhalf Fourie du Preez scored his team’s only second half try. “It’s going to be a great final next week, but credit to all the guys for making our third final in four years,” man of the match du Preez said.

“There’s been a lot of talk about our rest last week. But it’s a tough competition.

I think the rest helped us perform today.” Center Juan de Jongh scored the only try of the match, his first in Super 14 rugby, as the Stormers beat the Waratahs at Cape Town.

Flyhalf Peter Grant kicked six penalties and a conversion for the Stormers. “This is the side the media mocked in the past as a side that flatter to deceive and are a great team on paper,” Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said.

“But this team has matured and we’re happy that we have become part of history. “But we have work to do next week and we respect the Bulls.

They are the best team in the southern hemisphere and we are excited to have this opportunity.”.

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I have good gut feeling – South Africa’s Parreira

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said he had “a good feeling in the pit of my stomach” about South Africa’s World Cup chances despite the host nation being among the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.

Parreira said a recent 4-0 friendly win over Thailand and increased intensity in training had given him a positive feeling.

South Africa, drawn with France, Mexico and Uruguay in Group A, are seeking to avoid becoming the first World Cup hosts to fail to get past the first round of their tournament.

“My stomach tells me we are going to do well. I have a very positive feeling. Every time I see them (the players) train, they are looking better and better. Every day they spent together, you can see the improvement,” he told a media briefing on Sunday.

South Africa play Bulgaria in Soweto on Monday as they continue their preparations for the opening World Cup game against Mexico in Johannesburg on June 11.

“The idea is to take it step-by-step but always go forward, never going backwards,” Parreira said.

“We want to keep improving on every performance and then we should have the confidence that we are going to do well at the World Cup.”

South Africa then face Colombia on Thursday and Parreira said he wanted another international on May 31 before his team’s final warm-up game against Denmark on June 5 in Pretoria.

(Editing by Ed Osmond; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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South Africa admits violent protests can cloud World Cup

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar. 26 (ANI): Even as South Africa gears up to host World Cup this summer, its government has acknowledged the possibility of violent protests breaking out during this year’s football carnival.

With poor sections of the country demanding access to basic services, South Africa has been rattled by escalating township protests over the last month.

“Obviously we are concerned. The violent and destructive nature of some of the protests is unacceptable,” The Telegraph quoted Themba Masek, a government spokesman, as saying.

“We do not want to see these demonstrations, especially during the World Cup, when the country”s attention and focus should be to be the best host ever,” he added.

Shootings, arson and stone pelting during the recent demonstrations have prompted the government to raise the security levels ahead of the June 11 World Cup.

But on Thursday, the head of the South African Army Chief to announce a security shake-up in the face of escalating violence.

Lieutenant General Solly Shoke told a press conference in Pretoria that the military would take over responsibility for border patrols on April 1 in order to free police officers for fighting crime.

“We are ready to help where needed with the World Cup. All army leave has been cancelled over this period. We will be on high alert,” Lt Gen Shoke told reporters

“This World Cup is not about security. It”s about enjoyment. People must be allowed to come here and enjoy the soccer,” he assured. (ANI)

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Injury woes over for Waratahs’ Horne

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

They say that bad luck comes in threes, and Rob Horne for one, is hoping they are right.

Luck all but deserted Horne during the past year.

The young Waratahs centre suffered three devastating hamstring tears, including one which ruled him out of the Wallabies’ spring tour.

But it seems the 20-year-old’s luck is at last changing, with Horne name to start against the Auckland Blues on Saturday.

“It has been something that I have been building towards since the preseason,” he said.

“As a club, no one is sort of given a spot, you have to earn it, and that is something that I’m pretty proud of.

“I have done my time, hopefully contributed a bit off the bench, and earned the spot.”

The first sign Horne was on his way back to the top came against the Bulls in Pretoria.

On his first touch of the ball, Horne galloped 25 metres down the sideline before passing to Drew Mitchell who scored.

“I was telling Chris that I was ready to play 80 minutes six weeks before that,” Horne said.

“It was good to get out there, I enjoy playing there in Africa and it is a great experience.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the win, but yeah, it was good to contribute.”

Horne’s fitness and skills will face a mighty test this weekend, with the former Australian Sevens player tasked with marking the Blues’ Rene Ranger.

Ranger caused nightmares for the Brumbies in Auckland’s come-from-behind 39-34 victory last week.

“He is a good player and he is hitting some good form,” Horne said.

“He is strong in contact and aggressive in defence so he is going to be a handful.

“As a side they have got great players across the park so we are going to have to be on song to contain them.”

Horne is one of four changes coach Chris Hickey has made to the side that held off the Western Force last week in Perth.

His selection moves Tom Carter to the bench, while Kurtley Beale will start at full-back, relegating former All Black Sosene Anesi to the reserves.

The other two changes are Wallabies Al Baxter and Wycliffe Palu, both of whom are also set to make their returns from injury.

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South African officials withhold findings of Caster Semenya’s gender test

September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep. 19 (ANI): Even before South African star athlete Caster Semenya’s gender was questioned at the World Championships in Berlin, Athletics South Africa (ASA) had found out and withheld the fact that she had internal testes, an e-mail exchange has revealed.

According to the e-mail exchanges published in the Mail and Guardian newspaper, ASA officials were aware of the findings of a Pretoria clinic that Semenya had internal testes and produced abnormal amounts of testosterone for a woman, Times Online reports.

It was ASA’s chief medical officer and team doctor, Harold Adams, who had suggested the need carrying out the tests on Semenya, 18, because of her deep voice, muscular body and facial hair, which later became a subject of controversy in Berlin.

Another email exchange shows that Adams later suggested that the results to be kept confidential while the South African team was in Berlin.

“Thinking about the current confidential matter, I would suggest we make the following decisions. 1. We get a gynae opinion and take it to Berlin. 2. We do nothing and I will handle these issues if they come up in Berlin,” the report quoted from Dr Adams’ email to ASA President Leonard Chuene and General Manager Molatelo Malehopo, as saying.

Following the IAAF establishing that Semenya was a hermaphrodite, South African officials not only angrily denounced it, but also denied carrying out their own tests.

Taking matters a step further, South African Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile lost his temper at a press conference and threatened to start a “third world war” if Semenya was banned from international competition because of her gender.

Earlier, Semenya’s ex-coach Wilfred Daniels had said the ASA had duped Semenya into thinking the gender test carried out on her were routine drug tests. (ANI)

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ICC unveils Champions Trophy 2009

September 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 17 (ANI): Trophy of the Champions Trophy 2009 that kick starts on September 22 in South Africa was unveiled in national capital New Delhi on Thursday.

Veteran cricketers Wasim Akram and Sanjay Manjrekar along with ace commentator Harsha Bhogle unveiled the official gold and silver trophy.

Harsha spoke about how Twenty20 cricket could never match the drama and thrills that the 50 over format has to offer.

ICC General Manager Campbell Jamieson, representing the sports’ governing body, cleared the doubts over the survival of the 50 over format.

“We are certainly making all efforts to make this event very successful obviously eight teams are the best in the world. The facilities are certainly world class in Wanderers and Centurion,” said Campbell Jamieson.

“The world class venues we are certainly trying to look after the players, the officials and make the broadcast to the people through the world to enjoy the greatest cricket,” said Campbell Jamieson.

Meanwhile, Akram said that the one-day tracks would be good for the batsmen from our part of the world that is from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“Early season, new wicket and Campbell just told me that it hasn’t rained in South Africa form last 2-3 months so outfield will be lightening fast for sure and Wanderers as we all know the wicket flies a bit so I thought it will be good test for batsmen from out part of the world to do well. Pretoria is mostly flat track so in general I think they are good one-day tracks,” said Akram.

The International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2009 concludes on October 5. ICC Knockout tournament began in 1988 and South Africa won the trophy in the inaugural year. (ANI)

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South Africa Sports Minister warns of World War III over Semanya

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep 12 (ANI): The South African government has threatened a “third world war” if the International Association of Athletics Federation bans champion runner Caster Semenya over a test that shows her to be a hermaphrodite, a person with both female and male sexual characteristics.

The IAAF commissioned a gender test on the teenager after her performance levels improved remarkably in the build-up to the competition.

The leaked report that a gender verification test had found the 18 year-old to be a hermaphrodite with no womb was greeted with outrage in South Africa on Friday, with politicians, sports officials and Semenya’s relatives decrying the teenager’s public humiliation.

On Friday the IAAF attempted to diffuse the controversy by refusing to confirm the medical reports, insisting that it would make official comment until after the test results had been verified by a panel of scientific experts.

But the prospect of the teenager being disqualified from future female races drew a furious response from South African Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, The Telegraph reports.

“I think it would be the third world war. We will go to the highest levels in contesting such a decision.She’s a woman, she remains our heroine. We must protect her,” he said.

Semenya was due to run in a 4km race at the national cross-country championships in Pretoria on Saturday, but was withdrawn by her coach Michael Seme on the grounds that she was “not feeling well”.

The IAAF is expected to disqualify the South African from future events and advise her to have surgery because her condition carries grave health risks, The Daily Telegraph report claims.

A source closely involved with the IAAF tests said Semenya had internal testes-the male sexual organs, which produce testosterone.

“There certainly is evidence Semenya is a hermaphrodite. But the trouble is the IAAF now has the whole ANC and the whole of South Africa on their backs. Everything is going to have to be done absolutely by the book, no question of a challenge to the findings,” the source said. (ANI)

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ICC Champions Trophy unveiled in Mumbai

August 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 21 (ANI): The International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2009 was unveiled at a function here on Thursday.

The ICC Champions Trophy will be held in South Africa from September 22 to October 5. All the matches will be held in two venues, – Wanderers in Johannesburg and Centurion in Pretoria.

“Well the great thing about hosting this event this year in South Africa is that South Africa is trying to improve as a host of many international cricket events, hosting very successfully 2003 cricket World Cup, the 2007 Twenty20 (T-20 World Cup) and last is Indian Premier League which was well and successfully staged,” said Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager (Commercial).

A total of eight teams will take part in this year’s Champions Trophy. The teams are divided into two groups. Defending champions Australia, Pakistan and India are placed in the same group.

The winner will bag a total prize money of four million dollars. (ANI)

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FIFA: 2010 World Cup final, semi-final tickets sold out

May 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

FIFA: 2010 World Cup final, semi-final tickets sold outJohannesburg – Tickets for the final and the semi-finals of the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa next year have sold out, the world football body FIFA announced on Thursday.

Tickets for the opening game between South Africa and a yet-to-be-decided opponent in Johannesburg on June 11 have also sold out, as have tickets for all World Cup games in the cities of Cape Town, Nelspruit and Pretoria, FIFA said.

The second phase of ticket sales for the month-long tournament kicked off on May 4 on a first-come-first-served basis.

FIFA said there had been “incredible demand for individual match tickets.”

In total, since tickets first went on sale in February, some 655,000 tickets for individual games have been sold, FIFA’s spokeswoman in South Africa, Delia Fischer, said.

Fans can also buy team-specific ticket series to follow the team of their choice.

If their chosen team gets knocked out, the fan automatically follows the winning team at each state – right up to the final for fans who buy a seven-game team-specific ticket.

Sales of the team-specific ticket series have been brisk, with the England, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Ireland and Netherlands series having already sold out, FIFA said in a statement.

Fans from those countries still have a chance to see their team in action by buying individual match tickets, although the match schedule will not be known until the final World Cup draw in December.

FIFA also pointed out that fans could also still try to obtain tickets for the opening match, semi-finals or final by buying a seven-game team-specific series to follow a country that has not sold out.

In less than three weeks, South Africa will host the Confederations Cup, which is held every four years in the World Cup host nation a year beforehand.

Brazil, the United States, Italy, Spain, Egypt, South Africa, New Zealand and Iraq will compete in the two-week event, which is seen as a test of South Africa’s preparedness to host the World Cup.

Tickets are still available for several of those games, including the highly-anticipated Brazil-Italy encounter, FIFA said. (dpa)

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South African fired for calling boss “masturbator” on Facebook

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Johannesburg – A South African factory worker has been fired for calling his boss a “serial masturbator” on his Facebook page, local media reported Wednesday.

The disparaging comment by the 23-year-old clerk at a clothing factory near the southern city of Durban was carried back to his boss by a co-worker, the Durban Times said.

The firing comes as part of a clampdown on workers’ bad-mouthing their companies or colleagues on the social networking website.

The paper also reported that a 25-year-old employee in Johannesburg had been suspended for displaying a competitor’s product on her Facebook page, while a man in Pretoria was suspended for complaining to his Facebook friends about his boss’s alleged laziness.

South Africa currently has around 1 million Facebook users.(dpa)

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Vodacom: govt defies Cosatu

May 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Government lawyer SA Celliers said on Sunday that the Zuma administration stood by what had been agreed with Vodafone, and said Cosatu’s attempt to scupper the deal was going nowhere.

“The prima facie case is not there to stop the listing,” Celliers told the court. “There isn’t a case to start with.”

A South African court will decide on Sunday whether this week’s listing of mobile phone company Vodacom can proceed after last-minute objections from the industry regulator and a powerful trade union group.

Pretoria’s North Gauteng High Court said it would make a ruling by 19:00 on the Cosatu union body’s request for an injunction blocking Monday’s listing – which would be one of the Johannesburg bourse’s biggest.

Halting the deal on its eve would deal a huge blow to South Africa’s credentials as an investor-friendly emerging market and intensify fears of resurgent union clout under new president Jacob Zuma.

It could also hit the rand, since British mobile phone giant Vodafone has already brought R20.5bn into South Africa to buy a 15% stake in Vodacom, and would be forced to repatriate the cash if the deal hit the buffers, Vodacom’s lawyer told the court.

The listing of Vodacom, which some analysts have valued at more than R70bn, is the final part of a plan by fixed-line operator Telkom to get rid of its 50% stake in the country’s biggest mobile operator.

Under the plan, Vodafone agreed to buy the 15% stake from Telkom, giving it a controlling 65% holding. Telkom will then distribute its remaining 35% to shareholders.

Cosatu, which regards Zuma as a political ally, has long opposed the deal on the grounds that it threatens jobs and cedes control of a major South African company to a foreign firm.

U-turn

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), the industry watchdog, said in April the deal did not need its approval but suddenly changed its mind on Friday, less than a week after Zuma was inaugurated.

The rand fell as much as 3% amid fears it was an early sign of the unions and the left wing of Zuma’s ruling ANC managing to sway policy in Africa’s biggest economy.

The opposition Democratic Alliance attacked Icasa’s volte face as a “direct assault on any attempt to encourage foreign investment in South Africa”.

“To behave in such a ham-fisted fashion sends precisely the wrong signal to foreign investors,” the party, which came a distant second to the ANC in last month’s election, said.

On Friday, Icasa demanded a public “consultation” on Telkom’s sale of its stake to Vodafone, but gave few details other than to say hearings should take place by mid-June.

Nobody from Icasa was available for comment on Saturday or Sunday.

Vodacom vowed to fight the injunction bid and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) bosses said they were ready to proceed on Monday if given the green light.

“The listing is on track, and we’re awaiting a decision or advice from Vodacom as to how they want to proceed,” JSE deputy Chief Executive Nicky Newton-King said.

Cosatu denied any link between the timing of Icasa’s U-turn on Friday and Zuma’s accession to the presidency on May 9.

“That’s purely coincidental,” spokesman Patrick Craven said. “The key question is ‘What legal power does Icasa have?’”

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Winnie Mandela not included in Zuma Cabinet

May 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Pretoria (South Africa), May 11 (ANI): Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, has been left out of President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet.

According to the South African Press Association (SAPA) Winnie Mandela, 72, was widely tipped to take up a senior Cabinet post, after topping the ANC’s National Executive Committee list at the party’s Polokwane conference.

Former unpopular health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, former science and technology minister Mosibudi Mangena and former defence minister Charles Nqakula were also left out.

Zuma named 34 ministries, compared to the 28 in former president Kgalema Motlanthe’s Cabinet. (ANI)

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Vice President Ansari leaves for S. Africa to attend Zuma’s inauguration

May 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 8 (ANI): Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for South Africa where he will represent India at the inauguration ceremony of new South African President Jacob Zuma on May 9.
Ansari, who is on a three-day visit to South Africa, will attend the inauguration of Zuma, whose African National Congress (ANC) swept the general elections in the country held on April 22.

During the visit, Ansari is expected to meet some world leaders who would also assemble in Pretoria to attend the inauguration of Zuma.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said, “The visit underlines the historic bond between the two countries and India”s determination to add depth to the relations.”

The Vice President is being accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari and Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Nalin Surie and some other high-level officials during the visit. (ANI)

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Vice President Ansari to attend South African Prez Zuma’s inauguration

May 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 6 (ANI): Vice President Hamid Ansari will represent India at the inauguration ceremony of new South African President Jacob Zuma on May 9, reflecting the importance New Delhi attaches to its ties with South Africa.

Ansari will pay a three-day visit to South Africa from Friday to attend the inauguration of Zuma, whose African National Congress (ANC) swept the general elections in the country held on April 22.

The Vice President will be accompanied by wife Salma Ansari and Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Nalin Surie and some other high-level officials during the visit.

“The visit underlines historic bond between the two countries and India’s determination to add depth to the relations,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said.

During the visit, Ansari is expected to meet some world leaders who would also assemble in Pretoria to attend the inauguration of Zuma. (ANI)

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