Latest news with #SouthAfrican
Kyodo News
10 minutes ago
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Rugby: Brave Lupus aim to retain League One title in trademark style
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 20:51 | Sports, Rugby, All Defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo are unlikely to part from their tried-and-tested game plan when they battle the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One final, lock Warner Dearns indicated Friday. Speaking ahead of Sunday's championship decider at Tokyo's National Stadium, Japan international Dearns said they would continue emphasizing the expansive, attacking rugby that yielded a league-best 741 points on their way to first place in the regular season. "We're a team that moves the ball," Dearns said. "If we can attack with the style that we have honed, we can win." The Todd Blackadder-coached team will also be confident of their defensive resilience after stopping the Kobe Steelers from scoring a try in a 31-3 semifinal rout last weekend. Their attacking movement has been underpinned by the playmaking of former All Black flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, the reigning League One MVP, who heads into the final on the back of a man-of-the-match performance against Kobe. Captain and No. 8 Michael Leitch and fullback Takuro Matsunaga are among the other linchpins in a Brave Lupus starting XV who will enter as favorites after winning as underdogs last year against the Saitama Wild Knights in front of some 56,000 at the Tokyo Olympic venue. "The cheering was so loud, it felt like the ground was shaking," Matsunaga said. "It won't come as a surprise this time around, so I will be able to enjoy it." After finishing the season third, the Frans Ludeke-coached Spears have had to contend with an extra round of playoff rugby, followed by a grueling semifinal win against Saitama. The 2022-2023 champions will aim to continue their strong defensive play, exemplified by hard-tackling South African hooker Malcolm Marx, who was at the forefront of both playoff wins. Scrumhalf Shinobu Fujiwara will also look for another big performance after scoring a brace of tries last weekend against a Saitama side that was expected to advance to their fourth straight League One final. "I want to read the situation quickly and perform at my best without rushing things," Fujiwara said. Related coverage: Rugby: Spears hold off Sungoliath to reach League One semis Japan Rugby League One to give domestic players more time on pitch Rugby: Sam Cane leads playoff-chasing Sungoliath to vital win over Toyota
The Citizen
20 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
SA-born sports journalist exits Sky Sports
South African-born journalist Melissa Reddy is one of seven presenters who have now parted ways with the British sports broadcaster Sky Sports. According to the UK-based publication Daily Mail, Reddy and her colleagues were recently informed that their roles had been made redundant. An insider told the publication that this was not a cost-cutting decision, but rather one aimed at ensuring their football audience is better served. Reddy first joined the network in 2022 as a senior football reporter, following her role as deputy editor of Kick Off magazine in South Africa. Others affected by the recent move include Teddy Porter, Jasper Taylor, Jeremy Langdon and Ladumo Olow. She has since taken to Instagram, highlighting that while one chapter has come to an end, another opportunity lies ahead. She also hinted that she might be releasing her own book, sharing stories of some of her greatest experiences. 'Eleventh! Season of Premier League coverage done, and I've called time on three years at Sky. I'll still be doing bits and bobs for them, but I'm genuinely so excited to share all the things I'll be working on soon, which will allow me to focus on my strengths and passions,' she wrote. 'For those that have been asking for the past five years, yes – that will include new books.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Melissa Reddy (@melissa_reddy) She later added that she had received numerous well-wishes and support from many industry colleagues and those in the sporting fraternity, before concluding: 'You can't dim the light of someone who learned how to shine in the dark.' Also see: ' I feel things' – Mac G opens up about DSTV axe The post South African sports reporter's journey ends with Sky Sports appeared first on Bona Magazine.
Saudi Gazette
20 minutes ago
- Saudi Gazette
Suspect in South African student's murder killed in police shootout
JOHANNESBURG — A suspect wanted for the murder of a South African university student has been killed in a shootout with police. The man had been linked to the death of Olorato Mongale, whose body was found in Johannesburg on Sunday, about two hours after she was reported missing having gone on a date. In the early hours of Friday morning, police officers found the main suspect hiding at a residential complex in the coastal town of Amanzimtoti, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said. The suspect, who has not been named by the police, shot at the officers, who returned fire and killed him, Brigadier Mathe added. Regional police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said that at the time of the suspect's death, he had 28 ID cards and a dozen mobile phones in his possession. Ms Mongale's death has sparked a fierce debate about the levels of violence faced by women in South Africa. The country has one of the highest rates of femicide and gender-based violence in the world. In an impassioned statement, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu called Ms Mongale's killing "inhumane" and "gruesome", adding: "To all men, this is a plea - simple, urgent, and human: Please, stop killing women." While continuing the search for two other men allegedly linked to the murder, the police took the parents of the deceased suspect into custody. The suspect's mother is accused of enabling him to "evade arrest" by tipping him off about the police's presence at her house. The police also said the suspect's father is the owner of a VW Polo allegedly used in Ms Mongale's murder. The vehicle, which has been seized by the police, had traces of blood inside it, Brig Mathe said. The suspect's parents were questioned in custody but have now been released, said commissioner Mkhwanazi. Earlier this week, the police named the three suspects linked to the killing as Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu. Two of them — Makhanya and Mr Mthimkhulu — were last month arrested for kidnapping and robbing a woman in KwaZulu-Natal, using the same VW Polo involved in Ms Mongale's murder, police said. Both men had been freed on bail. As part of their investigation into the killing, the police have identified a criminal gang or "syndicate" who have been targeting women in malls "for kidnapping and robbery", said police spokesperson Mathe. "They propose them, request to take them out on a date. When they agree, that is when they plan to rob them," she added. When Ms Mongale was last seen on Sunday, she was on a date with a man she had met a few days earlier at a shopping center. CCTV footage showed her leaving a location in Kew, Johannesburg, and walking towards a white VW Polo with fake license plates. The 30-year-old's friends said she was invited for a date by a man only identified as John, who she had met in Johannesburg, where she was studying for a postgraduate degree at Witwatersrand University. She texted one of her friends shortly before leaving home, saying that she was excited and getting ready for her date. But police later found her body in an open field, sparking public outrage and calls for justice. Family spokesperson Criselda Kananda said Ms Mongale's body was "brutally violated". A candlelight vigil was held on Wednesday evening in Lombardy West, at the site where her body was found. Family and friends have described her as an outspoken, bubbly woman who "lived with purpose and love", local media reported. — BBC
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Business
- Time of India
New to South Africa, saffron holds promise
New to South Africa, saffron holds promise (AI- Generated Image) GRAAFF REINET: Livestock farmer Joe Kroon turned to saffron in desperation when drought threatened his livelihood and, as this season's harvest winds down, he is encouraged by the potential of a new entry into South Africa's farming catalogue. "Every year that we've planted, it's got better and better," said Kroon, who started growing the world's most expensive spice, mostly associated with Iran and Afghanistan, around five years ago with corms imported from The Netherlands. With around one hectare (2.5 acres) under cultivation at his farm near the town of Graaf Reinet in the dry Karoo region, Kroon is among the few South African farmers pioneering cultivation of the delicate purple crocus and its precious red threads. "Animals were dying and there's no help from the government so I had to find other means of making an income. I started researching and one of the things that came up was saffron," he told AFP. "It sort of exponentially grows each year," he said. "At the end of this year, we're going to lift the crop and replant a bigger area." His partner, Ross Blakeway, expects this season's yield could reach about six kilogrammes (13 pounds), around double the amount of last year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scam Exposed: What They Won't Tell You about zero trust! Expertinspector Click Here Undo It takes about 150,000 flowers to collect a kilogramme of threads. - Porcupines and rabbits - Blakeway said output of their Karoo Saffron partnership is only for the domestic market, including local chefs and as an ingredient in a sauce and a Pure Karoo health range, although there had been some interest from Europe. And while there is promise for South African saffron, it is not a "get rich quick", he said. The corms are expensive and, "it's popular amongst the porcupines and rabbits, so you really have to protect your land," he said. Saffricon, which says it is the largest commercial producer in South Africa with seven hectares, also began cultivation around five years ago. In the process of finding the correct conditions, Saffricon moved several times before settling in the Piketberg area in the Western Cape, said the company's production coordinator, Tiaan Engelbrecht. The company -- which also shares advice and trial packs to potential cultivators, from domestic gardeners to commercial farmers -- wants to build volume for local saffron to become a worthwhile export. "It's been met with a lot of hope for being able to diversify the crops that are available in the country, especially for people who have smaller plots," Engelbrecht said, although there had been some scepticism too. "It's just been absolutely wonderful to see people still being excited about growing the agriculture industry and being excited about new things," he said.
France 24
37 minutes ago
- Business
- France 24
New to South Africa, saffron holds promise
"Every year that we've planted, it's got better and better," said Kroon, who started growing the world's most expensive spice, mostly associated with Iran and Afghanistan, around five years ago with corms imported from The Netherlands. With around one hectare (2.5 acres) under cultivation at his farm near the town of Graaf Reinet in the dry Karoo region, Kroon is among the few South African farmers pioneering cultivation of the delicate purple crocus and its precious red threads. "Animals were dying and there's no help from the government so I had to find other means of making an income. I started researching and one of the things that came up was saffron," he told AFP. "It sort of exponentially grows each year," he said. "At the end of this year, we're going to lift the crop and replant a bigger area." His partner, Ross Blakeway, expects this season's yield could reach about six kilogrammes (13 pounds), around double the amount of last year. It takes about 150,000 flowers to collect a kilogramme of threads. Porcupines and rabbits Blakeway said output of their Karoo Saffron partnership is only for the domestic market, including local chefs and as an ingredient in a sauce and a Pure Karoo health range, although there had been some interest from Europe. And while there is promise for South African saffron, it is not a "get rich quick", he said. The corms are expensive and, "it's popular amongst the porcupines and rabbits, so you really have to protect your land," he said. Saffricon, which says it is the largest commercial producer in South Africa with seven hectares, also began cultivation around five years ago. In the process of finding the correct conditions, Saffricon moved several times before settling in the Piketberg area in the Western Cape, said the company's production coordinator, Tiaan Engelbrecht. The company -- which also shares advice and trial packs to potential cultivators, from domestic gardeners to commercial farmers -- wants to build volume for local saffron to become a worthwhile export. "It's been met with a lot of hope for being able to diversify the crops that are available in the country, especially for people who have smaller plots," Engelbrecht said, although there had been some scepticism too. "It's just been absolutely wonderful to see people still being excited about growing the agriculture industry and being excited about new things," he said.
