Latest news with #SouthAfrica
BBC News
19 minutes ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Meet the sides bidding for a place in Wafcon 2024 semi-finals
After a group stage containing 45 goals and top spots for big-hitters Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, the quarter-finals of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) are about to team won all of their first three matches, although Zambia and Algeria joined the group winners in remaining undefeated, while Ghana also progressed as runners-up despite losing their and Senegal advanced as the two best third-placed sides and are now seeking significant upsets and the reward of a place in the final playing who? When and where are the matches and what do the coaches and players make of their chances?BBC Sport Africa previews the last-eight ties coming up across the first two days of knockout stage action in Morocco. Nigeria vs Zambia (Friday, 16:00 GMT) Nine-time champions Nigeria have never failed to reach the Wafcon semi-finals but coach Justine Madugu says goals are a "concern" after scoring once since their opening game."There is no room for errors," said Madugu, backing a team who are yet to concede."We must be 100% - psychologically, physically, tactically."Zambia scored seven goals and conceded four on their way to matching Nigeria's tally of seven points, with strikers Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji notching three apiece. Banda hopes to emulate Zambia's men, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 after a fairytale run."It would be a great moment for Zambia," the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year told Newsday on the BBC World Service."Remembering 2012, this year now it can be us, the ladies, so we are hoping for that and we are aiming for it as a team."However, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is not fazed by the threat posed by Banda and Kundananji."I've been watching them, trying to study them," she Super Falcons star said."As a goalkeeper, you need to expect anything. Trust me, I'm ready for them."The sides met at the 2022 finals, when Zambia won 1-0 to finish third. Morocco vs Mali (Friday, 19:00 GMT) A 1-0 victory over Senegal ensured Morocco's path to the final avoids Nigeria and South Africa, with four-goal captain Ghizlane Chebbak the prize candidate to trouble a Mali side who lost their third match 4-0 to South Atlas Lionesses conceded twice in each of their first two games against Zambia and DR Congo, and coach Jorge Vilda - a 2023 World Cup winner with Spain - said his players are "happy but not euphoric" after their first clean sheet of the will be hoping captain Fatoumata Karentao recovers from an injury that forced the goalkeeper to be substituted against Banyana Eagles coach Mohamed Saloum says he and his players remain determined to build on their run to the semi-finals in 2018."From the quarter-finals, we will really see the true quality of the teams," predicted Saloum, who took charge in 2017."We rely heavily on our quality. We don't care about the physical challenge or anything else." Algeria vs Ghana (Saturday, 16:00 GMT) Unbeaten Algeria are in the knockout stages for the first time under the astute tactical guidance of Farid Benstiti."I'm not surprised at all," former Lyon and Paris St-Germain boss reflected, having chosen "defensive principles" over attacking instincts to earn a 0-0 draw against Nigeria."I know the quality of these players - they are brave, very good technically and intelligent."With the Fennecs yet to concede, Benstiti acknowledged that pragmatic tactics could be required again during knockout matches."The strategy was efficient because we really wanted not to lose," the French-Algerian added."I learned a lot about my team and it will help me when I'm deciding whether to use a compact block."Ghana ended the group stage by scoring three times inside the final 28 minutes of their 4-1 win over three-time finalists are aiming to make an eighth semi-final appearance and avenge a 2-1 defeat during the 2018 group stage, when Mali advanced at their expense."We know we have the potential to go all the way," said coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren."[Towards] the end of a tournament, every game is like a final." South Africa vs Senegal (Saturday, 20:00 GMT) Helped by an exquisite free-kick from captain Refiloe Jane, South Africa's commanding win over Mali left coach Desiree Ellis praising a "statement" who has guided her team to the top of their group at the last three tournaments, is wary of a Senegal team who thrashed DR Congo before losing by a goal to Zambia and Morocco."It's one moment of magic, one moment of madness or even a mistake by someone, and that's it," warned Ellis."We have to be on top of our game... we've got to do even better."While seven different players have netted for South Africa, four of Senegal's goals have come from joint tournament top scorer Nguenar Ndiaye."The objective is to pass this milestone and reach the semi-finals for the first time," said Lionesses of Teranga coach Mame Moussa Cisse."We will study [South Africa] well and work on their qualities and strengths, but also our own qualities to rectify what was not good in the group stage, to allow us to play the right match."
News24
19 minutes ago
- Politics
- News24
Child sex accounts boast of ‘suicides'; Cop vs cop: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. POLICE WARS | Cop vs cop as Sibiya accuses Mkhwanazi of running rogue investigation - Deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has accused KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of running parallel investigations into dockets related to the disbanded political killings task team. - Sibiya has been placed on a leave of absence following President Cyril Ramaphosa placing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave due to accusations of improper conduct and criminal links. - President Ramaphosa has announced a commission of inquiry to investigate infiltration and corruption within law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Ramaphosa not empowered to put Mchunu on leave, make Cachalia acting minister – EFF's lawyer - The EFF has claimed that President Cyril Ramaphosa acted unlawfully by placing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave and appointing Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting minister, arguing the Constitution doesn't allow for ministers to be put on leave. - The party also argues that the Constitution only allows the president to appoint, assign powers and dismiss ministers, not put them on leave, and that a minister without powers is unlawful. - Reserving the right to take legal action, the EFF has demanded clarification from Ramaphosa by Monday on several points, including Mchunu's powers while on leave, Cachalia's appointment procedure, and the president's reasons for not dismissing Mchunu. Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp 'There won't be remorse': WhatsApp, Instagram child sex accounts boast of alleged suicides - The Digital Law Company is taking legal action against Meta to stop an anonymous user from posting private and pornographic material of South African schoolchildren on WhatsApp and Instagram. - While Meta has shut down some accounts, others remain operational, and Meta has yet to comply with an order to identify the user, leading to potential contempt of court action. - The anonymous user has posted content highlighting alleged suicides caused by their actions and claims no responsibility, while the Digital Law Company emphasises the real threat of suicide and self-harm linked to such Theunissen | The Afrikaner horsemen of SA's looming economic apocalypse - A video by Afrikaner leaders claims the US set preconditions for trade with South Africa, including classifying farm attacks as priority crimes and exempting US companies from BEE. - The claims surfaced before Trump threatened tariffs on South African imports, but the US has not formally communicated these preconditions to Pretoria. - The Afrikaner delegation, which argues that South Africa's economic policies are destructive and warrant diplomatic pressure, says it lobbied the US not to impose tariffs. Bidders Choice Group MaMkhize's Royal AM cars fetch R8.2m at auction; rare car pulled from sale - Ten cars linked to Shauwn Mkhize and Royal AM were auctioned for R8.2 million to settle tax debts. - A rare Mercedes-Benz Maybach was withdrawn from the auction, while a Bentley Continental GTC fetched the highest price. - The auction occurred as a court rejected Royal AM's attempt to rejoin the Premier Soccer League and Mkhize became president of Mbabane Highlanders FC. F1 to SA? Minister McKenzie backing corporates – even Johann Rupert – to help land dream deal - South Africa is making progress in its bid to host a Formula One race, with renovations to the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit expected to be completed in four to six months. - The project is supported by contributions from businesspeople and companies, including Johann Rupert, MTN, MultiChoice and Heineken, reducing the financial burden on the government. - The FIA has approved the final design proposals to upgrade the Midrand circuit to Grade 1 status, paving the way for Africa's return to the F1 calendar. Quickpic - Stellantis plans to launch new models from Alfa Romeo, Citroën and Opel in the coming year and will introduce the Leapmotor brand to its South African portfolio in September. - Citroën continues to be a top seller for Stellantis in South Africa, with the C3 and C3 Aircross contributing significantly to sales, and the brand is expanding its offerings with models like the C3 Basalt and Hola panel van. - Stellantis is proceeding with the construction of a manufacturing facility in the Eastern Cape, which will now assemble three different platforms, including a new energy model, instead of solely focusing on the Peugeot Landtrek.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Robinson and fast bowlers earn New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — An unbeaten century stand between Tim Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs earned New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa in a T20 tri-series match Wednesday. Robinson smashed 75 not out off 57 balls and Jacobs smacked three sixes in his unbeaten 44 to propel New Zealand to 173-5 after it crumbled to 70-5 inside the first half of its innings. Advertisement South Africa, which made three changes from the team that beat Zimbabwe, was bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs with fast bowlers Jacob Duffy (3-20) and Matt Henry (3-34) sharing six wickets between them. South Africa falls well short Lhuan-dre Pretorius provided South Africa with a brisk start by hitting six boundaries in his knock of 27 before Henry and Duffy hit back with two quick wickets. Pretorius tried to guide Henry's slower ball down to third man but got a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, while Rubin Hermann was outdone by Duffy's short ball and was caught at mid-wicket for just 1 run. Advertisement South Africa promoted debutant left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy to No. 4, but the left-hander got his middle stumped knocked over by Ish Sodhi soon after the batting powerplay. Captain Rassie van der Dussen (6) was brilliantly run out by his counterpart Mitchell Santner at the non-striker's end as South Africa slumped to 62-5 in the ninth over. Dewald Brevis put the chase back on track with 35 runs off 18 balls and George Linde made a brisk 30 off 20 balls but both holed out in the outfield while looking for big hits against Henry and Duffy, respectively. Duffy was on a hat trick when he dismissed Linde and Kwena Maphaka off successive balls but No. 11 Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball before Henry finished off the game by having Gerald Coetzee caught at mid-wicket. Advertisement Robinson and Jacobs revive Black Caps New Zealand's top order crumbled against short balls as Devon Conway's (9) return to T20s after three years lasted only seven balls before he top-edged Maphaka (2-38). Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay both fell for single digits while James Neesham got his seventh duck in T20s when he pulled Maphaka to deep square leg and was caught by Corbin Bosch. But Robinson and Jacobs revived the Black Caps with their 103-run partnership and got the perfect finish by scoring 63 runs off the last five overs. Robinson completed his half-century with a six against Coetzee, who came back to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff and conceded 19 runs in the final over to finish with 1-39. ___ AP cricket:
Zawya
an hour ago
- Business
- Zawya
US tariffs may hit South Africa property agents harder than expected
As the United States considers a 30% tariff on South African goods, the local property industry is bracing for wider economic consequences, and estate agents could be among the first to feel the pressure. Marcel Koole, property commentator and CEO of BestAgent. While the proposed tariffs are aimed at exports like steel, aluminium and agricultural products, the economic ripple effects could filter through to the real estate sector, says Marcel Koole, property commentator and CEO of BestAgent, South Africa's open platform that connects sellers directly with top-performing estate agents. 'Estate agents are directly affected by consumer confidence, affordability and market sentiment,' Koole says. 'When the broader economy comes under pressure, transaction volumes dip, and agents feel the slowdown almost immediately.' He explains that if export-linked sectors lose revenue or cut jobs in response to the tariff, it could stall property activity in affected regions. 'Fewer buyers means fewer mandates, tighter competition among agents, and a drop in commission earnings.' Tariffs could delay market recovery Many agents were hoping for a gradual uptick in market activity as interest rates stabilise, but a new shock, such as a large-scale tariff from a major trading partner, could delay that turnaround. 'Tariffs like this affect the rand, which affects inflation, which then keeps interest rates high,' says Koole. 'We've seen it before, higher rates make it harder for buyers to qualify for home loans, especially first-time buyers, which reduces deal flow.' Regional disparities likely According to Koole, the impact won't be felt evenly. 'Agents in areas like the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where agricultural and export industries are major employers, may find themselves in a tougher environment if local economies take a knock.' He warns that in smaller towns where one industry dominates, a loss of income or jobs in that sector often translates quickly into stalled sales and longer listing periods. 'Agents in those areas will need to diversify their networks and lean into rental markets or distressed property services if sales activity drops.' Time to professionalise and differentiate Koole believes that agents who consistently perform well in volatile conditions are those who have built strong personal brands, operate ethically, and use data to deliver value to clients. 'In tougher markets, sellers become more selective, they don't want a hundred agents listing their home, they want one agent who can prove they've got the skills to close the deal,' he says. 'This is where sole mandates and verified track records become more important.' Advice to agents: stay visible, stay valuable Koole advises estate agents to focus on proactive communication with clients, maintain strong digital profiles, and showcase real results. 'Economic headwinds are beyond any agent's control,' he says, 'but how you respond, by staying informed, educating your clients, and showing your value, can make all the difference.' Conclusion If the US goes ahead with its proposed 30% tariff, the effects could extend well beyond exporters and manufacturers. 'Estate agents are on the frontlines of economic sentiment,' says Koole. 'And while uncertainty can be unsettling, it also creates opportunities for the most adaptable and professional agents to stand out.'
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Robinson and fast bowlers earn New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — An unbeaten century stand between Tim Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs earned New Zealand a 21-run victory over South Africa in a T20 tri-series match Wednesday. Robinson smashed 75 not out off 57 balls and Jacobs smacked three sixes in his unbeaten 44 to propel New Zealand to 173-5 after it crumbled to 70-5 inside the first half of its innings. South Africa, which made three changes from the team that beat Zimbabwe, was bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs with fast bowlers Jacob Duffy (3-20) and Matt Henry (3-34) sharing six wickets between them. South Africa falls well short Lhuan-dre Pretorius provided South Africa with a brisk start by hitting six boundaries in his knock of 27 before Henry and Duffy hit back with two quick wickets. Pretorius tried to guide Henry's slower ball down to third man but got a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, while Rubin Hermann was outdone by Duffy's short ball and was caught at mid-wicket for just 1 run. South Africa promoted debutant left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy to No. 4, but the left-hander got his middle stumped knocked over by Ish Sodhi soon after the batting powerplay. Captain Rassie van der Dussen (6) was brilliantly run out by his counterpart Mitchell Santner at the non-striker's end as South Africa slumped to 62-5 in the ninth over. Dewald Brevis put the chase back on track with 35 runs off 18 balls and George Linde made a brisk 30 off 20 balls but both holed out in the outfield while looking for big hits against Henry and Duffy, respectively. Duffy was on a hat trick when he dismissed Linde and Kwena Maphaka off successive balls but No. 11 Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball before Henry finished off the game by having Gerald Coetzee caught at mid-wicket. Robinson and Jacobs revive Black Caps New Zealand's top order crumbled against short balls as Devon Conway's (9) return to T20s after three years lasted only seven balls before he top-edged Maphaka (2-38). Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay both fell for single digits while James Neesham got his seventh duck in T20s when he pulled Maphaka to deep square leg and was caught by Corbin Bosch. But Robinson and Jacobs revived the Black Caps with their 103-run partnership and got the perfect finish by scoring 63 runs off the last five overs. Robinson completed his half-century with a six against Coetzee, who came back to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff and conceded 19 runs in the final over to finish with 1-39. ___ AP cricket:
