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| PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA UNDERTAKES WORKING VISIT TO MOZAMBIQUE |
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| President Cyril Ramaphosa undertook a Working Visit to the Republic of Mozambique on Thursday, 3 February 2022, at the invitation of President Filipe Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique. |
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President Ramaphosa participated in the 53rd commemoration of the assassination of Dr Eduardo Mondlane, the founder and first President of the Mozambique Liberation Front.
President Ramaphosa also paid a visit to military troops that are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique. The President undertook this visit in his capacity as Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
President Ramaphosa was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini, and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla.
Relations between South Africa and Mozambique are cordial, fraternal and of a strategic nature.
The Working Visit further deepened existing economic, political, cultural and social relations between the two countries.
The visit also afforded the leaders an opportunity to discuss bilateral, continental and global issues, and to reaffirm their commitment to further cooperate closely on multilateral issues. |
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| MINISTER PANDOR PARTICIPATES IN THE 40TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AU EXECUTIVE COUNCIL |
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| The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, participated in the 40th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2 to 3 February 2022. |
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Among other things, the Executive Council adopted the theme of the year 2022, “Building Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent: Strengthen Agriculture, Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development”.
The Executive Council deliberated on the following:
- The Report of the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee
- The Annual Report of the Union and its Organs
- The Report of Committees of the Executive Council and Ad Hoc Committees
- The Progress Report on the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Socio-Economic Impact on African Economies
- The Report on the Operationalisation of the Africa Centres for Disease Control.
The meeting elected 15 members of the AU Peace and Security Council, a female Vice-President of the Pan African University as well as a female member of the AU Board on Combatting Corruption.
The Executive Council will be followed by the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU from 5 tom 6 February 2022. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA REMAINS "UNWAVERING" IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE: DIRCO |
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| The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says it has noted comments and questions regarding the status of diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel. |
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The department believes that the debate appears to have been prompted by President Cyril Ramaphosa accepting a letter of credence from the Ambassador of Israel on Tuesday, 25 January 2022.
“South Africa currently does not have an Ambassador in Israel. South Africa decided to recall our Ambassador in 2018 as part of processes to downgrade our diplomatic presence in Israel,” the department explained.
However, according to DIRCO, post-apartheid South Africa and Israel have maintained formal diplomatic ties to date.
“In part, a diplomatic presence has allowed South Africa to play a role with its international partners in the ongoing efforts to end the occupation of Palestine.”
The department said South Africa had been "consistent" and "unwavering" in its principled support for the struggle of the Palestinian people in their struggles against the occupation.
“Our country draws a direct parallel between the former apartheid regime and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Like the Non-Aligned Movement, we consider Palestine, together with Western Sahara, as unfinished decolonisation struggles. This has been a priority on our foreign policy agenda since former President Nelson Mandela's time in office.”
The department said the country had also taken the support for Palestine to multilateral platforms, acting as a catalyst and amplifier of its positions on the international stage.
“We have initiated and supported countless draft resolutions in favour of Palestine, gone to every open United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting addressing the Palestinian question and held consistent voting behaviour since 1994.”
In addition, the department said it backed the Palestinian UN bid for statehood and the 2009 “Palestine 194” diplomatic campaign, defended it in all peace conferences and used its influence to counter recent Israeli diplomatic offensives that could have proved harmful to Palestinian ties to other African countries.
“Over the last two years, South Africa has been instrumental in stepping up pressure on the Government of Israel.”
Meanwhile, South Africa has partnered with Namibia, Palestinian human rights organisations, Israeli human rights organisations and international legal scholars to speed up discussions on whether the actions of the Israeli Government contravenes international legal prohibitions on the crime of apartheid.
“Organisations like Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, the largest Israeli human rights organisation, have found that the actions of the Government of Israel have been akin to apartheid.”
The department is also waiting for the release of the Special Rapporteur of the Occupied Palestinian Territories report and the International Court of Justice’s legal opinion, which may lead South Africa and other countries to review its diplomatic stance about the Israeli Government.
“The situation is dynamic and South Africa will ensure that its diplomatic presence is strategic and geared towards ending the occupation. South Africa is determined to continue working with the international community to launch a credible, time-bound, multilaterally sponsored political process to resolve the issue of the Palestinian cause based on international law.
“In this regard, South Africa will continue to support concrete and genuine efforts towards achieving this just and lasting solution, which we believe will greatly contribute to peace, justice and stability in that region.”
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA CALLS FOR CESSATION OF VIOLENCE AND RESTORATION OF PEACE AND RULE OF LAW IN MYANMAR |
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| The Government of the Republic of South Africa has noted with concern the slower than desired pace towards the restoration of normalcy in Myanmar. |
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A year later, the status quo remains that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders in Myanmar have been in detention since 1 February 2021 and violent clashes continue unabated.
South Africa calls for the release of all political leaders, the cessation of violence and a return to the rule of law.
South Africa supports the efforts of the United Nations and the implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Five-Point Consensus for Myanmar aimed at ending the violence and alleviating the humanitarian crisis.
South Africa firmly believes that political differences should be resolved through peaceful and inclusive dialogue.
South Africa will continue to support the people of Myanmar in their pursuit of democracy, peace, human rights and the rule of law. |
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| NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE UBUNTU AWARDS 2022 |
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| The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will host the annual Ubuntu Awards on Saturday, 12 February 2022, in Cape Town. The event will be held under the theme: “Celebrating Excellence in Diplomacy – Working together to Build a Better Africa and a Better World”. |
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Now in its sixth year, the Ubuntu Awards ceremony is an opportunity for DIRCO to recognise South African industry leaders, eminent persons and ordinary citizens for their distinguished service and contribution toward promoting the country’s national interests and values across the world.
The Ubuntu Awards 2022 will take place after the opening of Parliament and the State of the Nation Address. The awards ceremony will bring together captains of industry, leaders from civil society, members of Cabinet and distinguished guests, in addition to ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to South Africa.
Winners from previous years include Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Gogo Esther Mahlangu and Black Coffee (Arts and Culture category); Amanda Dlamini, Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk (Sports category); Standard Bank and Old Mutual (Economic Diplomacy category); Babies Behind Bars and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (Social responsibility category), to mention but a few.
Nominations are now open for South Africans who continue to represent internationally. Nominations can be submitted on the website, www.ubuntuawards.co.za. |
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| CAPE TOWN CITY HALL DECLARED PARLIAMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN PRECINCT |
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| For the first time in the history of South Africa’s constitutional democracy, the State of the Nation Address (SONA) will take place outside the regular precincts of Parliament in Cape Town. |
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“From today until 17 February 2022, this majestic City Hall will fall under the control of Parliament as per the definition of the precincts of Parliament provided for in Section 2 of the Powers, Privileges, and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act,” Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, said on Monday, 31 January 2022.
Addressing the official handover of the Cape Town City Hall to Parliament’s presiding officers, Mapisa-Nqakula said the Act, among others, defined the precinct of Parliament as any area of land, every building or part of a building used for Parliament’s business and in connection with the proceedings of Parliament under Parliament’s control.
The handover was done with Parliament’s presiding officers, Mapisa-Nqakula, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Amos Masondo.
This followed a decision by the presiding officers to use the City Hall as an alternative off-site venue for hosting SONA after a devastating fire that destroyed Parliament’s buildings, including the National Assembly) and sections of the Old Assembly Chamber on 2 January 2022.
“We have found the City Hall to be the most suitable facility, meeting all of the parliamentary requirements regarding infrastructure and capacity. It was also an affordable option as the Mayor has promised us that Parliament would not make payments to conduct its business.
“This hall has a rich history that links our past colonial apartheid era and our present democratic dispensation. The hall, which was built in the early 1900s and has for years served as one of the colonial symbols of the Cape Colony has now become our proud heritage and a symbol of our collective hopes, aspirations and freedoms,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
She said the hall was a historic landmark of South Africa’s journey as a people towards a democratic transition and a free society.
“… It is indeed one of the critical milestones of Madibas long walk to freedom. We have thus come full circle, 32 years since our historical occasion on 11 February 1990 when he [President Cyril Ramaphosa] stood by President Nelson Mandela,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
President Ramaphosa will deliver the SONA to the nation from the City Hall on 10 February 2022.
“As the Mayor officially hands over the Cape Town City Hall to Parliament, it will officially become the precinct of Parliament of South Africa until 17 February 2022,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
The Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said the City Hall building was inaugurated in July 1905.
“It’s a magnificent building and over the years it has undergone some renovations and upgrades. Our city has preserved the artefacts of the building. We have the original key that was cast for these main doors.
“The keys have been kept in storage for 117 years and our city archivist got the key out of storage and it’s our pleasure to do the symbolic handover with the original key for the use of Parliament,” Hill-Lewis said.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND EUROPEAN UNION HOST GENDER-RESPONSIVE BUDGETING POLICY DIALOGUE |
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| The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) Delegation to South Africa hosted a Gender-Responsive Budgeting Virtual Policy Dialogue on 2 February 2022. |
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The main objective of the one-day policy dialogue was to elevate gender-responsive budgeting discourse and policy position, as well as to enhance the understanding of gender-responsive budgeting, in relation to its effectiveness in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
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Gender-responsive budgets are not separate budgets for women, but are general budgets that are planned, approved, executed, monitored, and audited in a gender-responsive way. The goal is to ensure resources are raised, allocated and spent in such a manner so as to eliminate gender disparities.
The policy dialogue formed part of ongoing interventions by the South African-EU Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Programme, which advocates for greater responsiveness of the country’s planning instruments to the priorities relating to women’s empowerment and the elimination of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women and children.
The Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, delivered the keynote address at the dialogue.
Other speakers on the programme included: Director-General of the DWYPD, Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke; Director-General of National Treasury, Mogajane Dondo; Deputy Head of the EU Delegation, Raul de Luzenberger; Chair of the Financial and Fiscal Commission, Dr Patience Nombeko Mbava; Senior Fellow: Sonke Gender Justice, Pregs Govender; Emeritus Professor University of Essex, Professor Diane Elson; Project Head: Women Democracy Initiative, Dullah Omar Institute, Samantha Waterhouse; Deputy Director-General: Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Annette Griessel; and Acting Executive Director: Council for Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa, Florence Kutessa. |
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| CAPE TOWN EARNS PLACE ON “MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE” LIST AGAIN |
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| Cape Town has earned a place on the “Most Instagrammable” list for the fourth consecutive year. |
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There is no denying the international world adores Cape Town. It is one of the most celebrated cities in South Africa and often makes headlines for earning travel-related accolades. Once again, it has earned a spot on the Big 7 Travel “Most Instagrammable” list.
The list was started in 2019 by the travel media company and has become something to look forward to each year. Millions of travellers worldwide do research to find their next holiday destination, and lists like the “Most Instagrammable” are just the type of thing that will entice travellers to visit South Africa.
Cape Town has been selected for the Big 7 Travel Most Instagrammable list for the fourth year in a row. Selection for this list is made by using several judging methods.
“How did Big 7 Travel choose the winners? Via a comprehensive scoring system that analysed the number of hashtags per destination, sample survey results of Big 7 Media’s 1.5 million audience, and from our global editorial team.
The final results are ranked in order of their visual allure and popularity on social media.” – Big 7 Travel.
In 2019, Cape Town landed fifth on the list, 2020 earned 15th place, and in 2021, Cape Town got 45th place.
“Dramatic scenery, fantastic hiking trails and deserted beaches that boast spectacular ocean views. What more could you ask for? Cape Town is an Instagrammer’s dream location to visit: endless natural beauty and clifftop views, pastel pink neighbourhoods and turquoise waters.” – Big 7 Travel.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICA NAMED THE SIXTH-BEST HONEYMOON DESTINATION IN 2022 |
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| Love is in South Africa’s air; soon, newlyweds will be arriving to celebrate their love, thanks to South Africa being named a honeymoon destination for 2022. |
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According to 1.6 million international travellers from Big 7 Travel, South Africa is the place to be to celebrate your love.
The 15 Best Honeymoon Destinations for 2022 have been announced, and South Africa has landed a place at number six.
South Africa is home to beautiful white sanded beaches and so much more. You can explore the Karoo, the desert, climb mountains, walk through forests, watch bush sunsets, drink cocktails in hot air balloons, go on drives with elephants, see seals frolic in the waves. If you can dream it, you can definitely do it in South Africa with your partner.
“South Africa is a dream location to visit: endless natural beauty and clifftop views, pastel pink neighbourhoods in Cape Town, wineries in Stellenbosch and turquoise waters. What more could you ask for from a romantic honeymoon?
Hike Table Mountain National Park, learn about the country’s history and see penguins up-close. South Africa is also home to amazing wine and food, and there’s plenty of exciting new additions to the country’s hospitality scene. Cape Town is the perfect starting point for honeymooners eager to enjoy safari trips in Kruger National Park, or explore the wineries along the Western Cape.” – Big 7 Travel.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN WINES WIN AT 2021 GLOBAL SAUVIGNON BLANC MASTERS |
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| “The Drinks Business” magazine annually selects the ‘best of the best‘ in booze, and South Africa did very well at the 2021 Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters. |
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Two South African wines were awarded Gold by The Drinks Business, landing in the top 12 of the best Sauvignon Blanc wines of 2021. The roundup includes wines from New Zealand, Greece, California and France, to name a few.
The Drinks Business is a magazine that focusses on the world’s alcohol industry. It features news about the industry as well as lifestyle tips and more related to drinks.
The magazine also hosts an annual award ceremony called “Drinks Masters”. You name a type of alcohol, and they probably have a competition for it. They have been running the awards since the 2000s.
For the 2021 Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters, around 200 bottles from around the world were sent in to be judged.
Each wine was judged “blind” over one day in November 2021 at the 28-50 Wine Workshop and Kitchen in Chelsea, United Kingdom. While all using the same grape, the wines used a variety of methods to create their own version, whether that be oaked or unoaked, blended or not.
“In particular, we tasted Sauvignons made using many different fermentation formats, from stainless steel tanks to egg-shaped concrete vessels, barriques and oak casks of varying sizes. We also assessed Sauvignons blended with other grapes, such as Riesling and Semillon, Muscat and Verdelho, and then there were the source areas, which in 2021 included France, New Zealand, the US, South Africa, Chile, Italy, Australia and Greece.” – Patrick Schmitt, The Drinks Business.
Two South African wines made it into the winning top 12 with Gold, but they were not the only local wines to earn high praise at the awards:
Gold Sauvignon Blanc
Durbanville Hills, The Tangram White Blend – Vintage 2018
Elgin Vintners, Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Silver
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve, The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2019
Elgin Vintners, Cloud Haven Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Nederburg Winemasters, Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Durbanville Hills, Signature Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Kleine Zalze Wines, Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2020
Kleine Zalze Wines, Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2019
Klein Constantia, Estate Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2020
Bronze
Fish Hoek, Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve, The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2020
De Grendel, Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2021
Flagstone Free Run, Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2020
Klein Klein Constantia, Metis Sauvignon Blanc – Vintage 2018.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION |
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| Three South African artists will get the opportunity to showcase their work to an international audience at a visual arts exhibition to be held in Venice, Italy. |
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Artists who showcase at Biennale Arte 2022 are selected by the department via a tender process as this enables more local artists to exhibit their works to an international audience.
“This befits the mandate of driving the Mzansi Golden Economy whose intent is to provide market access to artists”, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Director-General, Vusimuzi Mkhize, said on Wednesday, 26 January 2022.
The artists will participate via the country’s pavilion at the Biennale Arte 2022, to be held in Venice, Italy, from 23 April to 27 November 2022.
Held every two years since its founding in 1895, the Biennale Arte is a highlight event on the international arts calendar and is often described as “the Olympics of the art world”.
The theme chosen for this year’s Biennale Arte is “The Milk of Dreams”. The theme reflects the richness of creative expression that is unlocked when the artist incorporates fantasy and re-imagination into their self-identity and how they express their personal truths to those who experience their art.
The South African stand was conceptualised around the sub-theme of “Into the Light”. This integrates with the exhibition theme, adding the element that the solitude and separation of the COVID-19 lockdown can be a vehicle for artists to embark on the process of focussed self-evaluation.
The three South African artists that will be showcased during the Biennale Arte 2022 include Dr Roger Ballen, Lebohang Kganye and Phumulani Ntuli.
The department said Ballen was a photographer that was initially inspired by the etchings that women prison inmates had created by scraping off the paint used to black out the windows of their prison cells.
“For his The Theatre of the Apparitions showcase, he developed his own technique, coating glass in special paints, etching off the coating and backlighting the glass. This technique results in a monochromatic theatrical world in which fantasy figures engage with swirling shadowy apparitions in bizarre rituals,” the department said.
In B(l)ack to Fairy Tales, Kganye casts and photographs herself autobiographically as the protagonist in the Westernised fairy tales of her childhood but sets these one-act cameos in a South African township.
“The ‘happily ever after’ fantasy milieu of the fairy tale is contrasted with the grim reality of her township life as a child, challenging the pervasive effect that the mythical folklore has on our psyche and world view,” the department said.
The department has described Ntuli’s Godide as work that utilises stop-motion animation.
“In this photo-realistic realm, Ntuli portrays himself as an intrepid explorer, discarding his traditional African attire to shed notions of self-identity before diving beneath the paper cut-out waves.
“In this watery fantasy realm, which is accessible only through the imagination, he experiences the vast diversity of self-identity, cultural association, places of belonging as well as states of being that are possible in the geopolitical scope,” the department said.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN FILMMAKER LANDS NETFLIX DEAL AND IS NOMINATED FOR AWARD IN LA |
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| Muzi Mthembu’s film “African America” has received a nomination for Outstanding International Motion Picture at the prestigious NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, California. This is a huge success and adds to the growing list of accolades the film has earned to date. |
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The film has been making waves both on the African continent and internationally. African American has earned four nominations and one win at the African Movie Academy Awards. It was also nominated for an Outstanding Foreign Language Film Award at the Washington-based Black Reel Awards.
This proudly South African film stars Phumelele Mthembu as the lead. She co-wrote and produced the film with Muzi Mthembu.
The film follows a young South African, Nompumelelo, who gets accepted to Julliard in New York. To make her dream a reality, she embezzles funds from her workplace and abandons her fiancé to live out her Broadway dream in New York City, only to discover that 2017 United States is not as welcoming as she had dreamed.
“MVP and Azuspeak are very excited that our little film has received the highest honour among black films. The nod on such a prestigious global platform confirms that African America has resonated with an audience keen on a transnational tale of self-determination, socio-political commentary, and black girl magic.” – Muzi Mthembu, Writer and Director of African America.
African America had its world festival premiere at the 2021 Pan African Film & Arts Festival that took place from 28 February 2021 to 14 March 2021, where Muzi Mthembu received a nod for Best First Feature Director.
The movie is available to stream on Netflix.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| BLITZBOKS CROWNED CHAMPIONS IN SEVILLE TO CONTINUE SEVENS DOMINANCE |
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| The Blitzboks won their sixth consecutive World Rugby Sevens Series tournament on Sunday night, 30 January 2022, beating Australia 33-7 in the Seville final. |
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It is their fourth straight win of the 2021/22 season, and they have solidified their status as the team to beat on the circuit, even with New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa currently unable to participate due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Blitzboks can only play what is in front of them, and they did that again this weekend with a near-flawless display.
They did not have it all their way initially in the final, and things got even more difficult when Justin Geduld was stretchered off injured, having lasted just a few minutes.
The Blitzboks could not get hold of the ball in the first period, and the Australians scored the first try of the final with just a minute left before half-time as teenager Dietrich Roache dotted down under the posts.
That lead was short-lived, though, and the Blitzboks bounced back immediately when nifty footwork from first Selvyn Davids and then Christie Grobbelaar saw the latter dive over after reaching his own grubber first.
Davids knocked over the conversion, and with the scores tied at 7-7, South Africa would have been pleased with that return given how little possession they had.
Coach Neil Powell's men were on another level in the second period, and Grobbelaar went over for his second shortly after the restart after the Blitzboks had overpowered the Aussies at a breakdown.
The conversion was good once more, and the Blitzboks were 14-7 up.
The killer blow for the Australians then came when they lost the ball on their own try line, with Ryan Oosthuizen gathering and barging his way over.
Davids kicked another difficult conversion, and with the scoreboard reading 21-7 to the Bltzboks, the match was over as a contest given how clinical and ruthless this team has been.
Australia received two yellow cards in the second half to South Africa's one, which did not help their cause.
Darren Adonis scored the Blitzboks' fourth try, rounding off an overlap down the right, and with just 30 seconds remaining on the clock, the celebrations could begin.
There was still time, however, for captain Impi Visser to go over for one more.
– Source: www.news24.com |
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| SOUTH AFRCA’S WHEELCHAIR TENNIS STAR RETURNS HOME AS WORLD’S NUMBER 11 |
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| The path to success for Donald Ramphadi has not been a smooth one but Africa’s number 1 player has just been crowned as the World’s number 11. |
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The number one-ranked men’s wheelchair tennis player on the African continent – Donald Ramphadi – touched down in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 26 January 2022, as a freshly minted world number 11, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Quad Singles list.
The impressive feat followed a successful month-long tour of Australia in January – where he competed at the Victoria Open, Melbourne Open and the prestigious Australian Open (the first of the four grand slams of the year).
The Limpopo-born player who resides in Pretoria arrived ”down under” ranked as world number 18, but a spate of incredible results led him into the semi-finals in each tournament, which saw him rise seven spots to world number 11 and the only African player inside the top 40.
“I have been working very hard for the past 10 years to reach this level, and I feel my time has come to be a dominant force in world tennis”, said a beaming Ramphadi at the OR Tambo International Airport as he was welcomed back by family members and TennisLabSA – the incubator behind his meteoric success.
The 28-year old Dona, as he is affectionately known in the tennis circles, handed out several deadly kangaroo punches in Australia – knocking out the then world number 4, David Wagner, at the Melbourne Open to reach the semi-finals. This was the third time Ramphadi beat the American.
At the main event, the Australian Open 2022, Dona participated as a 17th-seeded wildcard against David Lapthorne of the United Kingdom in the semis and managed to produce a scare for the Brit with an early lead of 5-3 in the first set. However, the then fifth-seeded opponent managed a 7-5 6-3 win in the end.
“I would like to thank Tennis South Africa, Tennis Australia, TennisLabSA, which is my incubator, the media and people of South Africa for the support and care they have given me”, said Ramphadi.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICA'S MARAIS ERASMUS SCOOPS ICC UMPIRE OF THE YEAR AWARD |
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| Experienced South African umpire Marais Erasmus has been honoured with the International Cricket Council (ICC) Umpire of the Year accolade for 2021. |
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Erasmus, who umpired in last year's T20 World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand in Dubai, has led the way in his officiating, earning the respect of his peers and the international cricket fraternity.
The 2021 ICC Umpire of the Year Award sits alongside his successive Dave Shepherd Trophies, won in 2016 and 2017.
Apart from umpiring the T20 World Cup final, the 57-year-old Erasmus oversaw 20 international fixtures across the three formats in 2021.
Erasmus recently stood in his 100th ODI, when the Proteas took on Indian in Paarl.
Erasmus said it's a "real honour" to receive the prestigious award.
"To be honoured by the ICC match referees and international Test captains is recognition for a year of hard work and I'm pleased to have performed under difficult circumstances with Covid-19 bubbles and long periods away from home.
"A massive thanks to my wife Adele and boys Chris and Geo for their unwavering support as well as ICC umpire coach Karl Hurter for his support of me and many other umpires."
– Source: www.news24.com |
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