Latest news with #SOUTHAfrican
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Van Rooyen, Leishman qualify for US Open at Oakmont
SOUTH African Erik van Rooyen and Australian Marc Leishman were among those who earned berths at Oakmont next week from US Open final 36-hole qualifiers on Monday. Van Rooyen fired rounds of 64 and 67 to finish first on 13-under 131 at Kinsale Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio, with Americans Bud Cauley, Justin Lower and Lanto Griffin sharing second on 137 and countryman Harrison Ott on 138. That left a five-man playoff for the final available US Open berth, a fight that included US PGA Tour players Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole and Cameron Young plus compatriot Chase Johnson. Young won the spot with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Homa was notable as the only player carrying his own bag through the all-day affair. Van Rooyen, 35, missed the cut in his last three US Open starts over the past four years after making his best finish, a share of 23rd, in 2020. He is a two-time PGA Tour winner, most recently at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 2023, and was a runner-up at last month's CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament. At Woodmont in suburban Washington, Americans Ryan McCormack and Trevor Cone took the lead, claiming two US Open spots. That left a three-way playoff for two final US Open spots between Australian Marc Leishman, Colombian Sebastian Munoz from LIV Golf and American Bryan Lee. Leishman, who won his first LIV Golf title in April at Miami, and Lee parred the first two extra holes and booked their berths at Oakmont when Munoz lipped out a par putt to make bogey on the second playoff hole. At Lambton in York, Canada, it was American Kevin Velo setting the pace -- but six others joined him including Danes Niklas Norgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, England's Matt Wallace, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, American Mark Hubbard and France's Victor Perez. Americans James Nicholas and Chris Gotterup led four qualifiers at Canoe Brook in Summit, New Jersey, with Mexico's Roberto Diaz and US amateur Ben James taking the last spots. American Zach Bauchou led qualifiers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, with Mexicans Alvaro Ortiz and Emilio Gonzalez and American Alistair Docherty one stroke back to also qualify.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Van Rooyen, Leishman earn spots at Oakmont in final US Open qualifiying
SOUTH African Erik van Rooyen and Australian Marc Leishman were among those who earned berths at Oakmont next week from US Open final 36-hole qualifiers on Monday. Van Rooyen fired rounds of 64 and 67 to finish first on 13-under 131 at Kinsale Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio, with Americans Bud Cauley, Justin Lower and Lanto Griffin sharing second on 137 and countryman Harrison Ott on 138. That left a five-man playoff for the final available US Open berth, a fight that included US PGA Tour players Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole and Cameron Young plus compatriot Chase Johnson. Young won the spot with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Homa was notable as the only player carrying his own bag through the all-day affair. Van Rooyen, 35, missed the cut in his last three US Open starts over the past four years after making his best finish, a share of 23rd, in 2020. He is a two-time PGA Tour winner, most recently at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 2023, and was a runner-up at last month's CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament. At Woodmont in suburban Washington, Americans Ryan McCormack and Trevor Cone took the lead, claiming two US Open spots. That left a three-way playoff for two final US Open spots between Australian Marc Leishman, Colombian Sebastian Munoz from LIV Golf and American Bryan Lee. Leishman, who won his first LIV Golf title in April at Miami, and Lee parred the first two extra holes and booked their berths at Oakmont when Munoz lipped out a par putt to make bogey on the second playoff hole. At Lambton in York, Canada, it was American Kevin Velo setting the pace -- but six others joined him including Danes Niklas Norgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, England's Matt Wallace, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, American Mark Hubbard and France's Victor Perez. Americans James Nicholas and Chris Gotterup led four qualifiers at Canoe Brook in Summit, New Jersey, with Mexico's Roberto Diaz and US amateur Ben James taking the last spots. American Zach Bauchou led qualifiers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, with Mexicans Alvaro Ortiz and Emilio Gonzalez and American Alistair Docherty one stroke back to also qualify.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
South Africa's Klaasen retires from international cricket
SOUTH African batsman-wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen announced on Monday that he was retiring from international cricket. The big-hitting Klaasen, 33, earned a reputation as one of the most destructive batsmen in white-ball cricket. 'Playing for the Proteas gave me the opportunity to meet great people who changed my life,' Klaasen said in a statement issued by Cricket South Africa. Klaasen scored 2141 runs at an average of 43.69 in 60 one-day internationals, maintaining a strike rate of 117.05. His highest score of 174 was made off 83 balls against Australia at Centurion in 2023. He scored 1000 runs at a strike rate of 141.84 in 58 Twenty20 internationals. He also played in four Test matches before he retired from red-ball cricket in 2024. His ability to score quickly made him a sought-after player in franchise competitions around the world. He was signed by Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad for a record 23 crore (US$2.69-million) for the 2025 season. He is expected to continue to be available for franchise cricket. Enoch Nkwe, South Africa's director national teams, described Klaasen as 'a true match-winner for South Africa. He was capable of changing the course of a game in a matter of overs.' Klaasen was not among the players awarded a Cricket South Africa contract in April and the governing body said at the time that discussions regarding his future were ongoing. South African coach Shukri Conrad said after being appointed white-ball coach last month in addition to his role as Test coach, that he expected players to prioritise playing for South Africa above T20 leagues.
IOL News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
US affording refugee status to fleeing Afrikaners 'disturbs' South Africa government
The Constitutional Court judgment means that Afrikaners who will take the US refugee status offer would remain South Africans. Image: Independent Media Archives SOUTH African government heads were left feeling "disturbed" by refugee status given to 54 Afrikaners who have chosen to pursue life in the United States, and viewed the classification as nothing more than politicking from their counterparts. They maintained the asylum seekers who were due to leave yesterday, were not "persecuted" or "targeted" and the move by the US only served to keep the relations between the two nations of a fractious path. The US government has granted refugee status to 54 Afrikaners, who claimed to have be persecuted in South Africa but President Cyril Ramaphosa, through his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, has taken a hard line against the US, accusing US president Donald Trump of continuing to cause tension among the two countries, especially in using the term 'refugee' to describe those who have been invited to the US. "Disturbingly, one has to admit that our sovereignty as a country is being grossly undermined and violated by the US," Magwenya said. By Sunday, 49 of the 54 that had been planning to leave OR Tambo international airport were waiting for a chartered plane from the US - they said they were waiting to be vetted for pending criminal cases before they would allowed to take off. Kirsten Van Deventer(48), an unemployed Afrikaner, said that she was waiting to leave as soon as possible. 'I'm waiting to go because I have nothing in this country…I can't pay for bread. My children are hungry, I have to feed them. I have no work…I don't know if this country will let me leave,' Van Deventer said. Meisie van Tonder (38), from the Free State, said that she felt she had no choice. 'I don't want to go anywhere…I don't have to go! But my husband is not happy here, so we have decided to go. We don't know what the future holds,' Tinder said. The US embassy in South Africa on Sunday did not respond to questions on the criteria used to choose the people who claim to have been persecuted. However, they had reportedly notified the government that the first batch of Afrikaners will be leaving the country, making good on its offer of "refugee status" for those seeking to leave. The US Department of Health and Human Services will provide assistance to the Afrikaners, including housing, basic home furnishings, and groceries. Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump spoke recently and agreed to meet to resolve tensions. However, the South African government has maintained its hard line against the US, saying that its actions were undermining the country's sovereignty. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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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 ✕ The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has also pushed back against the US's stance in granting the Afrikaners asylum, saying that the use of the term "refugee" to describe the Afrikaners was politically motivated to further undermine the country's sovereignty. Its spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said: "Even if there are allegations of discrimination, it is our view that these do not meet the threshold of persecution required under domestic and international refugee law." AfriForum's Ernst van Zyl said that while the organisation was aware of the process to resettle people to the US, it was not privy to the details. AfriForum has been accused of misinforming the Trump administration about South Africa. The resettlement of Afrikaners in the US has sparked controversy, with many questioning the legitimacy of the "refugee status", with the South African government saying the discrimination allegations were unfounded. International relations analyst Dr John Molepo said that the resettlement of Afrikaners to the US has added to the already strained relations between the two countries. 'The two countries have disagreed on several issues, including South Africa's push to prosecute Israel for genocide at the International Court of Justice,' Molepo said. Political analyst Sandile Swana said that for an asylum seeker or a refugee, there must be an evidence-based assessment that shows that that person has got legitimate rights that makes it impossible for them to remain in the country of their origin. 'We have many unstable areas here, whether in Eritrea, the DRC, Congo, and so on, where refugees, would come to South Africa, running away from verifiable threats that are well established. "In South Africa, we do not have verifiable threats that target a specific ethnic group, specifically the white Afrikaners, or people who hold certain political views or certain religious beliefs,' Swana said.
IOL News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
South African religious organisations condemn terrorist attack in India
Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu pays tribute to JS Chandramouli Garu and Madhusudhan Garu, victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. SOUTH African religious organisations have condemned the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of more than 26 people and left several others injured in the tourist town of Pahalgam in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, on Tuesday. According to IANS, the attackers, believed to be members of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam. Security forces said at least five to six terrorists, wearing camouflage outfits and kurta pyjamas, emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran meadow and opened fire with AK-47 rifles. The group included Pakistani terrorists, who infiltrated the Valley just days before the attack, Intelligence sources said. Pradeep Ramlall, secretary of the Hindu Dharma Association of SA (Hindasa) Seva Foundation, which represents the Girmitya community, unequivocally condemned the 'senseless' act of violence. The organisation wrote to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, expressing its condolences and support. 'The loss of innocent lives in such a brutal manner is a stark reminder of the persistent threat of terrorism and the profound suffering it inflicts upon communities. In this time of grief we stand in unwavering solidarity with the government and people of India,' he said. Ramlall said terrorism, in all its forms and manifestation, was a grave threat to humanity. 'We remain committed to working alongside India and the international community to uphold the values of peace, tolerance and mutual respect.' In a statement, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad SA condemned the attack and violence meted out to Hindu tourists. 'We express our outrage at the attacks on innocent victims who have travelled to Pahalgam. This is yet another dark day in humanity after 9/11, 26/11, 7/7 and 10/7, where the world echoed -'Never again!' Yet the perpetrators of such violence continue to commit the most heinous crimes against humanity. 'These are targeted attacks on Hindus and reflect Hindu hate not only in the Jammu Kashmir region of Pahalgam but other countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh. We call upon our SA government and citizens to condemn these attacks and raise concern against the increase of Hindu hate globally.' We ask the government of India and the world community to consider this as an attack on our The South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS), in a statement, said it was deeply troubled by the rise in unprovoked acts of violence across the globe, particularly those targeting innocent civilians. 'In pursuit of political power and territorial dominance, various governments and non-state actors are engaging in actions that result in widespread human suffering. The indiscriminate loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that no cause or ideology can justify.' The SAHMS said it unequivocally condemns all acts of violence committed in the name of religion. 'Violence, in any form, stands in direct contradiction to the fundamental tenets of Hinduism. The sacred scriptures -the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, resoundingly advocate for peace, non-violence (ahimsa), and the sanctity of all living beings. These teachings form the moral and spiritual backbone of our tradition, emphasizing compassion, tolerance, and the pursuit of harmony. 'Such actions not only distort the essence of faith but also violate the shared values of humanity. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all victims of violence, wherever they may be, and stand in solidarity with those who have suffered irreparable loss.' Pundit Kirun Satgoor, president of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha SA, said the organisation stood firm in condemning the acts of violence which shook communities and took innocent lives. 'The attack on tourists and a few days before the tragic death of a Hindu community leader in Bangladesh, which creates further insecurities for minorities, has left us mourning and reflecting on our shared humanity. These violations of human rights are unacceptable. 'In times of darkness, we must become beacons of light. Violence can never be the answer; it is in peace, dialogue, and understanding that we find true strength. Let us rise above the shadows of hate and conflict,' he said. Satish Komal, chairperson of the Lotus Economic Forum - South Africa, said: 'The loss of lives of Hindus, who were particularly targeted, regrettably comes as no surprise. We are again witness to the scourge of a sick mentality that 'mine and mine alone' must prevail and all others that do not bow before what I believe should be wiped out from the face of the earth. Terrorists and terrorism are rife across the globe and the sooner we remove our 'blinkers' that make us think that these are isolated issues and we are safe the better.' In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), said it was deeply saddened by the news of the attack on tourists. 'We believe acts of violence and extremism have no place in society and constitute a threat to peace, security and development. The South African government reiterates its condemnation of terrorist attacks in any form and from whichever quarter. 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives and to all those who have been injured in this horrific incident,' read the statement. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad SA will host an online mass prayer appeal for the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack on Sunday at 9am on
