TheNewsGuru

Tag: South Africa

  • AFCON2019: South Africa breaks jinx, defeats Nigeria [NGR 0-2 RSA]

    AFCON2019: South Africa breaks jinx, defeats Nigeria [NGR 0-2 RSA]

    It is victory for South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Saturday, as the team humbles Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    Despite battling a comeback to the Africa Cup Nations after missing out on two sucessive editions, Super Eagles suffered their first competitive loss to South Africa, falling 2-0 at home in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

    Nigeria were stunned by South Africa’s two second half goals at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

    Also read: Watch South Africa’s stunning counter attack goal

     

    Bafana Bafana Starting:

    Itumeleng Khune, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Tebogo Langerman, Erick Mathoho, Thulani Hlatshwayo (captain), Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Themba Zwane, Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Tokelo Rantie.
    Substitutes: Darren Keet, Andile Jali, Percy Tau, Tiyani Mabunda, Lorenzo Gordinho, Lebogang Manyama, Abubbaker Mobara.

    The Super Eagles starting:

    Daniel Akpeyi (GK); Shehu Abdullahi, Elderson Echiejile, William Troost-Ekong, Chidozie Awaziem; Oghenekaro Etebo, Ogenyi Onazi, Wilfred Ndidi; Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho.

     

     

     

  • JUST IN: South Africa slips into recession

    JUST IN: South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa has entered recession for the first time in eight years, data from Statistics South Africa showed on Tuesday.

    Data from Statistics South Africa in Pretoria showed the first quarter contraction was led by weak manufacturing and trade.

    The data showed that South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of 2017 after shrinking by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year

    The worst performing sector was trade, catering and accommodation, which contracted by 5.9 per cent, while manufacturing – one of the key sectors – fell by 3.7 per cent.

    Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Africa Economist Razia Khan said the “awful” data showed weakness where it was not expected.

    Analysts said the contraction suggested high unemployment and stagnant wages were dragging down South Africa’s long-resilient consumer sector.

    “The slowdown in first quarter was due to much worse results from usually stable consumer-facing sectors that had been the key drivers of growth in recent years,” Capital Economics Africa economist John Ashbourne said.

    Political instability, high unemployment and credit ratings downgrades have dented business and consumer confidence in South Africa and the rand extended its losses against the dollar, while government bonds also weakened.

    Pressure on President Jacob Zuma, including from within the ANC, has risen since a controversial cabinet reshuffle in March that led to downgrades to “junk” status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

    Zuma has denied any wrongdoing over the allegations.

    Corruption allegations escalated when local media reported this week on more than 100,000 leaked emails they say show inappropriate interference in lucrative tenders.

    “Our economy is now in tatters as a direct result of an ANC government which is corrupt to the core and has no plan for our economy,” Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance said.

    South Africa’s Treasury said it would work to finalise policies critical for boosting confidence and economic growth.

     

     

    Reuters/NAN

  • South Africa opposition sues Zuma, 11 ministers over corruption

    South Africa’s main opposition party on Tuesday sued President Jacob Zuma and 11 other people over corruption and influence-peddling by the wealthy Gupta business family.

    The news agency said the Democratic Alliance (DA) filed charges against Zuma, his son Duduzane Zuma, the brothers Atul, Ajay and Rajesh Gupta.

    Others are Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, three other cabinet ministers, two directors of Gupta-linked companies and a former executive of the state electrical utility Eskom.

    The brothers of Indian origin are suspected of obtaining lucrative state contracts and even influencing ministerial appointments because of their friendship with Zuma.

    However, the president and the Guptas denied wrongdoing.

    Former anti-graft watchdog Thuli Madonsela released a report on the so-called “state capture” by the Guptas in November, calling for a judicial inquiry.

    Zuma initially rejected the report, but his African National Congress party gave green light to the inquiry at a weekend conference.

    The “Zuptagate” scandal has done enormous damage to Zuma and the party, with calls mounting on the president to resign.

    The DA filed the charges after media reports quoted e-mails from Gupta affiliates allegedly revealing that the brothers had hosted cabinet ministers and directors of state-owned companies on luxury trips to their home in Dubai.

    They allegedly even planned to help Zuma set up a second home in Dubai, although the president denied the reports.

    “The e-mails show the extent of the rot within the government,’’ the DA said in a statement.

    Report says Zuma also faces a no-confidence vote in parliament and court action by the second-largest opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters to impeach him.

  • South Africa: Man raped by three women laments, Police launch hunt

    Three young women took turns raping a man over several days in South Africa, after they drugged him and held him against his will, say police.

    Detectives said the man, aged 23, was left severely traumatised after he was abducted from a taxi and gang raped for three days.

    He told police he lost consciousness after being injected with a substance and woke up in a room where he was raped several times a day.

    Police launched a hunt for the women and driver, and appealed for information after the man was freed by his captors.

    The man, from Pretoria, South Africa, told detectives that the women were inside the taxi, along with the driver, when he hailed it down on May 19.

    They were travelling towards the city’s central business district when the taxi changed direction, police spokeswoman Captain Colette Weilbach told Times Live.

    She said the man was ordered to sit in the front passenger seat, where one of the women injected him with a substance.

    The man passed out and was taken to an unknown location.

    Ms Weilbach said: “He stated that he woke up in an unfamiliar room on a single bed.

    “The female suspects then allegedly forced the man to drink an energy drink‚ before taking turns raping him numerous times a day.”

    She said the man went to police after he was dropped off in an open field in Benoni, about 30 miles south of central Pretoria, on May 22.

    He was “very traumatised” by the incident and received medical treatment.

    Ms Weilbach promised a “robust” investigation, adding: “The South African Police Service take all sexual offences seriously regardless of gender.”

    As they hunt for the trio, police are investigating whether the suspects have carried out similar attacks.

     

    Mirror

  • South Africa deports 90 Nigerians for breaking immigration rules

    South Africa deports 90 Nigerians for breaking immigration rules

    The South African government on Friday deported 90 Nigerians for alleged immigration-related offences.

    Joseph Alabi, the spokesman for the Lagos Airport Police Command confirmed the development to newsmen in Lagos.

    Mr. Alabi said the deportees, who are all men, landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 3.30 p.m. on Friday.

    He said they were brought back to Nigeria aboard a South African Airways aircraft with registration number BBB712 from Johannesburg.

    “This afternoon, about 3.30pm, 90 Nigerians were deported from South Africa for committing immigration-related offences.

    “Some of them were alleged to have been living in the country without valid documents.

    “They were received by the appropriate agencies including the police and profiled before being allowed to depart to their respective destinations,” Mr. Alabi said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that South Africa had also on February 28 deported 97 Nigerians for committing various offences. They deportees were made up of 95 males and two females.

    NAN

     

  • Photos: Two Nigerians nearly beaten to death in South Africa

    Photos: Two Nigerians nearly beaten to death in South Africa

    Photos of two Nigerians who were reportedly mauled by South Africans have surfaced online.

    The Nigerians were brutalised at Kuruman, Northern Cape, Martin Ogbaje who shared the photos noted.

    He said “May God save us in this country South Africa, two Nigeria guys almost murdered yesterday in Kuruman Northern Cape. If not because of Police help, their lives could have been a story by now.”

    The Facebook user who posted the photos did not indicate why the Nigerians were beaten, but comments from other users indicated that the action may be drug related.

    “As long as they continues to destroy our kids and country with drugs we will destroy them as well,” a commentator from South Africa said.

  • Xenophobia: Nigeria, S/Africa to end crisis with cultural diplomacy – FG

    Xenophobia: Nigeria, S/Africa to end crisis with cultural diplomacy – FG

    The Federal Government has said the recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa can be ended using cultural diplomacy by both countries.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the announcement on Friday in Abuja.

    He was speaking when the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, paid him a courtesy visit.

    Mohammed said that Nigeria and South Africa were two brotherly countries that had enjoyed long-standing relations, in spite of occasional disagreements.

    He said the cultural diplomacy was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s recommendations for people-to-people relations between both countries in ending xenophobia.

    The minister said that Buhari gave the recommendation when the South African President, Mr Jacob Zuma, paid a state visit to Nigeria.

    He said that cultural diplomacy was an effective tool that would end xenophobia and strengthen the understanding between Nigerians and South Africans.

    ‘‘The options open to us in the area of cultural diplomacy are many but please, permit me to highlight a few of what we are planning to do in the months ahead.

    ‘‘The ministry of information and culture, working in collaboration with its relevant parastatal agencies is to embark on a series of activities in South Africa to strengthen the understanding between Nigerians and South Africans.

    ‘‘These activities include joint musical concerts, co-production in the area of films, visit of popular Nollywood actors and actresses to South Africa as part of a Nigerian delegation going on a confidence-building trip.

    ‘‘Exhibitions featuring Nigerian delicacies to be entitled “A Taste of Nigeria’’ and a town hall meeting for Nigerians resident in South Africa, with a view to encouraging dialogue on the way forward.’’

    The minister said that the activities would kick-off in the weeks ahead and would not be a one-off event.

    He said that while diplomats continued to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, the ministry would deploy and ensure the sustenance of cultural diplomacy to bring the people together.

    Mohammed noted that if the relations between Nigeria and South Africa became more cordial, it would have a positive effect on the whole of Africa.

    ‘‘Over 120 South African companies, perhaps more than those of any other African country are doing business in Nigeria. Thousands of Nigerians regularly travel to South Africa for business and leisure.

    ‘‘Historically, Nigeria played a frontline role in helping to end the scourge of apartheid in South Africa.

    ‘‘We must spare no effort in strengthening this brotherly spirit between our two countries and cultural diplomacy will be a major tool in this effort.’’

    Mnguni said earlier, that both countries shared trenches together for many years during the regime of apartheid which South Africa was able to defeat with the support of Nigeria.

    The envoy thanked the Federal Government for the relentless fight side by side with his country during the apartheid era.

    He said there was urgent need to deploy programmes that would educate the people on the time-tested relations between both countries.

    ‘‘We believe that using culture, music, poetry and many other forms of cultural relations will help to strengthen our cohesion.’’

    Mnguni noted that Nigeria had potential in the field of culture which could be used to strengthen relations between the two countries.

    He thanked the minister for championing the cultural diplomacy initiative to address racial intolerance.

     

     

    NAN

  • Gunmen kill two Nigerians in South Africa

    Gunmen kill two Nigerians in South Africa

    Nigeria Union of South Africa said on Wednesday that two Nigerians were shot dead in Western Cape Province of that country.

    Mr. Mike Ibitoye, the Chairman of the Union’s chapter in the province, told the News Agency of Nigeria on the telephone from Cape Town, South Africa, that the Nigerians were shot by unidentified assailants.

    “Mr. Ernest Ughakwesili, 42, a native of Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was shot in a nightclub by gunmen at Strand Area of Cape Town on Sunday.

    “The assailants escaped after the shooting and the victim died before being rushed to the hospital,” he said.

    Ibitoye also said the second victim, Chimezie Oranusi, 26, from Oba town in Anambra State, was shot with a friend in a car at Delst area of Cape Town.

    “The friend is a South African and is still in the hospital receiving treatment.

    “The incidents have been reported to the police and the national secretariat of the union,” he said.

    The chairman said that the motive for the shootings had not been ascertained, adding that the police had commenced investigation.

    The Secretary of the union, Mr. Adetola Olubajo, said the national secretariat had received the report of the killings.

    “We have received a report about the killing of two Nigerians in Cape Town, Western Cape Province of South Africa.

    “The union’s chapter in the province is handling the matter while the national body has reported the incident to the Nigerian Mission in South Africa.

    “We urge Nigerians in South Africa to remain law abiding. We also appeal to the Federal Government to continue to protect the welfare of our people here,” he said.

  • South Africa: Court denies Nigerian pastor, Omotosho, accused of sexually abusing 30 young girls bail

    South Africa Magistrate’s Court has denied a Pastor Tim Omotosho, a Nigerian, bail who was arraigned for alleged sexually abusing 30 female members of his congregation.

    The 58-year-old Nigerian miracle worker, Pastor Tim Omotosho, the senior pastor of the Jesus Dominion International, was arrested in South Africa.

    The pastor based in Durban, who was arrested inside the toilet at the Port Elizabeth Airport shortly after his flight landed,

    He was arraigned in court on Friday and was denied bail.

    The police alleged that Mr. Omotoso over the years trafficked about 30 young girls from various branches of his church to a house in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal where he allegedly exploited them sexually.

    It was further gathered that he allegedly handpicked the girls and instructed them to live in his house where they were forced to have unprotected sex with him.

    Meanwhile, he appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday where his case was postponed to May 3.

    Mr. Omotoso, who is the founder of a 24-hour satellite TV station, Ancient of Days Broadcasting Network (ADBN), which is aired across the Caribbean, Africa, Mexico, Middle East, Europe and the United States, is married and has three children.

    NANPastor Omotosho

  • We won’t retaliate South Africa’s fresh xenophobic attacks on Nigerians – FG

    We won’t retaliate South Africa’s fresh xenophobic attacks on Nigerians – FG

    The Federal Government on Sunday said it will not retaliate against South Africa or any other country over xenophobic attacks by their nationals against Nigerians living in those countries.

    The Federal Government’s decision was revealed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama at a forum in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Nigerians living in South Africa have been attacked up to four times since Feb. 5, while those living in India suffered similar attack on March 27 over the death on an Indian student.

    “It has not been something that has been part of our way of behaving.

    “I would often say that Nigerians, we tend to be much friendlier to foreigners than even to ourselves. So it’s never really been an issue.

    “With regard to South Africa, there was a demonstration but that was really all.

    “I would like to think that Nigerians will not start targeting innocent citizens for no other reason than that they are nationals of the countries in which some Nigerians were attacked.

    “We are better than that and so far we have proved better than that.”

    The minister also said that the ministry was putting in place modalities to ensure that Nigerians abroad got fair treatment through Nigeria’s embassies and missions.

    He said complaint about services was not limited or peculiar to embassies alone but something that needed general change of behaviour

    “Unfortunately, this is not something that is peculiar to embassies; the service culture is something we have to work on in Nigeria, it is obviously not something that comes naturally to us.

    “Even here in Nigeria, in almost every sector, we get a lot of complaints.

    “There have been a lot of complaints at our embassies and I have met with the Minister of Interior for us to issue joint directive to all our embassies and missions.

    “This is because the people who provide the consular services are very often from the immigration service and not actually Foreign Service officers.

    “Which is why I am cooperating with the Ministry of Interior on that.”

    He however said that the ministry had always reminded Foreign Service officers that they were service providers and should behave as such.

    “We are absolutely insistent that we have to remember that we are service providers and we have to provide those services in a very professional way.

    “We spoke to this new batch of ambassadors-designate reminding them of what these embassies, consulates and missions are; they are service provision hubs.”