South Africa Car Hire

Stage 1 - Europe
London (UK) to Gibraltar - 3600km - August to October 2004
London - Portsmouth - Cherbourg - Mayenne - Saumur - Perigeux - Carcassonne - Andorra - Tarragona - Alicante - Granada - Gibraltar

On August 1st 2004, we were waved off from Greenwich by a fantastic crowd, and began our journey down to Portsmouth over a couple of days. We did in fact enjoy some lovely rays of English sunshine - our last for a while! We crossed the channel to Cherbourg, and then continued south through hilly Normandy, enjoying a huge number of Camembert cheeses enroute, before arriving in the Loire Valley and sampling Saumur´s excellent wines. A spell of very wet and unsettled weather saw us donning waterproofs and having to abandon canvas for the luxury of a hotel for one night in Perigeux, where the municipal campsite was flooded and deemed too dangerous! Some wonderful days cycling along the Vezere and Dordogne rivers, and through sunny vineyards brought us to the fairytale castle of Carcassonne, where we spent a few days recuperating before the challenge of the Pyrenees. Late August saw us toiling up the Ariege Valley with the lorries and the bargain hunting daytrippers destined for Andorra, and by early September we were crossing into Spain and heading for the coast after a brief visit to the mountain monastery of Montserrat. Then it was on down the coast towards Alicante, where we had a fantastic few days being looked after by the gang at The Orange House in Finestrat and catching up with Anna's sister. Then we tackled the murderous heat of Murcia, the magically undisturbed and remote Sierra de Cazorla and arrived in Granada in need of the cool and calm of the Alhambra! By the time we reached the Costa del Sol via the bright white towns around Ronda, things were cooling off with the end of summer, and after a brief visit to Gibraltar, we crossed the straight to Morocco on the 13th October.

Stage 2 - The Sahara
Fnideq (Morocco) to Dakar (Senegal) - 4500km - October 2004 to January 2005
Fnideq - Fes - Rabat - Casablanca - Safi - Marrakech - Taroudannt - Sidi Ifni - Tan Tan - Laayoune - Dakhla - Nouadhibou - Nouakchott - Rosso - St. Louis - Thies - Dakar - Barra - Janjanbureh - Banjul - Ziguinchor

Entering African territories at Fnideq, we then headed inland, through Chefchaouen and the Rif mountains to the historical cities of Meknes and Fes, just as Ramadan began. Then it was on through the Middle Atlas mountains and up to Rabat and Casablanca. Some nice flat days along the coast as far as Safi, and then inland to Marrakech, Morocco's most famous city and the Berber capital. The massive bulk of the High Atlas came next, freshly dusted with snow as it was November, and from the Tizi-n-Test pass we could look down onto the Souss plain and the Saharan fringes beyond! The Ante Atlas mountains proved to be a tough challenge, but the beautiful Ameln Valley and quiet town of Tafraoute were more than adequate compensation! At Goulimine we entered real desert for the first time, and sand was the order of the day for the whole of December as we travelled through a locust plague to Tan Tan, Laayoune and on to Dakhla. Into Mauritania, and a five-day epic from Nouadhibou saw us arriving in Nouakchott just in time for Christmas! After a well earned rest there, we reached St Louis in Senegal for New Year, before moving southwards again to the Pointe des Almadies in Dakar - Africa's westernmost point.

Stage 3 - West Africa
Dakar (Senegal) to Kano (Nigeria) - 8000km - February to July 2005
Dakar - Ziguinchor - Bissau - Bubaque - Pitche - Faranah - Kankan - Bamako - Sikasso - Bobo-Dioulasso - Ouagadougou - Kumasi - Accra - Kpalime - Abomey - Abuja - Kano

Next came a dusty ride to the Gambian border before we struck off eastwards on a two-week tour of tiny Gambia, up the north bank road and then back to the capital, Banjul, on the south bank. With the tranquil, palm-fringed Basse Casamance district of Senegal behind us, we continued south again to Portuguese-speaking Guinea-Bissau, where we spent a few days on the stunning Bijagos islands. Leaving the coast at Bissau, we headed eastwards through cashew groves and farmland, crossing into Guinea at the tiny border post of Foula Mori. The Fouta Djalon provided the first serious hills for a while, but rewarded us with stunning views and a warm welcome. Soon we were descending into the heat of eastern Guinea's plains, passing through Faranah, where we joined the Niger river. We followed the river as it wound it's way past Kankan and Siguiri before crossing into Mali near Bamako. A scenic ride south from Bamako lead us to Sikasso, in the fertile land near the Burkinabe border, where we left the bikes and joined Luke's parents for a tour of the country. Ten days later, having visited Segou, Djenné, Mopti, and the Dogon Country, we saddled up once more and crossed into Burkina Faso, where the first stop was the at stunning Pics de Sindou. Then came our first sighting of hippos at the Lac de Tengrela, and a visit to Burkina's second city, Bobo-Dioulasso. Leaving Bobo, we headed east on a good road, spotting more wildlife (elephants this time) at Boromo before reaching Ouagadougou in time for Anna to fly home for her sister's wedding.

Anna arrived back on the 30th April, looking rested and recovering from a bout of giardia - luckily she had been to the doctors while at home! Then it was on south again into Ghana, passing through the fascinating Gourountsi country of southern Burkina as we went. Once in Bolgatanga we caught up with the staff at Link, then headed on to Mole National Park. In Larabanga we suffered an armed robbery which left us stunned and shaken...as well as without several of our posessions. We rested up in Kumasi and at the fantastic Green Turtle Lodge once we reached the coast, which we then traced eastwards towards Accra, stopping off at some of the forts that line the seaboard here - once an active centre of the slave trade. After a longer-than-planned stay in Ghana, we headed eastwards crossing Togo and Benin, before entering Nigeria on a very rough route in the north. Then it was on to Abuja, the federal capital, to pick up yet more visas and then north again to the old city of Kano.

Stage 4 - Central Africa
Kano (Nigeria) to N'Djamena (Chad) - 900km - July 2005
Kano - Maiduguri - N'Djamena

So much of Central Africa is caught up in political trouble of once sort or another that this stage of the journey was always going to prove difficult. Many overlanders are taking the west coast route through Cameroon, Gabon, the Congos and Angola to Namibia, but for several reasons we decided to avoid this option (rainy season in the northern-equatorial countries making unpaved roads even less passable than usual; a very real risk of landmines in Angola, something we have to worry about much more than drivers as we can only cover shorter distances between safe camps; and much in East Africa to see)! We scooted across from Kano to Maiduguri and then followed rough roads across the northernmost tip of Cameroon - crossing two borders in one epic day and arriving late one evening in N'Djamena. Our plan to cycle via Abeche through Darfur and on to Sudan already out of the window due to the situation in Darfur, we had hoped to fly to the capital, Khartoum. But even this plan was scuppered by our inability to obtain a Sudanese visa - so Stage 4 ended prematurely in N'Djamena rather than Khartoum as planned.
Where next?

Stage 5 - Eastern Africa

Khartoum (Sudan) to Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) - 5000km - August to December 2005
Khartoum - Addis Ababa - Nairobi - Kampala - Kigali - Dar Es Salaam

On the bikes again, we head southwards (naturally enough!) from Addis Ababa through the Ethiopian highlands towards the Kenyan border, making a detour to the Bale Mountains National Park - worth it despite the rough road and rather savage kids . We spotted the rare Ethiopian wolf and reached an altitude of nearly 3700m - the highest we'll have been since Morocco, and the cycling "high point" of the expedition! From Ethiopia we crossed the Black Desert to reach Kenya, a gruelling ride through desolate landscapes and appalling roads. Then it was on to Nanyuki, where we stopped off for a week to climb Mount Kenya, and then on westwards to Nyahururu and thence the central highlands and Rift Valley. We crammed in a Maasai Mara safari before heading west towards Uganda, crossing in the shadow of Mount Elgon and making our way to Kampala. A side trip to visit LCD's projects in Masindi follows, and next we head south to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. We will then resume our eastward and southward journey into Tanzania, passing the Serengeti plains and Mount Kilimanjaro. A long ride across to the coast should see us arriving in Dar Es Salaam before Christmas, depending on how distracted we get along the way. We hope to spend Christmas itself on Zanzibar - relaxing!

Stage 6 - Southern Africa

Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) to Cape Town (South Africa) - 5500km - January to April 2006
Dar Es Salaam - Mbeya - Lilongwe - Lusaka - Victoria Falls - Gaborone - Maseru - Cape Town

Early in the New Year, we'll leave the coast at Dar and head up once again into the higher ground of the Rift Valley. Turning South at Mbeya, we'll cross the border into Malawi and follow the shore of Lake Malawi through the country to Lilongwe. Here we'll turn West again towards Lusaka in Zambia, and onwards to Victoria Falls. After crossing the Zambezi into Botswana, a few weeks cycling through the bush will bring us to the capital, Gaborone, on the South African border. One final detour to visit the highland kingdom of Lesotho, and with luck we'll be in Cape Town by late in the southern hemisphere summer.

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Cape Town - While Gareth Cliff and DJ Fresh are busy preparing their new breakfast and afternoon drive shows, 5fm has announced its full new line-up.

The changes will take effect on July 1.

Helen Graham, 5fm station manager, said: "I'm so excited about all the new shows - these changes demonstrate that 5fm has the best available stable of presenting talent...

"It's a dream line-up and signals an exciting growth phase for the 5fm brand."

Elana Afrika will be hosting the primetime midmorning, weekday slot (Mon-Fri; 09:00-12:00) from Monday, July 3 - filling the space left vacant by Zuraida Jardine.

Elana said: "I am more than happy, I am ecstatic!

"My new slot on 5fm is not just my way forward, but a gentle start to what 5 means to me: success and happiness.

"I love my job! And thank God, no more waking up at 3am!!" she said.

Sureshnie Govender will be taking over Elana's previous slot on weekday early mornings (Mon-Fri; 04:00-06:00). She will also continue to join the madcap F&Martinengo duo (Mon-Fri; 12-4pm) to read the daily news bulletins during lunchtime.

After the departure of weekend afternoon presenter Dicksy, ex-Good Hope FM presenter Catherine Karstel will be hosting the new lifestyle-show on Saturdays, 14:00-17:00.

She will be joined by Mlu to present a fresh guide every week to what's hot in the world of lifestyle, ranging from music to fashion to design to gadgets to trendsetting pop culture.

Catherine also will be hosting the Sunday morning 04:00-06:00 slot.

Monde Kapa moves from Good Hope FM to host The New Sound Selection on 5fm, Sundays 14:00-17:00.

Monde also will be hosting the 04:00-07:00 slot on Saturdays, as well as the 01:00-04:00 slot on Mondays.

Nicole Fox will be hosting the popular weekly World Chart Show (Saturdays; 10:00-14:00), following the departure of Ursula Stapelfeldt/Brown Sugar - who contributed to 5fm for over 10 years. Nicole will continue to host the weekday 19:00-22:00 slot.

Programme manager Nick Grubb said: "This new line-up has been four years in the making, and we're now incredibly well geared to realise our ambitions of being the most-relevant hit music station for young adult South Africans.

"I've never been through a more-exciting and positive line-up shuffle.

"While its sad to say goodbye to some of our station stalwarts, who have chosen to further their careers in other areas, it's presented us with an opportunity to introduce some fresh voices who will build on the good work done by their predecessors," said Grubb.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Tracey Sandilands

Cape Town - Word is pop diva Madonna will be the main act at an open-air concert to be held on November 4 at the new 400 ha Pinnacle Point golf estate outside Mossel Bay.

Will Young will be the supporting act.

Pinnacle Point Holding group sales and marketing director David McGregor confirmed on Thursday that the concert will be held on the state-of-the-art driving range in a Kirstenbosch-style picnic environment.

The space can accommodate around 16 500 people. Ticket prices will be announced in August and sales will be through Computicket.

The estate covers 4km of the Garden Route coastline, and comprises over 400 residential units and 120 golf lodges built in the Cape Cod style around a championship golf course.

Also central to the development are a hotel and casino complex. Plots are available from between R1m and R3m.

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Cape Town - Patrols on key routes in the Cape Town area are to be dramatically boosted in a bid to combat a wave of stone-throwing attacks on vehicles, Western Cape community safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane said on Thursday.

The plan, which will see as many as ten vehicles patrolling round the clock on each of four "primary focus routes" - the N2, the R300, the N1 and the M3 - would begin at midnight on Thursday, he said.

His announcement followed a meeting on Wednesday night attended by himself and senior officials from the South African Police Service (SAPS), Cape Town city police and the Western Cape traffic department.

A number of stonings have been reported in recent weeks across the city. On Sunday Kuilsriver man Nolan Daniels died when a brick was thrown through his windscreen on the R300.

Ramatlakane said the SAPS had agreed to deploy 26 dedicated patrol officers, the city police 40, and provincial traffic 26.

A total of 46 vehicles would be deployed, up from the seven currently in use.

He also said the city would repair inactive closed circuit television cameras on some major routes, and the city would be asked to restore lighting on routes where it had been cut to save power.

His department would have "eyeball to eyeball" meetings with residents of informal settlements along the routes to make them aware they had a role in community safety, and to urge them to "isolate" those responsible for the stonings.

Asked how many arrests there had been about the stonings, he said one problem was that victims reported cases to the police for insurance purposes, but were unwilling to go to the trouble of making a full statement.

"I can't give you the figures [of arrests] offhand," he said.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Lucia Swart and Borrie la Grange, Beeld

Johannesburg - Three-year-old Braedon Schoeman just couldn't help himself - seeing the friendly police dog that looked exactly like his father's - he had to go and say hello, smiling as the dog licked his face - while the hearts of bystanders were breaking.

Braedon attended the memorial service for his father, Sergeant Gert Schoeman, 30, and three other policemen who died in a hail of bullets in a gunfight with robbers in Jeppestown, Johannesburg on Sunday.

A guard of honour comprising six police officers and dogs, four photographs of smiling men in the prime of their lives and four empty police caps awaited the 2 000 people attending the service in the Christian Life centre in Honeydew on the West Rand.

Hundreds of police officials, crying family members and community leaders attended the memorial service for Schoeman, inspector Victor Mathye, 49, inspector Frikkie van Heerden, 32 and constable Francois Seaward, 31.

Immediately hugged the dog

Six police officials of the West Rand's dog unit formed the guard of honour at the entrance of the centre because Mathye and Van Heerden were members of their unit.

Crying family members walked past the dogs.

Young Braedon immediately hugged some of the dogs and stroked them.

"No mommy, I don't want to," the bewildered boy said when his mother, Brenda Schoeman, wanted to enter the church.

For just a moment his happy face was like a beacon in a sea of misery.

"We also have one like this at home. It reminds him of his father", his mother said later, who is four months' pregnant with their second child.

She took her place in the front of the church behind the Van Heerden and Seaward families, who cried uncontrollably even before the start of the service.

Police members helped Ndaheni Mathye, the dead policeman's sister, to a chair while she cried uncontrollably.

Paramedics later gave her oxygen and supported her when she collapsed while several people paid homage to Mathye and the three other policemen.

The commander of the West Rand flying squad, an emotional superintendent Stefan Vermaak said: "The death of Gert (Schoeman) has become a symbol of hope for our unit. He paid the biggest price with his bravery as a policeman. A small boy will now grow up without his father."

Superintendent Mario Caroto, the commander of the West Rand dog unit, told the congregation how courageous and loved Mathye and Van Heerden were.

"They taught us what the words fearless and heroes really meant. It's a pity we had to learn the meaning of these words in such a manner."

Police shocked

Deputy commander Oswald Reddy, Johannesburg's police chief, described Seaward as a "hard-working and proud" policeman.

While Reddy was talking, Seaward's wife Nadia, whom he married just four months ago, started crying loudly.

Reddy said: "When the last bullets were fired and the shooting ended, we walked into the house.

"We (the police's top management) were shocked, because it looked like a battlefield. The four police officials fought for their lives.

Mathye's nephew, Norman Mathonsi, said: "We don't have tears left. I think we've cried enough.

I'm trying to be strong for the rest of the family. They're really suffering.

"I never knew how popular my uncle was. I hope we can celebrate his life and his memory."

Mathye's two children, Neo and Terrance, have been left orphaned: "But we'll look after them well.

"Wherever my uncle is, I hope he can hear me saying we'll look after them properly."

News from www.news24.co.za

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Michele O'Connor , Die Burger

Cape Town - Popular Cape Town group Freshlyground are on their way to Berlin to take part in the handing over ceremony of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

The event will be handed over to South Africa at the closing ceremony of this year's World Cup.

The group will share the stage with other South African stars such as Johnny Clegg and Sibongile Khumalo.

A spokesperson for the group, Yiorga Spanoudi, told Die Burger that the musicians are overwhelmed to have been asked to perform.

"It's a huge honour for us to go and represent South Africa. We don't know what or how many songs we're going to perform. We're still running around making all the arrangements, because we leave for Germany on Thursday."

Freshlyground's new album, Nomvula, will be released in Britain, France, Italy and Germany in August.

This album has already achieved platinum status in South Africa. The performance in Berlin and an extensive tour in Europe will give the group a chance to test their popularity overseas.

Their first album, Jika Jika, was released in 2003 and became a national favourite.

Freshlyground will undertake an extensive tour through Britain after their Berlin performance and return to Germany in August.

"The group, comprising Zolani Mahola (lead singer), Josh Hawks (base), Simon Atewell (wind instruments), Peter Cohen (drums), Kyla-Rose Smith (violin), Julio Sigauque (acoustic guitar) and Aron Turest Swartz (keyboards) are known for pop/rock melodies with an African flavour. This is the sound that made them famous and they won't change that in Europe," Spanoudi said.

They will tour South Africa in October.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Cape Town - The scope of the inquiry into alleged blacklisting at the SABC should be widened to include the broadcaster's coverage of the Democratic Alliance, the party said on Wednesday.

"I have today written to the chair of the commission of inquiry into SABC 'blacklisting', (former SABC CEO) Dr Zwelakhe Sisulu, requesting him to widen the scope of the investigation to include the SABC's coverage of the DA," MP Donald Lee said.

There were many instances where the DA had been excluded from SABC programmes because of political meddling, he said.

The DA knew from experience "that political interference takes place at the SABC because of instances where our spokespeople have been pulled from participating in programmes at the last minute".

The DA was also well aware certain SABC board members were "vehemently anti-DA", Lee said.

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Cape Town - The British national who allegedly started a fire on Table Mountain in January that claimed the life of an elderly woman tourist has a South African criminal record, it was disclosed in Cape Town regional court on Wednesday.

Nor was he a "true tourist" on holiday in Cape Town at the time the fire started, prosecutor Nation Loliwe told the court.

Loliwe made the disclosures when Anthony Cooper made his first appearance in the regional court before magistrate Arnold Loubser, after a string of appearances in the magistrate's court.

Loliwe secured a postponement to August 18 despite objections from defence attorney Reaz Khan who said the case had been "getting nowhere" since Cooper's arrest in January.

Khan said Cooper was without income, and needed to get back to his job in London.

He said Cooper was staying with a friend, but did not want to publicly disclose the address.

Call for formal inquest

Loliwe told the court Cooper had two previous convictions incurred in South Africa - in 2001 and 2002 - and this suggested that Cooper had been in South Africa much longer than thought.

Loliwe did not say what the convictions were for.

Khan demanded the withdrawal of the arson and culpable homicide charges, which Loliwe opposed.

Loliwe told the court the pathologist who did the post-mortem had been unable to determine the cause of the woman's death, and the case would be referred to the local directorate for public prosecutions (DPP) with a request for a formal inquest.

Loliwe said he also wanted a second post-mortem report from the pathologist, and would hand him the docket itself, to help him to determine the cause of death.

Loliwe said he also needed expert advice from the DPP about the possibility of adding statutory violations to the charges.

news from www.news24.co.za

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Mark Keohane (www.news24.co.za)

The Jake White fiasco of the past week has highlighted the lack of professional structures within South African rugby when it comes to the actual rugby.

Provincial presidents, with a part-time investment in rugby, will determine the future of the Springbok coach.

Blokes, who are either retired, should be retired or have other day jobs, will sit in a plush boardroom for a day and determine the merits of the Bok coach.

They are the ones who will assess his performance of the last two and a half years and they will decide whether White's strategy is good enough to take the Boks beyond the 2007 World Cup and into the 2009 season.

It is a scary thought.

These are the same blokes who perform only a ceremonial role in their provincial organisations and the same blokes whose provincial organisations, for the most, face financial ruin.

For example, the presidents of Border, EP and South Western Districts (three unions who collectively owe Saru and other stakeholders more than R20m) will decide whether White is good enough to continue in the job.

What is even scarier is that leading sponsors give these 14 provincial presidents money every year to run the game. And these guys in their spare time decide what to do with the broadcasting revenue.

But that's a story for another day.

Today the story is of Jake White and the absence of rugby structures.

Surely in a professional environment, the Bok coach would be assessed by a rugby committee, made up of blokes whose opinions carry the necessary weight through their own deeds.

As White has rightly pointed out, why should he have to justify his performance to people who have never coached or to people who never picked a black player when they were coaching the Boks and won just 50% of their games?

He makes a very good point.

A strong rugby presence has always been lacking within the professional set-up of SA Rugby.

There is no Director of Rugby; there is no national rugby structure, of which the head coach is a member and not the sole membership.

If the right structures were in place, White's contract would have been an issue for the Director of Rugby, who in turn, would justify the merits of it to a board.

Operationally, this Director of Rugby would make the recommendation and the board would simply have to assess that all appointments are within the strategic blueprint of the company.

This Director of Rugby and whatever rugby committee he would feel fit to appoint would be an operational appointment.

This individual would be involved on a day to day basis and be very much in touch with all rugby trends, both technical and strategic. He would be the sounding board to the national coach.

Currently White operates in isolation and all that keeps him afloat is a winning Bok team.

If he wins by a point, he's okay. If he loses by a point, there's a crisis.

The Bok defeat against the French was not the shock most would like to believe it was. It was not an aberration. The last time the two teams had met France had been as clinical in beating the Boks.

The warnings have been there for some time. White is in desperate need of help. He requires a trusted sounding board and one whose only agenda is the well-being of the Springboks.

He doesn't have it.

What he has are 14 provincial presidents who for a couple of the days in a year turn their attentions to determining his future. It is absurd. Then again it is just another day in South African rugby.

And the reality is that while 14 provincial presidents retain the power of an operational MD, nothing is going to change.

Men who should be custodians are instead the cannons of the game.

News source: www.news24.co.za

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Johannesburg - Another man has been arrested in connection with the multimillion-rand heist at Johannesburg International Airport in March.

The latest arrest brings to 18 the number of those behind bars in cooection with the heist. Christopher Billings, 40, was arrested on Monday.

Senior superintendent Vish Naidoo of the national police could not give further details on Tuesday, saying he was on leave.

Billings joined six other accused men in Kempton Park regional court on Wednesday.

The six - Shaid Rudolf, 43, of Eersterus; Rashdee Rudolf, 42, of Cape Town; a Namibian, Uakareraije Maundu, 36, and his compatriot Uakotokia Tjindinda, 37; Tebogo Nhlapo, 31, of Boksburg; and Fox Sithole, 31, of Vosloorus - are to lodge bail applications before magistrate Prince Manyathi on Thursday.

The men are part of a gang who allegedly boarded an SAA plane at Johannesburg International and made off with R72m in foreign currency.

The other suspects in the case will appear in Kempton Park magistrate's court on July 12.

Three out on bail

They are Airports Company of SA employees Sean Soobramoney, 32, Nazir Ismail, 38, and Rookaya Ebrahim, 35.

Soobramoney is out on R75 000 bail, Ismail on R40 000 and Ebrahim on R20 000.

Their initial bail applications were turned down by Kempton Park regional court. After appealing to the Johannesburg High Court in Apri,l they were granted bail.

The trio, together with colleague Magdallena Moonsamy, face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with Mzikise Maqwaza, 24, Vusimuzi Ichumelo, 32, Themba Phutsitsi, Annanius Nepfumbe, 38, and Danisa Nee Tsuma, 32.

Another alleged accused, Bhekithembo Khumalo, 34, has since died of his wounds after being shot during his arrest.

News source: www.news24.co.za

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Traditional soccer powers from Europe and South America are back on top and the rest of the world has fallen short.

Four years ago, half of the quarterfinalists at the World Cup were from nations with no history of major soccer success.

Turkey, South Korea, Senegal and the United States gave the tournament a truly global look and two of them made it to the semifinals.

And after some first round upsets this year, unfamiliar faces mixed in with the powerhouses among the last 16 with Australia and Ecuador joining World Cup newcomers Ukraine and Ghana. But of the four, only Ukraine made it to the quarterfinals.

The reality is that, once again, the same names are chasing soccer's biggest prize.

One of the quarterfinals at this year's World Cup has three-time champion Germany hosting Argentina, which has won the title twice.

Brazil, a record five-time World Cup winner and also the defending champion, will face 1998 champion France.

Italy, another three-time winner, must get past Ukraine, while 1966 champion England faces Portugal, which is coached by Luiz Felipe Scolari, the man who led Brazil to its fifth title four years ago.

"The big guys are coming to the quarterfinals. It is getting closer and closer," Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

"It's getting tougher and tougher. When you come to this moment, you have to put extra and extra and everything into it."

Six of the eight quarterfinalists have won the title before. Four years ago, that figure was three. Take a look back to other World Cups of the recent past and see the familiar names lining up in the quarterfinals.

At France in 1998, it was Brazil and Argentina against six European teams, including Italy, Germany and the hosts, who won their first title. In the United States four years earlier, Brazil was on its own against seven from Europe but went on to win its fourth title.

Although Cameroon made it to the quarterfinals in 1990, there were six Europeans still in contention and West Germany triumphed.

Before 2002, you have to go back to Mexico in 1986 to find fewer than six teams from Europe in the last eight. It's not a healthy sign if soccer is to improve its reputation as a true world wide sport.

Maybe on the truly neutral venues of South Korea and Japan, European teams didn't adjust properly to the climate, time zones of even the food. The Koreans also had home advantage as they went all the way to the semifinals, but that doesn't explain why Turkey got there, too, and the Americans and Senegalese reached the last
eight. Turkey and Senegal didn't even qualify this time.

The problem is that Europe, and particularly the big leagues in Spain, Italy, England and Germany, dominate the game. They have the clubs who can pay the top wages and that attracts the biggest names from South America, Asia and Africa. The English Premier League also has seven players from the United States squad that played in the World Cup.

That means national teams in Africa, Asia and North and Central America have to call many of their players back from Europe to play for their countries. When it comes to friendlies, that's not always possible.

It also gives the Europeans a big advantage.

The entire Italian squad at the World Cup plays in Italy. All but two of England players are in the Premier League and only three Germans will play outside the Bundesliga next season.

Although many of the French players play for clubs in other countries, they are still just a short flight home. The same applies to Spain and Portugal.

The big exceptions are Brazil and Argentina.

The vast majority of their players are in Europe, but at least they play regularly together.

Look at the Brazilian World Cup stars with Real Madrid -- Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Robinho and Cicinho plays for Real Madrid, while AC Milan has Dida, Cafu and Kaka.

Argentina has three players from Inter Milan and left three more at home. Of the five Argentina players who are at Spanish club Villarreal, two are here at the World Cup.

While Major League Soccer in the United States is improving steadily and is healthy, soccer in Africa and Asia will never reach any heights because their leagues and clubs will never be able to compete financially with the Europeans and, to a lesser extent, the big South American clubs.

The only way of stopping the trend is to limit the number of overseas players clubs can have on their payrolls. But that would break the strict European laws on free trade and UEFA has already been stung by that.

In the meantime, the likes of South Korea, Japan, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Australia will no doubt be back to Fifa's big World Cup jamboree.

Once the quarterfinals come around, however, they will be shown the way out. - Sapa-AP

Source: http://www.mg.co.za

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By Chana Viljoen

Miss South Africa, Nokuthula Sithole, who will be jetting off to Los Angeles for the Miss Universe pageant, believes that her advantage over other contenders is that she is an African woman.

Sithole describes herself as a versatile woman who always enjoys what she does and is very committed.

The most important item in her luggage is her camera. She said she can't wait to meet the girls from the other countries and capture all the memories.

Sithole is extremely patriotic, and her pride in her heritage comes across in the national gift she has hand-crafted for the pageant. She created a sculpture of a nude woman in the "get-ready" position. The woman has markings on her face and wings in the shape of Africa on her back.

According to Sithole, the sculpture symbolises African women, who have had to endure a lot of hardship. The golden wings show how the resources of South Africa will carry women who strive to reach their dreams.


Each contestant will present a gift, which is auctioned off before the night of the pageant. All the money collected for the gifts will be given to charity.

Sithole is the first Shangaan woman to take part in the Miss Universe pageant and - to pay tribute to her culture - she will be wearing a Shangaan-inspired dress designed by Sun Goddess.

Thuli, as she is known, will also wear a red ballgown, which she describes as "glamorous" and "elegant". It is designed by Norman Callan of The Boys.

Sithole will compete against 88 contestants from around the globe on July 4. However, the actual event will be broadcast on July 23. The 22-year-old town and regional planning student at Wits University will also take part in the Miss World pageant in September.

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/

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First Trek
KwaZulu-Natal, Central and Northern Berg - 500km

This trek incorporates the KZN interior's Midlands and the Central and Northern Berg.
We are going to take you on a 500 km experience and give you a rough breakdown on how much it will all cost you.

Our base is in Pietermaritzburg, so we head north along the N3, a national highway towards the Drakensberg. Taking the Nottingham Road turnoff; a beautiful village that is renown for its own beer.

There are several beautiful hideaways located in this area such as Cleopatra Mountain Lodge, an amazing gourmet retreat where the owners are setting up a cooking school to compliment the world renown chef's restaurant and accommodation.

A cozier getaway is Rivervale Stud Cottage located on a stud farm where the most amazing horses can be seen.
Rivervale is essentially a stud farm, however accommodation has been set up for those who want a farm experience with a difference. Owners of horses studding at this farm can also stay over in the comfortable lodge.

Kamberg
From Nottingham Road in the Midlands, we head west toward Kamberg (one of five rest camps managed by the Natal Parks Board) where the road traces the folds of the Drakensberg's foothills.

After roughly 30 km's, this road crosses a valley of dense, green irrigated pastures that feed the thousands of Friesland cows, cuts through the eastern end of the Natal Drakensberg Park and then follows the Mooi River to Kamberg.

A pleasant 4km trail, with three 1km loops, leads along the Mooi River making for a breathtaking berg hike.
For wildlife enthusiasts hoping to see some of the 'little 50 000', wildlife here includes blesbok, black wildebeest (which is represented on the Natal coat of arms), reedbuck, duiker and eland, and for the birders there are plenty birds, such as ground woodpecker, mocking chat, Drakensberg siskin and Gurney's sugarbird, and not forgetting the avid fishermen, just below the camp, a trout hatchery is open to the public, and fishermen have access to 13km's of the Mooi River.
Fishing is also permitted in several small dams located near the hatchery.

Highmoor
After exploring the wonders that the Kamberg surrounds has to offer, head back along the road you came in on, only this time you will head North over the Mooi River towards Klein Mooi River and a neighbouring valley called Highmoor.

A dirt road shares a narrow ravine with the course of the Klein Mooi River to guide you back into the mountains.
You'll travel for around 10km and eventually the road reaches the upper end of the valley and a broad, grassland plain.
At an altitude of 2 000 m, this rolling grassland, Highmoor, fades north west towards the distant peaks of Giant's Castle.

Highmoor's only accommodation is a camp site occupying a superb position on a hill crest overlooking the Klein Mooi's deeply-incised valley.
Several lovely trails lead across the surrounding grasslands, and visitors can venture north into Giant's Castle, or south across the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area.
Once again, for the avid birders, many raptors, such as black eagle, jackal buzzard and lammergeyer, are found in the area.

Giant's Castle
Heading out from Highmoor, back along the road you come in on, turn right and northwards, over the Klein Mooi River and continue for 21km's to the Bushmans River where you take the left fork towards Giant's Castle, a mere 19km's further on.

Few places can provide better access to the spectacular scenery of Drakensberg's jagged, magnificent basalt wall which is called Ukhahlamba by the Zulus, meaninga barrier of spears, than the main camp at Giant's Castle.

Giant's Castle Hutted Camp is overshadowed by three of the four highest peaks on the South African side of the Escarpment:
Giant's Castle (3314 metres)
Popple Peak (3325 metres)
Njasuthi Dome (341O metres)

To get to these magnificent peak bases, hiking trails generally follow contour paths which will lead you there.
In winter snow often covers these peaks and three mountain huts provide hikers with accommodation.

Game-viewing is a popular pastime, as is bird-watching, walking and trout-fishing in the Little Tugela and Bushmans rivers.
Although harsh winter conditions limit the variety of grassland wildlife, a variety of animals such as grey rhebuck, mountain reedbuck, bushbuck, baboon and oribi can be seen.

In 1903 a game reserve was established at Giant's Castle to safeguard some of the last free-ranging eland in South Africa.
The eland flourished and the Drakensberg now maintains a population of 1 500, the second largest of its kind in the country.

For birders, the camouflaged Lammergeyer Hide is open during winter.
Although this endangered raptor is widely distributed, it is rare throughout its range. A recent survey recorded only 200 pairs in the Drakensberg.

Giant's Castle is particularly rich in San rock art, much of which depicts their great admiration for the eland. Although eland have survived, the San have not, and the 5 000 rock paintings that have been catalogued in Giant's Castle are the only impression they left on the landscape.

From the camp, a short walk zigzags up the valley to a unique museum situated in a sandstone overhang that was once a San shelter.
About 500 authentic paintings, some of which are thought to be about 800 years old, cover the cave walls. Artifacts and lifelike models depict the lifestyle of the Drakensberg's first people.

Champagne Castle
The second highest summit in South Africa, the 3377 metre high Champagne Castle juts out from the Escarpment wall and overshadows the Sterkspruit Valley.

Other main peaks in the area include:
Cathkin Peak (3149 metres)
Sterkhorn (2973 metres)
Monk's Cowl (3234 metres)
Intunja (2408 metres), a conspicuous peak with a hole through its summit.

As this lovely valley lies within 31km's of the N3, it has become the 'Berg's most popular retreat.
It boasts a cluster of hotels, cottages and timeshare resorts, and many walks lead into the State Forest area. Sterkspruit Valley is renowned for the Drakensberg Boys Choir School, and for Dragon Peaks and Monk's Cowl caravan parks.

Cathedral Peak
The Cathedral Peak Hotel high up in the lovely Mlambonja valley was built in 1937 and has been run by the Van der Riet family for two generations.
It is surrounded by the Natal Drakensberg Park, and visitors can choose to ride horses, fish, play golf and tennis, or flit over the peaks in the hotel's helicopter.
A labyrinth of paths explore the surrounding valleys and mountainous spurs.

From the conservation office near the hotel, Mike's Pass climbs 500 metres in under 5 km's along a route that includes four abrupt corners and several steep gradients.
From the parking lot at the end of the road, motorists can enjoy a dramatic view of the high 'Berg.

Some of the most striking peaks are:
Cathedral Peak (3004 metres)
Mlambonja Buttress ( 007 metres)
Cleft Peak (3281 metres)
Outer Horn (3005 metres)
The Bell (2930 metres)
Inner Horn (3005 metres).

Trails lead from the parking lot into Ndedema gorge, a delightful valley that protects the Drakensberg's largest indigenous forest and its greatest concentration of San rock art.
Many hikers regard Ndedema as the most spectacular of the 'Berg's many valleys.

Spioenkop Public Resort Nature Reserve
The pretty 1500 hectare Spioenkop Dam rests at the foot of an acacia-dotted hill where, during the Anglo-Boer War, British troops attempted to break through Boer lines and hundreds of British were pinned down by tire from Boer sharpshooters on the hilltop.
Many graves and memorials are still scattered across Spioenkop's summit.

Today the 7283 hectare nature reserve that protects the dam and surrounding land is perfect for fishing, boating, hiking and game viewing.

A camp site is located at the dam's edge and facilities include tennis courts, a swimming pool, children's playground, curio shop and battlefield museum.

Upstream from the camp site lies the secluded Ntenjwa rustic bush camp.
It is only accessible by boat, and overlooks the upper reaches of the tranquil Spioenkop Dam.
Picnic sites are located along the southern shoreline, where fishing is permitted and two short walks have been laid out.
Animals which may be seen here include hartebeest, waterbuck, impala, springbok and blesbok.
Although boats can be launched from the southern shore, they are not allowed to berth on the northern shore which has been set aside as a reserve area.
Here, buffalo, giraffe, white rhino and eland are common.

Royal Natal National Park
All roads to the northern 'Berg resorts lead, at some stage, through the centrally located village of Bergville, and from here, the road leads to the 8856 hectare Royal Natal Park.

The focal point is the awe-inspiring Amphitheatre, a crescent-shaped basalt ridge that is 6 km's wide and towers 1500 metres above the lower valleys.
The superb Tendele rest camp, situated on a hillside above the Tugela River, provides unparalleled views of the mountain.

In the lower-lying valleys, the Royal Natal Hotel and Mahai camp site occupy idyllic settings, and provide access to the walking trails that traverse the park.

The Amphitheatre's summit can be reached by following the hiking trail that passes The Dome and joins the road on the Free State side of the mountain. The road ends at a parking lot at a lofty 2550 metres.
The trail continues for another 4 km's and, with the aid of two chain ladders, finally reaches the crest.
Where the flat summit yields to the vertical rim of the escarpment, the Tugela Falls, second highest in the world,
plummet 948 metres to the valley below.

Information from http://www.restinations.com/

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Cape Town - South Africa's transport sector is in crisis, ANC MP and chairperson of parliament's transport portfolio committee Jeremy Cronin said on Tuesday.
"We've got a very, very substantial crisis around transport mobility and accessibility," he told journalists at a Cape Town Press Club meeting.

Cronin criticised government's transport policies of the 90s, saying these had proved "disastrous".

"I'm afraid to say that in the first decade of ANC government, transport was a terribly neglected area."

Transport "forgotten"

A lot of attention had gone into health care, education, housing, and the economy, and transport had tended to be forgotten, he said.

On the taxi recapitalisation programme - a plan to rid the country of its 120 000-strong ageing and dangerous taxi fleet - he said this was "in the doldrums".

Government was "trying to spend R7.7bn of public money on the taxi sector, and the intended beneficiaries of this public largesse are telling us to voertsak, telling us to go away, they're not interested".

Almost two-thirds of commuters nationally used mini-bus taxis, but the industry was "controlled by war lordism... (it is) basically a feudal rentier system that is operating here".

The way the industry operated was illogical and irrational, and it had "eroded" previously successful city bus services.

No "blitzkrieg"

Responding to a question on why government did not crack down on "lawless" taxi operators, he said "you don't get there with a blitzkrieg".

What was needed was to be "firm and tough".

On South Africa's high road death toll - between 14 000 and 17 000 people were killed on the country's roads last year - he said this was "one symptom of this problem that we've got around infrastructure, mobility, accessibility and transport".

The fatalities and injuries were costing South Africa R42bn a year, Cronin said.

Turning to traffic policing, he described the administration of this as "incoherent".

Only two percent of traffic offences that should have gone to court actually ended up there.

"There are huge problems on this front," he said.

Speeding and drunk driving

The key causes of accidents were speeding and drunk driving, but laboratories that carried out blood testing were backlogged with work.

As a result, authorities were "not able to crack down massively on drunk driving".

On passenger rail service Metrorail, Cronin said this was "starved of resources and under-capitalised", and had been for decades.

"For the 12 years the ANC has been in power, and for the 10 to 15 years before that as well."

South Africa had "extremely inadequate public transport", which was hugely problematic.

"The good news is that in the last few years, government has become more aware that transport is critical... but what remains in deep crisis is the public transport reality," he said.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Johannesburg - South Africa's growth prospects remain sound despite the turmoil that has shaken emerging markets in the past month, prompting "significant movements" in the rand, the central bank said on Tuesday.
The rand slid to a 2½-year low against the dollar last week, raising concerns the South African Reserve Bank may raise interest rates further than anticipated to curb price pressures ignited by the currency's depreciation in 2006.

But central bank governor Tito Mboweni said that foreigners remained net buyers of South African financial assets - which means that capital inflows may continue to finance a widening deficit on the current account, the broadest measure of trade.

"No cycle of steep rate hikes"

Mboweni also said that "moderately higher interest rates should not be seen to be undermining growth", suggesting that the country was not on course for a cycle of steep rate hikes after an initial increase of half a percentage point on June 8.

"Despite the recent turbulence in international markets, we are of the view that growth prospects remain sound in South Africa and the rest of the world," Mboweni said in a prepared speech to the London Capital Club in London.

South Africa's low level of foreign debt, improved international reserves and credit rating upgrades meant that it was "less likely to be vulnerable to balance sheet effects that have characterised previous emerging market crises," he said.

The rand extended its losses against the dollar since mid-May to about 20% after it hit R7.52/US$ last week, its lowest level since January 2004, according to Reuters data.

It traded two cents weaker at R7.29/$ after Mboweni spoke in London.

Growth on course

The currency's abrupt slide in the past month, prompted by steep falls in commodity prices and a global sell-off in emerging markets have revived memories of volatility seen in 2001, when the rand hit a record low of R13.85/$.

But inflation has remained inside its 3-6% target range for 32 months in a row and economists believe South Africa's solid economic fundamentals will help its markets weather the latest bout of global turbulence.

Failing to respond to inflation risks could hurt growth, but the SARB would play its part by ensuring that inflation remained within its target range, Mboweni said.

South Africa's economy grew by 4.9% last year, its fastest pace in 23 years, and the government had predicted a similar pace of expansion this year.

Mboweni said he expected "moderately lower" growth this year after the economy expanded by 4.2% in the first quarter.

But he said growth could accelerate to 6% on a sustainable basis if the government's investment strategies were successful.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Johannesburg - Africa's biggest media group, Naspers, posted a 3.6% rise in annual headline earnings per share to 756 cents on Tuesday and said future growth depended on continued expansion in its markets, which was uncertain.

Naspers, which publishes South Africa's top-selling newspaper Daily Sun and runs the continent's only pay-TV network, said core headline EPS - which strips out all non-recurring tems - rose 62.9% to 696c. Core headline earnings of R1.9bn were up 67% on the year-ago period.

The group said it had experience strong economic growth in key markets like China and South Africa.

"Future growth will be reliant on continued economic expansion in our markets, which is uncertain."

Naspers said in a statement that it needed to make strategic investments in the year ahead to be able to continue delivering growth, knowing that this will reduce short-term earnings and cash flow growth.

The group said the modest 6% increase in headline earnings to R2.14bn came after recurring items boosted headline earnings in the previous financial year to R2.02bn.

The figures were in line with the company's own forecast for core headline EPS growth of 60% to 70%.

# Fin24 is owned by Media24, which is a subsidiary of Naspers.

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The Cape Town International Comedy Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary this September with an outstanding line-up of the world’s leading comedians in South Africa's biggest comedy event so far.

“This year we have planned a bigger, better and bolder festival that can take its place proudly alongside the world's major comedy festivals,” promises festival founder and producer, Sam Hendrikse.

After scouting the exceptional acts at venues across the world, Hendrikse is ecstatic about this year’s inclusion of five separate programmes and a line-up of top acts from seven nations that are all guaranteed to send the winter blues packing. They include the British comic legend Julian Clary, top Canadian comedian Sugar Sammy, Aussie ace Charles Pickering as well as local heroes Mark Banks, Kagiso Lediga and John Vlismas.

The festival mainstay - the more family-oriented Main Arena programme – will once again be staged at the Baxter Theatre, while the more edgy, more adult Danger Zone will play alongside in the Baxter Concert Hall.

The V&A Waterfront will serve as another festival hub with the three exciting new additions to the Festival taking place there. In a first for South African comedy, a glittering galaxy of the world’s best gay comedians will be featured in the Queercom programme at the BMW Theatre@thePavilion. This venue will also stage The Very Late Show, a weekend-only show hosted by South Africa’s favourite comics, Corne and Twakkie, and featuring a variety of local and international acts.

The Waterfront will also see an ongoing parade of amazing street performers that include clowns, mimes, acrobats and even giant marsupials! “To celebrate our 10th birthday and to give something back to the city that has so loyally supported us, we are presenting 10 of the world’s leading Street Comedy Performers whose mind-blowing antics literally take physical comedy to new heights,” says Hendrikse.

“The Comedy Festival is now a ‘festival’ in the truest sense of the word, with the incorporation of five separate shows that will run concurrently for the duration of the festival's three week run in September. For the past decade years we have been bringing to Cape Town top acts from around the globe that reflect the latest comedy trends from the international comedy festival circuit. We believe this year’s line-up will exceed everyone’s expectations,” states Hendrikse.

Come join in the fun from 1 - 23 September, 2006 when leading comedians from Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand celebrate the mother city's first decade of comedy with shows that range from traditional stand-up, to street theatre, to racy, risqué reviews.

For more information visit http://www.comedyfestival.co.za

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Durban - A Safmarine container vessel ran aground moments after leaving East London on Monday night.

Port spokesperson Terry Taylor said the 184m-long Safmarine Agulhas was nearly a kilometre offshore when she lost power and strong onshore winds pushed her towards the western breakwater.

She ran aground on a sandbank 200m from the breakwater.

There were two tugs trying to attach lines to the vessel and tow her off the sand bank when the tide had come in.

"The two tugs are changing their towlines and will attempt to pull her off," he said.

The crew was not in any immediate danger and power had been restored to the engines. He said the damage, if any, was not known and the ship was not taking on water.

The ship's next port of call was Port Elizabeth.

The Safmarine Agulhas was built in 1995 and could carry 1 730 containers when fully laden.

Taylor said the vessel did not have a full load when it left port in three-metre swells.

News from www.news24.co.za

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Dakar - There's nothing unusual about an African traffic cop asking for a bribe. But these days you can pay him on the spot with electronic cell phone credit.

Airtime is such a prized commodity in mobile-mad Africa that it almost works like real money.

On a continent where fixed-line infrastructure is expensive and unreliable, demand for mobile phones is booming, to a point where some rebels include phone credit on the list of demands sent to negotiators and small shops accept airtime as payment for cigarettes or a loaf of bread.

Substitute for cash

When Wim Vanhelleputte, head of Senegal's second-ranked cellular operator Sentel, was pulled over by a policeman in the country's capital, the officer asked for his profession then promptly demanded free airtime.

"Airtime is being used as a substitute for cash," Vanhelleputte said at a mobile phone conference in Dakar this week. "Maybe even cash bribes will disappear in favour of airtime soon," he quipped.

In countries where only a rich minority have bank accounts and many people live from hand to mouth, airtime is a quick, safe and easy way of transferring small amounts of cash.

New service to transfer airtime credit

The trend was sparked by a new service that allows the electronic transfer of credit between cell phones with a flick of a thumb, and is being billed as one of the biggest stimulus to growth since the introduction of the pay-as-you-go system.

As mobile phone use among Africa's middle classes reaches saturation, operators are hunting for canny ways of getting poorer people to spend more on mobile communications.

Credit transfer, or electronic recharge, allows richer folk in the cities to send airtime to their poorer rural family members, encouraging subscribers who spend very little to use their phones more.

Instant consumption

France Telecom's Orange launched an electronic recharge system in war-divided Ivory Coast in December and is already seeing the fruits, joining a plethora of other operators across the continent doing the same.

"In Africa the concept of sharing with those less fortunate, especially the extended family in rural areas, is very important, so sending airtime home makes a lot of sense," said Peter Arina, chief operating officer at Kenya's top operator Safaricom, in a recent interview.

Airtime in tiny denominations

Other operators seeking to attract poorer customers have launched airtime vouchers in tiny denominations, meaning users can buy just enough credit to make that one vital call - perhaps all they can afford.

Senegal's Sentel, owned by emerging market operator Millicom sells a 100 CFA voucher ($0.193) - enough for two or three calls, at the price of two cigarettes and less than a bus ticket.

"It is instant consumption behaviour that works well in Africa," said Vanhelleputte.

"It's like using a pay phone or drinking a coke."

News from www.news24.co.za

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I have a very strong feeling that I will earn the wrath and cursing of many people today, and my African credentials will be questioned.

But I am mightily pleased that the rubbish from Africa will soon be wiped off the list of contenders at the World Cup, and the sooner the last also-ran is sent packing the better for some of us who enjoy seeing genuine soccer players doing what they do best, rather than a collection of lumbering hulks clearly out of their depth.

And by that I am not exhibiting a "slave mentality", neither am I somehow regretting that colonialism and apartheid have ended.

Rather, I am happy that the wheat will finally be separated from the chaff at the World Cup. I am not "Eurocentric" or "Afro-pessimist"; I am darn irritated by incompetence, and have no good word for it.

First to bite the dust, and thankfully so, was that shameful crook Ismail Bhamjee of the Botswana Soccer Association.

Shady characters

How such a slimy character could have been allowed to worm his way up the sporting ladder to end up in the executive of Fifa is beyond me.

I mean, were the soccer "authorities" in Botswana and other parts of the continent unaware of this man's dubious character before elevating him to the continental body, which then proposed him for Fifa?

Before you say that I am being too hard on Bhamjee, let me remind you that he is widely suspected of having voted against South Africa back in 2000 and so, helped by New Zealander octogenarian Charles Dempsey's infamous abstention, ensured that we did not get to host the spectacle taking place in Germany. Perhaps he made himself a mint on the side out of it, who knows?

This time he was a top-ranked Fifa match commissioner in Frankfurt for this tournament and like other executive members, he had about 12 complimentary tickets courtesy of the world body.

The bum was so stupidly greedy that he was caught red-handed just before an England-Costa Rica game selling the tickets for three times their face value.

Fifa viewed the aberration so seriously that it immediately convened an emergency executive meeting, at which Bhamjee the bum was shown the evidence against him. He had no case to defend, and instead gave a mealy-mouthed crocodile lament which convinced no one. He was kicked out of Germany and thrown out of Fifa.

Lesson in the bum's saga

There is a very good lesson in the bum's saga for our electorate; maybe once the lesson has been learnt, we may stop entrusting incompetents and charlatans with high office, whose only desire for being in the driving seats is corruption and an eye for filthy lucre.

The second load of rubbish from our continent to be thrown out of the World Cup are the teams from Africa and the Caribbean. One team is still offering some token resistance, but I have no doubt that it, too, will soon join the rest on an early flight back home.

The Togo squad proved the stereotype that greed and little else is this continent's biggest product; like Bafana Bafana at this year's Africa Cup of Nations, the Togolese players wanted huge chunks of money before playing. Togo never made it beyond the first round; Bafana Bafana failed to win a single point and never scored a single goal.

The damned sickness of putting money before everything else cost them plenty, not least their own self-respect. Now I am not infected with the stupid "patriotic" fever which gripped the woolly-brained SABC commentators to prophesy, as they so stupidly did at the beginning of this World Cup, that Africa would show the rest of the world a thing or two.

Mind you, I ooze with patriotism but I believe, at the same time, that I can tell if I am being asked to back a dead horse.

As it is, the exciting soccer players in the world right now come mainly from Europe and Latin America, and those are the people I want to watch playing the beautiful game.

I want to watch Wayne Rooney, Juan Roman Riquelme, Frank Lampard, Pauleta, Xavi, Djibril Cisse, Rio Ferdinand, Raul, Luis Figo, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Kaka, Patrick Vieira, Robinho and Cesc Fabregas.

I do not want to watch the likes of Pimpong, Yapi Yapo or Doji Obilale.

And I have no time either for rubbish passed off as "commentary", which is why I now switch off the volume during interval to avoid listening to Auckland Park-based loudmouths waffling their nonsense of useless "expertise" which few people, I would argue, find riveting and illuminating.

With Bhamjee and the bums sullying the image of our soccer, I truly find it worrying that in a little under four years we must stage the best World Cup yet, given that every edition has been better than the preceding one.

News from www.news24.co.za

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