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Cape Town - Cape Town authorities reluctantly agreed on Thursday to the construction of a downtown stadium for the 2010 World Cup.

Mayor Helen Zille said construction of the 68 000-seat stadium would begin in January only if the national government guaranteed to pay a majority of the cost - estimated at more than R3bn.

"We can not end up with a situation like in Montreal when the grandchildren of the people who made the decisions for the 1976 Olympics are still paying the bill," Zille said.

Cape Town can only afford to pay R400m toward the cost because of problems like the chronic lack of housing and services, Zille added.

Authorities hope the World Cup will contribute billions of rands into the South African economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in a country still trying to overcome the legacy of apartheid.

President Thabo Mbeki has repeatedly said that the first World Cup in Africa will be a symbol of the continent's renaissance.

The government has earmarked about R5bn for building and renovating 10 stadiums, and a further R8.7bn on upgrades to airports, roads and railway lines.

However, there has already been speculation that the tournament may be moved given that construction work has barely started and that South Africa's transport system may not be able to cope with the influx of visitors.

Constraints are time and money

The government and Fifa have dismissed the rumors as baseless and organizing chief Danny Jordaan insists everything is on schedule.

Zille was more wary.

"The killer constraints are time and money," she said. "We have to start turning sods in January otherwise we can't meet the time limit."

She said Cape Town - dubbed the Mother City and regarded as the jewel in South Africa's crown - would bid to host the opening match and a semi-final to justify the cost and capitalize on its stunning scenery.

Cape Town initially planned to host first and second-round matches at its Newlands rugby stadium, leaving Johannesburg to host the opening and final matches.

Durban, the capital Pretoria, the northern town of Polokwane, the northeastern city of Nelspruit near Kruger National Park, the southern port city of Port Elizabeth, and the central town of Bloemfontein are the other venues.

However, the government earlier this year announced plans for a new stadium in Cape Town suitable for a semi-final after pressure from Fifa and its sponsors anxious to benefit from the magnificent backdrop of Table Mountain and the surrounding ocean.

It said the site would be on Green Point common, close to the city centre and harbour.

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News Source: www.news24.com

By : Johan Schronen

Chris Mahon tried to stop it with his bare hands - but in the end he could only watch in horror as his expensive Land Rover Discovery rolled backwards into a dam.

Mahon, a retired director of the Irish Law Society, said he had run down his steep driveway after the runaway vehicle and tried to stop it.

But it was too heavy and he cut his hands in the attempt.

His 4x4 plunged into the tranquil Sonstraal Dam opposite his house in Bokmakierie Street, Durbanville.

'It started rolling backwards'
Mahon said he had gone out on an errand, but returned home to fetch a pair of glasses he had forgotten.

"I had just climbed out of the car when it started rolling backwards," he said on Tuesday.

"I tried to stop it but it was too heavy and just picked up speed.

"It cleared the gates at the bottom of my driveway, careened over the street and down a grass embankment towards the water."

The peace of Sonstraal Dam, home to hundreds of ducks and geese, was shattered with a splash and the scattering of birds in all directions when the Land Rover plunged into the water and sank.

It was not visible from the bank
When the turbulence subsided, the curious birds returned to investigate the strange visitor.

Mahon's car was so deep underwater it was not visible from the bank.

The first police reports raised fears that people were trapped in the Land Rover.

Police divers reached the scene in minutes, found the submerged vehicle and searched it as a matter of course.

They recovered the driver's side door, which had been ripped off, and the remote control for his garage door.

Accident recovery staff later winched the waterlogged car out of the dam.

Mahon could not say why his car had started rolling.

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News Source: www.iol.co.za

By Heinz de Boer

A Durban schoolboy is facing charges of murder after the family of assault victim Shane McCarroll gave the go-ahead for his life support machines to be switched off on Tuesday morning.

McCarroll, a Grade 11 Durban High School (DHS), was put on the life support machines after he lost consciousness after a fight with a "bosom buddy".

A murder docket has been opened by Amanzimtoti detectives. Police changed the initial assault GBH docket to a murder investigation yesterday as tearful DHS pupils remembered their friend at an early morning memorial service at the school.

The investigation and subsequent tragedy stems from a fight between the two boys at a house party in Amanzimtoti at the weekend. McCarroll was allegedly punched three times by his 16-year-old friend, who has been described as a "bosom buddy". McCarroll lost consciousness the same evening and was declared brain dead by doctors after being admitted to St Augustine's Hospital's intensive care unit.

It is believed the family had been waiting for his sister to arrive from Johannesburg before saying goodbye to the teenager.

SAPS Superintendent Danelia Veldhuizen has confirmed the murder investigation, but said the 16-year-old boy was unlikely to be detained during the investigative stage because he is not considered a flight risk.

Speaking not long after the death, DHS headmaster Dave Magner said the school was strongly committed to offering support to McCarroll's traumatised friends.

"Our commitment is to continue helping them through the trauma and our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends," said Magner.

While conflicting statements continue to surround the issue of whether alcohol was freely available at the party, some of the city's top trauma doctors and educators have warned of the sometimes tragic dangers associated with teenagers at parties. A trauma doctor at St Augustine's Hospital, who did not want to be named, said statistics indicated the commonest cause of mortality among teenagers was accidents. In many cases, he said, alcohol played a contributing factor in their deaths.

"We frequently see teenagers aged between 16 and 21 who have been involved in high-speed car accidents who sustain massive head, chest or even neck injuries. Invariably they are not wearing seatbelts and alcohol is involved.

"We also commonly see young social violence victims, who have been injured due to inter-personal conflict at parties. Teenagers are at a stage where they like to experiment with things like alcohol. They need to be supervised as they do silly things like fall off balconies or climb into trees if there is alcohol involved," he said.

Dr Stuart Rose of Umhlanga Hospital's trauma unit said drunken teenagers who had lost consciousness were frequently brought into the unit by concerned parents or friends.

"It is a regular thing but is more of an end-of-term or December holidays phenomenon. In many cases the parents refuse to believe their children drink until blood tests show otherwise," said Rose.

Trevor Hall of Westville Boys' High School was one of the few headmasters willing to comment on the matter. He said the teaching profession had for many years been concerned with under-age drinking and welcomed the introduction of such topics into the new curriculum.

"The root cause of the problem in my opinion is that the use of alcohol is now so generally tolerated and expected at social events that this attitude then gets carried through to gatherings involving the youth. The consequences can be far reaching," he said.

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News Source : www.iol.co.za

Cape Town - The best-kept secret in South African television is out: Mark Bayly, a little-known Capetonian with a dashing smile and a penchant for adventure, has clinched the coveted presenter slot on Survivor South Africa: Panama.

The show kicks off on Sunday, September 3 in M-Net's Open Time.

Media rumours abounded in recent weeks, linking Colin Moss of Idols fame, Big Brother winner Ferdinand Rabie and the Aqua Archer's guy, Gareth Tjasink, to the project.

There were also speculations about big-name celebrities queuing up to audition, long after Bayly had secured the job.

Carl Fischer, head of M-Net's Original Productions, says the channel decided to look very hard for a presenter who could be strongly identified with the Survivor brand, without entirely ruling out experienced presenters.

"Our mission was to look for someone without any strong association with an existing television programme; possibly a new face that would fit into the Survivor programme's profile. We were thrilled when Mark turned up to audition. He is an intelligent action man, he looks the part and he has an incredible screen presence."

Marie Rosholt, head of Entertainment and Infotainment at Endemol SA, the production company behind Survivor SA agrees. "It is always risky to introduce a new presenter, but we have an excellent track record in this regard. Mark joins Colin Moss and Mark Pilgrim as brand new television presenters we introduced to the small screen, and I have no doubt that he will also be hugely popular."

Veiled in secrecy, Survivor's host and some of the contestants arrived back in South Africa at the weekend, after a gruelling month on a Panama island, where five international productions of the show were being filmed simultaneously.

Bayly describes his experiences there as "absolutely unbelievable". "It was much tougher than anyone expected. When I heard about Survivor South Africa, I was keen to take part as a contestant. I have to admit: I'm thrilled that I ended up as presenter instead. It was incredibly harsh for them. Viewers are in for one heck of a treat."

It's not as though Bayly is a stranger to tough challenges. He describes himself as a watersport junkie, and he has taken part the gruelling Cape-to-Rio yacht race. The Survivor job, he states plainly, is a dream come true. "I still can't believe I got it. Am I dreaming or what? I love Survivor; I've watched every episode of every series screened in South Africa."

He rates Jeff Probst of the US Survivor series as one of the best presenters in television and studied his work closely before shooting on the SA series got under way, but feels it would be silly to aim at becoming a clone of the original.

"I can learn from him, but it's important to project my own personality. Otherwise it would come across as phoney and unbelievable."

M-Net will release the names of the contestants at a later date.

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By : Jovial Rantao

The glass doors swing open. Through them emerge two figures, important yet humble human beings, hand-in-hand.

The one is probably the world's most recognisable icon and political leader - Nelson Mandela. Holding his hand lovingly in support is his wife of eight years - Graça Machel.

Machel is regal and stunning in her maroon suit and traditional braids. Her face has a special glow that reflects happiness and satisfaction.

Her husband is equally resplendent in his traditional Madiba shirt. The couple have just enjoyed morning tea together in their huge, beautifully decorated dining room and have come through to accept a birthday cake for Mandela from readers.

"Hello," Machel says with a smile as she carefully helps Mandela walk towards our party. Madiba also extends his greetings.

We shake hands and reality hits home - the hero of our generation is getting on.

His eyes remain good, his memory faultless, but his knees have begun to tell the story of a man who was born 88 years ago in rural Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, a man who went on to become an international face for the struggle for freedom.

After his release from prison in 1990, he became an even greater icon for reconciliation, reconstruction and development of nations coming out of trying times.

As Mandela and Machel move closer together to pose for a photo, we pop the question: "So what did you get him for his birthday?"

She smiles, looks at him and looks back at us: "It's a secret."

At that moment, Mandela jokingly interjects: "She doesn't even give me a kiss."

"Hau! But you get kisses every day," comes the reply, also with a smile.

As they speak, their eyes meet, and the electricity - billions of megawatts of it - is there.

They are like starry-eyed teenagers. Spurred on by the talk of romance, Machel asks photographer Debbie Yazbek to shoot a frame of them kissing.

She is, however, quite clear on the condition under which the photo is taken: "This is for our private (collection) and not for you guys (for publication)."

A second later, we witness an extraordinary moment. It's one that will be indelible.

Mandela and Machel look at each other. They smile. Their eyes seem to close... and they kiss. So quick is the kiss that it isn't captured on camera.

"Please do it again," pleads our award-winning photographer. They oblige.

What a beautiful moment it is. So perfect and so romantic. So much love. And it dawns on us that, in addition to Mandela's birthday, the couple are celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary.

Good wishes follow and the couple smile in appreciation.

On July 18, 1998, Mandela and Machel tied the knot after a love affair that is likely to go down as the best-kept secret in South Africa and Mozambique.

The marriage came not too long after Mandela's lifelong friend and neighbour Archbishop Desmond Tutu said the time had come for the former president to get some companionship.

"He needs someone to get him his slippers in the morning," Tutu had said.

Through her marriage to Mandela, Machel rewrote the history books. She became the first woman to be married, at different times, to two heads of state.

But Machel is a leader in her own right. She is known to be fiercely independent and compassionate. She runs her own children's foundation in Maputo and is an ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund.

She also serves on several boards of trustees.

So influential and powerful is she, that political analysts have not ruled out the possibility of her becoming Mozambique's president one day.

After posing for several pictures, Mandela and Machel apologise that they have to leave to honour yet another appointment, part of a series of events organised to mark his 88th birthday.

Machel also apologises for not being able to offer us tea. In true African tradition, she asks us to stay behind after they leave and have something to drink.

She then asks for Mandela's coat. She wants him to put it on.

Mandela enquires about the weather and is quickly convinced by his wife that he needs to cover his frail body because he is going to spend some time at a private clinic in the company of Albertinah Sisulu, a fellow ANC veteran and widow of his late friend and comrade Walter.

At the clinic he will be meeting up with former United States president Bill Clinton.

Clinton is the only president who during his term in office was as tall as or even slightly taller than Mandela.

The coat is brought in by support staff.

Machel takes it and begins lovingly to help Mandela to put it on. First comes the right hand. Then the left. Then she begins to do up his buttons.

"You won't need the gloves," she tells him.

As he takes her hand and they walk away they are clearly a couple deeply in love.

What a perfect picture that makes.

# Jovial Rantao is the deputy editor of The Star and editor of The Sunday Independent

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News Source: www.iol.co.za