Latest news with #R11
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Boxing SA under scrutiny as retired boxers demand missing millions
Aggrieved former South Africa junior flyweight champion Dexter Dlamini slammed Boxing South Africa (BSA) for failing to pay retired boxers their share of the Boxing Benevolent Fund. This comes after Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie disclosed in February that the fund had been looted and millions were missing. Dlamini, from Klippoortjie, said he and many other former boxers have been unable to access the funds, despite being eligible. ALSO READ: Dowerglen High's Luyanda Lesia wins big at boxing tournament 'We, as former boxers, are aggrieved because the money we contributed to the benevolent fund has disappeared,' said Dlamini. 'McKenzie is trying to find out where the money went. We contributed portions of our fight purses to the fund but never benefited from it. Around R11 million was siphoned from BSA.' The fund, established over 40 years ago for professional boxers in South Africa, was designed to support retired pugilists and those facing hardship or injuries. A portion of each boxer's earnings was deducted to contribute to the fund. However, it has been a subject of investigation due to its depletion, allegedly caused by financial mismanagement. McKenzie has ordered an investigation to determine what happened to the funds and vowed to pursue legal action against those responsible. His department has pledged to restore the fund and has donated R1 million toward its revival. ALSO READ: Bare-knuckle boxing comes to Bedfordview on April 5 Though Dlamini is confident the money will be recovered, he slammed the fund's administrators for lacking empathy. 'That money is supposed to go to retired boxers. We deserve our share. BSA should contact all the boxers who contributed, they know who we are and have our details. I saw on social media that Elijah 'Tap Tap' Makhathini received his portion. I want mine too,' he said. Career Dlamini was part of the golden era of boxing in SA from the 1970s to early 2000s, which saw several boxers win world titles and achieve international recognition. The pugilist competed in 24 professional bouts, winning seven — including one by knockout — losing 12 (seven by knockout), and drawing five. He made his debut in April 1976, defeating Shadrack Mogapudi at Uncle Tom's Hall in Soweto. ALSO READ: International boxing legend wows fans at Emperors Dlamini captured his only title in 1978 when he outpointed Elliot Zondi to claim the newly created South African flyweight belt. He retired in 1983. Decline Dlamini was part of the golden era of boxing in South Africa, spanning from the 1970s to the early 2000s — a period that saw several local fighters win world titles and gain international recognition. 'It's a pity our boxing is suffering. We no longer produce good boxers. Ekurhuleni used to have champion boxers in the past. We had the likes of Gerrie Coetzee. 'But now the standard has gone down because administrators aren't giving us a chance to unearth talent. 'Our young people are on drugs because of a lack of variety of sporting opportunities. Give us the know-how, and you will see a revival of the sport,' Dlamini said. We contacted BSA and are awaiting a response. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
It's math! Here's why you're struggling to win the Lotto
Tonight's total estimated jackpot sits at R20 million - R9 million for PowerBall and R11 million for PowerBall Plus. According to the National Lottery, there are 20 358 520 different combinations that Lotto and PowerBall players can play when choosing six out of 52 numbers. The order in which the numbers are matched does not matter in relation to how they are selected. There is also a 1 in 42 375 200 chance of matching all six numbers to win the maximum jackpot. While some argue that winning the lottery is a matter of luck, a mathematician claims that players can increase their chances of being the lucky one by selecting numbers strategically. Tonight's total estimated jackpot sits at R20 million – R9 million for PowerBall and R11 million for PowerBall Plus. 'PowerBall players reducing their chances' According to mathematician Dr Nathan Reed, PowerBall players may be unknowingly reducing their chances of winning by selecting predictable number combinations. Reed suggests avoiding consecutive sequences. 'Sequences like 1-2-3-4-5 or 5-6-7-8-9 are surprisingly popular. While they seem unique, many players choose them, increasing the likelihood of shared jackpots,' says Reed. ALSO READ: Odd PowerBall numbers raise questions; no funny business says commission However, the 20 winners who shocked the country by matching these numbers would disagree. On 2 December 2020, the winning numbers of the PowerBall were 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 as the bonus number. According to Ithuba, 20 people played these numbers and shared the R119 million as a result. Ithuba said these sequences were common among players. It tweeted at the time: 'Congratulations to tonight's 20 winners of the PowerBall draw. These numbers may be unexpected, but we see many players opt to play these sequences.' 'Hot numbers' Reed told that there are 'hot' numbers that players should not rely solely on. 'Numbers such as 16, 23, and 48 are frequently drawn and thus commonly selected by players. Relying solely on these can lead to overlapping combinations.' However, again in 2020, a player walked away with R37 million in July after playing the same numbers for the past four years. His winning numbers were 6, 16, 23, 26, 33 and 48, with a bonus number of 7. 'I have been playing the same numbers for the past four years, not only for Lotto but for PowerBall and Daily Lotto,' he told Ithuba at the time. RELATED: 'Many players play these sequences,' says National Lottery amid social media uproar 'I wanted to play the quick pick selection because I thought I had been playing the same numbers for years and the maximum amount I had won was R1 200 in the daily lotto draw early this year, so I thought maybe it's time I changed my playing strategy. 'I asked the cashier for quick pick selection, but before I gave her the money, my gut told me that today might be the day I strike it lucky and opted to play the same numbers manually.' 'Random PowerBall numbers' Reed further suggests utilising the quick pick option. 'Random number generators can help eliminate personal biases, producing less predictable combinations and reducing the chance of sharing a prize,' he says. 'Many players fall into the trap of choosing numbers based on patterns, birthdays, or perceived 'lucky' numbers. These selections often overlap with others, increasing the chances of shared winnings. By adopting a more randomised approach, players can enhance their odds of securing the full jackpot.'
IOL News
4 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Dispute with the National Treasury is affecting salary payments in Impendle Municipality
The Impendle Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands said a dispute with the National Treasury led to its failure to pay its employees their full salaries. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The Impendle Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has blamed the failure to pay salaries to its employees on time on a financial dispute with the National Treasury. It stated yesterday that its funds had been erroneously taken by the National Treasury and that had resulted in the municipality failing to pay workers' salaries and benefits in full and on time. Approximately 100 employees have been affected by the payroll issue, but the municipality claimed yesterday that the matter has now been resolved with the National Treasury. However, councillors have expressed concerns and said, based on meetings they had with the municipality's management, the municipality is in deep financial trouble. They allege that it has been borrowing monthly to pay wages and that this is the second time in as many months that there have been issues with salary payments. In response, the council denied that it was borrowing monthly to pay wages. It also disputed claims that it is in dire financial straits, stating that this was a one-off problem as a result of the dispute with the National Treasury. 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 ✕ Ad Loading Zakhele Tshabalala, municipal manager, stated: "We want to assure our employees that the municipality's management is actively working to resolve this issue. We are taking immediate steps to address the root cause of the delay and ensure that salaries are paid as soon as possible. To this end, we are currently engaging with the National Treasury and other relevant stakeholders to expedite the process." However IFP councillor in Impendle, Sadewu Ngubane claimed the situation is dire. "We are having to borrow money just to pay salaries each month. We have been told that part of the problem is that there is a grant of about R11 million that went back to the National Treasury after the municipality failed to spend it." Ngubane noted that the problems have been ongoing since November. Last month, there was a similar issue in which wages were not paid on time. He explained that the administration had gone to the bank to borrow money, but outstanding documents prevented the bank from processing the application. After submitting the documents, the money was paid two days later. "This time around, employees received a notice from the municipal manager on Friday, the day they were supposed to be paid, stating that they would not be receiving their salaries. At a meeting on Saturday, they were informed that the bank had demanded a letter from the National Treasury as assurance that money would be deposited into the municipality's account. As it stands, they are still working on that, and the workers have not been paid. "The situation in this municipality is quite serious. Looking at these developments, it is clear that even the banks are reluctant to lend the municipality money because they realise it is in a dire financial situation. "As we speak now, the municipality is essentially closed; only security personnel are present, and the workers are staying away," Ngubane said. He added that the MEC of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) must intervene. "The argument that some grant was taken away, causing the municipality to spiral financially, does not make sense." "We need a financial expert to be brought in because even if the treasury makes a deposit, in a few weeks or a month, we will be back in this situation because the financial problems that cause all this would not have been solved," he said. DA councillor Thami Sithole agreed that a financial expert had to be brought in. Sithole is a councillor in another municipality but has been deployed to lead the party's constituency in Impendle. "We are going to be asking for a deep investigation into what happened and action to be taken against those that led to this situation," he said. Cogta said yesterday that after its deployment of senior officials to the municipality, a resolution had been reached and workers were expected to be paid today. THE MERCURY
IOL News
5 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Phoenix school community rallies to restore water supply after week-long outage
Phoenix Pioneer primary school Principal Neesha Chetty and Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen. Image: Supplied IN A HEARTWARMING display of community spirit, residents in Phoenix came together last week to assist Phoenix Pioneer Primary School, which was left without water for an entire week due to damage to its pipeline. The crisis had left learners and staff alike grappling with the absence of one of life's most essential resources, ultimately drawing the community closer as they sought solutions. Neesha Chetty, the Principal of Phoenix Pioneer Primary School, shared her frustration at the situation, explaining that they were informed by the eThekwini Municipality that the fault lay on the school's side, presenting a daunting repair cost of R11,500. 'We faced a state of helplessness as a public school with limited financial resources,' Chetty lamented. 'This amount was simply beyond our reach. For seven long days, we were without water, an essential resource for the well-being and safety of our learners and staff,' she said 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 ✕ Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen, who represents the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in eThekwini, said that this was his former school and that it served hundreds of underprivileged learners in the Phoenix area. 'The crisis not only disrupted daily operations but also posed serious health and hygiene concerns for both learners and staff. Plumbers assessed the damage and quoted the school but as a public institution they could not afford it. With no funds readily available, the school was in a dire situation,' Annipen said. Moved by the plight of the school, Annipen said he understood first-hand the challenges that public schools face and acted swiftly to resolve the issue. 'I could not sit back knowing that my alma mater was struggling to provide a basic necessity like water to its learners. This school is more than just bricks and mortar—it's a foundation for the future of our children, and I am committed to doing what I can to support it,' Annipen stated. Annipen stated that local businessman Marcel Choonilal undertook the repairs at the school. Chetty expressed heartfelt gratitude to both Choonilal and Annipen for their timely and generous intervention which saved the school a significant amount of money and ensured that the learning environment was restored. "Annipen's support has reminded us that leadership is not just about politics, but about service, compassion, and genuine care for community upliftment. He is a beacon of support for schools and communities in need," Chetty said.
IOL News
5 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Durban school receives vital support from business and community for water pipe repair
Phoenix Pioneer primary school Principal Neesha Chetty and Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen. Image: Supplied A school in Phoenix which did not have a water supply for a week is grateful for the intervention of the community to repair the damaged pipeline. Neesha Chetty, the Phoenix Pioneer primary school Principal, said that they were informed by the eThekwini Municipality that the fault was on the school side and that the school would need to cover the R11,500 for the repair cost. Chetty said this disrupted learning and they were left in a state of helplessness. 'As a public school with limited financial resources, this amount was simply beyond our reach. For seven long days, we were without water, an essential resource for the well-being and safety of our learners and staff,' Chetty said. Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen, who represents the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in eThekwini, said that this was his former school and that it serves hundreds of underprivileged learners in the Phoenix area. 'The crisis not only disrupted daily operations but also posed serious health and hygiene concerns for both learners and staff. Plumbers assessed the damage and quoted the school but as a public institution they could not afford it. With no funds readily available, the school was in a dire situation,' Annipen said. Moved by the plight of the school, Annipen said he understood first-hand the challenges that public schools face and acted swiftly to resolve the issue. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ 'I could not sit back knowing that my alma mater was struggling to provide a basic necessity like water to its learners. This school is more than just bricks and mortar—it's a foundation for the future of our children, and I am committed to doing what I can to support it,' Annipen stated. Annipen stated that local businessman Marcel Choonilal undertook the repairs at the school. Chetty expressed heartfelt gratitude to both Choonilal and Annipen for their timely and generous intervention which saved the school a significant amount of money and ensured that the learning environment was restored. "Annipen's support has reminded us that leadership is not just about politics, but about service, compassion, and genuine care for community upliftment. He is a beacon of support for schools and communities in need," Chetty said. Michelle Lutchmen, eThekwini ward 48 councillor said municipal water tanker services filled up the Jojo Tanks at the school and that at least five plumbers had been dispatched to assist but the damage was not linked to the water meter and it became a private matter. "We had engaged with private plumbers to assist in the matter and according to the school, residents had assisted to sponsor a plumber. We had also engaged a private plumber to assist with opening the valve when water was restored," Lutchmen said.
