South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of firing a rifle into the air at a political rally.
A magistrate’s court delivered the ruling on Thursday, sentencing the 45 years old politician over a 2018 incident at a stadium in Eastern Cape province, where he discharged a weapon in a public place.
Malema, a prominent figure in South African politics, was convicted last year on multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and reckless discharge of a weapon. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His legal team swiftly applied for leave to appeal the sentence shortly after it was delivered in a court in KuGompo City, formerly known as East London.
If upheld after the appeals process, the sentence could disqualify Malema from holding public office, dealing a significant blow to his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party.
The EFF, currently the fourth-largest party in parliament, has built a strong following among young South Africans, particularly those frustrated by persistent inequality since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Authorities say the case marks a significant moment in enforcing firearm laws, as the country continues to grapple with public safety concerns. (AriseNews)
MultiChoice Group says it plans to discontinue Showmax, it’s streaming platform, as part of a broader review of its digital strategy.
The development comes five months after Canal+ Group, a French TV channel, tookover MultiChoice, the South African pay-TV operator.
In a message to customers dated March 5, the company said the decision to stop operations was taken after a “comprehensive review” by the board, noting that the move is aimed at strengthening its overall digital offering.
“Following a comprehensive review, the Showmax Board has taken the decision to discontinue the Showmax service in the near future,” the company said.
MultiChoice added that the decision reflects its focus on ensuring “long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive streaming environment”.
The company, however, said the streaming platform will continue to operate for now and that subscribers will experience no immediate disruption.
“Importantly, at the moment there will be no interruption to your current service. You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time,” the notice reads.
“Importantly, at the moment there will be no interruption to your current service. You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time,” the notice reads.
MultiChoice said further details on the shutdown timeline and transition plans will be communicated to subscribers ahead of any changes.
“We understand that this news may raise questions. Showmax subscribers are a priority for us, and we are working on plans to ensure clear communication and a smooth transition when the time comes,” the company said.
“We will share further details well in advance, including timelines and any future steps, should they be required.”
The company also reiterated that streaming remains a central part of its strategy, adding that it will continue investing in content, technology, and partnerships.
“Streaming remains central to our strategy. We will continue to invest in premium content, technology innovation and partnerships to deliver the best possible entertainment experience to our customers,” MultiChoice said.
Showmax, a subscription video-on-demand platform, was launched in South Africa in August 2015 by MultiChoice.
The streaming platform was set up to compete with global streaming services and respond to growing demand for online entertainment.
Showmax offers movies, series and documentaries streamed over the internet rather than through scheduled television. (TheCable)
Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz maintained his goal-a-game record at the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring to take Morocco into the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday.
Diaz scored once in each of three group matches and his 64th-minute strike against the Tanzanians created history as he became the first Moroccan to find the net in four consecutive AFCON matches.
The goal came after Morocco squandered numerous scoring chances while stretching an unbeaten run in competitive and friendly matches to 23. Their last loss was to South Africa at the 2024 AFCON.
Morocco will face South Africa or Cameroon, who meet later on Sunday at a different Rabat venue, in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, set up the last-16 winner for Diaz, while making his first start in the tournament after coming off the bench in a victory over Zambia last Monday.
The 2025 African player of the year suffered a serious ankle injury playing for PSG against Bayern Munich in the Champions League two months ago.
But Morocco lacked Azzedine Ounahi, who arrived at the stadium using crutches and wearing a medical boot on his left foot. Bilal El Khannouss took his place in midfield.
Morocco were favourites for several reasons, including home advantage, the backing of close to 70,000 supporters, and lying 101 places above Tanzania in the world rankings.
However, it was Tanzania who had the first chance in the third minute, but Saimon Msuva misconnected with a Selemani Mwalimu cross.
Morocco had the ball in the net after 15 minutes as Ismael Saibari nodded a Abdessamad Ezzalzouli free-kick past goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga.
The assistant referee immediately raised his flag for offside and a VAR review confirmed that the PSV striker had strayed too far forward.
Ayoub El Kaabi was the next Moroccan to come close, heading over before being injured in a collision with Masaranga. Both players resumed after treatment.
A Diaz shot was too high from the edge of the box and El Kaabi headed wide as the host nation continued their pursuit of the opening goal, but the first half ended goalless.
In a lively start to the second period, Ezzalzouli and El Kaabi headed wide then, in a rare Tanzanian raid, Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum fired over with only goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to beat.
As Moroccan pressure mounted, Hakimi rifled a free-kick against the crossbar from just outside the box on the hour mark.
A goal seemed inevitable given the relentless pressure from the host nation, and it came thanks to Hakimi and Diaz.
The full-back passed to the forward, who beat Masaranga at his near post with an angled shot from close range. (Guardian)
Mohamed Salah scored a first-half penalty as 10-man Egypt defeated South Africa1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash in Agadir to become the first team into the knockout stages of the competition.
Egypt have six points from their opening two games and cannot finish outside of the top two in the group. South Africa have three points from their two games.
Salah won the penalty when he was clipped in the face by South Africa defender Khuliso Mudau as they tussled for the ball, and stepped up to easily convert for his second goal of the tournament.
Egypt lost right-back Mohamed Hany to a red card for an ugly stamp at the end of the first half and faced wave after wave of South African attacks in the second period, as the latter were denied a penalty of their own for handball following a lengthy video assistant referee check.
Lassine Sinayoko’s second-half penalty rescued a 1-1 draw for Mali to stop the hosts Morocco from booking their spot in the last 16 in Rabat. Morocco hit the front thanks to Brahim Díaz’s spot-kick deep into added time in the first half.
Díaz earned the penalty with a fine bit of individual work before Nathan Gassama handled in the area but Mali got their own penalty after a video assistant referee check after 64 minutes when Sinayoko was upended and he made no mistake. Morocco sit top of Group A on four points, with Mali and Zambia both on two.
Angola and Zimbabwe each earned their first point at the tournament following a 1-1 draw but the result leaves both facing early elimination. They both lost their opening Group B clashes and are now left with difficult assignments in their last matches next week which they will effectively need to win if they are to progress.
Angola went ahead in the 24th minute when To Carneiro’s chipped pass fell perfectly for striker Gelson Dala, who ran on to it and squeezed the ball in at the near post as Zimbabwe’s defence proved too slow in closing down.
There was a lengthy delay soon after as Angola goalkeeper Hugo Marques suffered a cut above his eye after a clash of heads with Zimbabwe’s Divine Lunga.
He was bandaged up and continued but, in the sixth minute of stoppage time at the end of the first, he was beaten as Zimbabwe’s veteran striker Knowledge Musona equalised.
Angola now go up against the group’s top seeds Egypt, in Agadir on Monday, while Zimbabwe take on neighbours South Africa in Marrakech at the same time.
Zambia’s hopes of making the knockout stages suffered a setback after being held to a goalless draw by Comoros in Casablanca.
Comoros, beaten by the hosts Morocco in their opening Group A fixture, thought they had taken the lead in the 19th minute through Myziane Maolida after he was played in by Rafiki Saïd, but the goal was ruled out by the VAR for a foul in the buildup.
Zambia struggled to break down their opponents with the captain Fashion Sakala sending an angled shot into the side netting. Comoros went close to snatching a late winner with 10 minutes left when Youssouf M’Changama floated in a deep cross from the left which Zambia’s goalkeeper Willard Mwanza failed to collect, but Faïz Selamani sent his close-range header over. (Guardian)
Nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a bar outside Johannesburg early Sunday, police said, in the second such shooting in South Africa this month.
Ten more were wounded in the early morning attack at the tavern in the impoverished Bekkersdal township in a gold mining area around 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the city.
It follows a shooting at a tavern near Pretoria on December 6 when gunmen killed a dozen people, including a three‑year‑old child.
Police initially said 10 people were killed when the Bekkersdal bar was attacked just before 1:00 am (2300 GMT), but later revised the toll downwards.
Most of the attackers were armed with pistols and one had an AK-47 rifle, deputy provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC television from the scene.
“They entered the tavern and randomly shot at the patrons, unprovoked,” he said.
Three people were killed inside the bar and others as they fled the scene, with the attackers continuing to shoot as they left, he said.
“It’s also reported that after they shot the people, they searched them. They took their valuables, including cell phones,” Kekana said.
The dead included a driver from an online car-hailing service who was driving past.
“It’s pure criminality,” Kekana said. Police launched a manhunt for the attackers and appealed for public assistance.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, is grappling with a high crime rate, much of it driven by organised networks and gangs.
The country is awash with legal and illegal firearms and shootings are common, often fuelled by gang rivalry and competition between informal businesses.
The tavern hit in the Pretoria attack earlier this month was an unlicenced outlet in a hostel for migrant workers at Saulsville township.
The dead included children aged three, 12 and 16.
The country was also shocked by the daylight assassination in central Johannesburg last week of a popular former radio presenter known as DJ Warras.
The 40-year-old, whose real name was Warris Stock, was gunned down on December 16 outside a building that he had visited as part of his work with a private security company.
In another high-profile killing, a witness in a corruption inquiry was shot dead in front of his family on December 5, just weeks after testifying against a municipal police chief.
The murder of Marius Van der Merwe, 41, reignited a debate about the targeting of whistleblowers who provide information related to crime and corruption, including the public sector and cases implicating government officials.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 63 people killed each day between April and September, according to police data.
The victims, who had gathered for a traditional ceremony, were aged 14 to 64 years old, and 15 were women. Several men have been arrested. (RFI)
Mohamed Salah got Egypt off to a winning start in the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring late for a 2–1 victory against Zimbabwe on Monday.
Salah captained the side in his first start for nearly a month and fired into the bottom corner in stoppage time to spare Egypt embarrassment against a team ranked 129th in the world.
Egypt, the record seven-time champions, were thwarted for long periods in the coastal city of Agadir by Zimbabwe’s stubborn defending and an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Prince Dube stunned the favourites in the 20th minute when he took Emmanuel Jalai’s cross with his first touch, turned and flicked the ball past Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy with his next.
Salah tried to rally his team-mates, but Egypt suffered another blow shortly afterwards when Emam Ashour went off injured. The midfielder’s tears suggested his tournament could be over just as it had begun.
Arubi tipped over a fierce strike from Omar Marmoush, Trézéguet was booked for diving in an attempt to win a penalty, and Salah, Marmoush and Mohamed all had efforts blocked before the break.
The pattern continued after half-time until Marmoush finally found a way through, scoring from a difficult angle in the 64th minute to level the match.
Salah’s winner earned the Pharaohs three points in Group B. The Liverpool forward has never won Africa’s premier international competition.
In the other Group B match, Lyle Foster earned South Africa a hard-fought 2–1 win over Angola.
Bafana Bafana ended a six-game winless run against Angola, who had won three and drawn three of their previous meetings since a World Cup qualifier in November 2015.
South Africa’s Oswin Appollis opened the scoring in Marrakech with a low strike inside the left post in the 21st minute. Angola equalised minutes later when midfielder Show deflected Fredy’s free kick from the wing inside the near post.
Tempers frayed after a foul by South Africa’s Aubrey Modiba before the break.
Tshepang Moremi thought he had scored a brilliant goal after half-time, but it was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Mbekezeli Mbokazi then struck the crossbar with a powerful effort as South Africa kept pushing.
Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle refreshed his attack by introducing Mabululu and Milson in the 76th minute, but it was Foster who struck at the other end, curling the ball beyond Hugo Marques’ outstretched arm in the 79th.
Earlier, Patson Daka scored in stoppage time for 2012 champions Zambia to snatch a 1–1 draw against Mali in Casablanca.
Mali dominated for long spells and missed a penalty before the break when Willard Mwanza saved El Bilal Touré’s effort — the second spot-kick to be saved in as many games at the tournament.
Lassine Sinayoko eventually broke the deadlock around the hour mark, but Daka had the final say, heading home to earn Zambia a point in Group A.
Host nation Morocco lead the group with three points after opening with a 2–0 win over Comoros on Sunday.(Francce24)
The Trump administration announced plans on Thursday to drastically cut back the number of refugees to be accepted annually by the United States to a record low and give priority to white South Africans.
Under the new policy, the United States would welcome 7,500 refugees in fiscal 2026, down from more than 100,000 a year under Democratic president Joe Biden.
The vast majority of those being accepted during the fiscal year which began on October 1 would be white South Africans and “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands,” according to a White House memo.
“The admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa,” it said.
Republican President Donald Trump essentially halted refugee arrivals after taking office in January, but has been making an exception for white South Africans despite Pretoria’s insistence that they do not face persecution in their homeland.
A first group of around 50 Afrikaners — descendants of the first European settlers of South Africa — arrived for resettlement in the United States in May.
Trump campaigned for the White House on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants and signed an executive order in January suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said that since 1980 more than two million people fleeing persecution have been admitted into the United States under the program.
“Now it will be used as a pathway for white immigration,” Reichlin-Melnick said on X. “What a downfall for a crown jewel of America’s international humanitarian programs.”
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of another immigration-focused group, Global Refuge, also criticized the move by the Trump administration.
“For more than four decades, the U.S. refugee program has been a lifeline for families fleeing war, persecution, and repression,” Vignarajah said in a statement.
“At a time of crisis in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Venezuela to Sudan and beyond, concentrating the vast majority of admissions on one group undermines the program’s purpose as well as its credibility.”
In addition to slashing refugee numbers, the Trump administration has moved to strip Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans and nationals of several other countries.
The United States grants TPS to foreign citizens who cannot safely return home because of war, natural disasters or other “extraordinary” conditions.
Trump has said the Afrikaners being taken in as refugees by the United States are fleeing a “terrible situation” back home and has even gone so far as to describe it as “genocide,” an allegation widely dismissed as absurd.
Whites, who make up 7.3 percent of South Africa’s population, generally enjoy a higher standard of living than the Black majority. They still own two-thirds of farmland and on average earn three times as much as Black South Africans.
Mainly Afrikaner-led governments imposed the race-based apartheid system that denied Black people political and economic rights until it was voted out in 1994. (JapanToday)
The aircraft conveying Nigeria’s Super Eagles from South Africa to Uyo for their final World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic made an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The ValueJet aircraft, which initially stopped in Luanda to refuel, reportedly turned back about 25 minutes after takeoff when a loud crack appeared on the aircraft’s windshield, prompting the pilot to initiate emergency procedures.
The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.
All players, officials, and government delegates on board were safely evacuated upon landing.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the incident, adding that a cracked windscreen was responsible for the emergency landing
”However, after a routine refuelling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana last month).”
”The aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off, and the pilot did well to guide the aeroplane safely back to the airport in Luanda,” the NFF said
The football federation also said plans were being made for another aircraft to fly from Lagos and pick up the delegation in Luanda.
“ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities, including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to Mr President, are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda and fly them to Uyo.” (Channels)
World football governing body FIFA has selected Chadian official Alhadi Mahamat as the referee for Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho next week.
The matchday nine encounter is scheduled for the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, on Friday, October 10, 2025 and will kick off at 6pm South Africa time, which is 5pm Nigeria time.
Allaou, who was also in charge of Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo on September 6 during matchday seven, will work with compatriots Bogola Issa as first assistant referee, Moussa Hafiz as second assistant referee, and Abdelkerim Ousmane as fourth official.
FIFA also appointed Kenyan official Alice Kimani as referee assessor, while William Shongwe from eSwatini will serve as match commissioner.
Nigeria, currently three points behind first-placed Benin Republic and second-placed South Africa, need an outright victory to enhance their chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, which will be jointly hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico next summer.
The Super Eagles face a crucial double-header, with the Lesotho clash followed by a decisive home encounter against Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on October 14.
FIFA has confirmed that Egyptian referee Omar Amin Mohamed Amin Mohamed will officiate the Benin match, assisted by compatriots Mahmoud Aboulergal and Ali Teleb.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes received a boost after FIFA sanctioned South Africa for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho instead.
The decision reshaped the group standings, with Benin and South Africa now tied on 14 points at the top after eight matches, while Nigeria and Rwanda sit just behind with 11 points apiece.
A maximum of six points from their remaining fixtures could take Nigeria to 17 points, potentially enough to secure top spot depending on other results. (Punch)
The United States men’s national team secured first place in Group E at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, despite a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in their group-stage finale on Sunday in Rancagua.
The USMNT will face Italy next Thursday, Oct. 9, in a Round of 16 matchup.
Following South Africa’s victory and France’s 6-0 win over New Caledonia, three teams finished with 6 points in Group E. The U.S. claimed the top spot thanks to a commanding +10 goal differential, narrowly beating South Africa (+5) in second place and France (+4) in third.
France now hopes to advance to the knockout stage as one of the four best third-place teams. New Caledonia closed out Group E after three consecutive defeats, conceding 20 goals and scoring just one.
The U.S. took an early lead in the 12th minute when Noah Cobb headed home off a set piece. But just five minutes later, South Africa equalized with an own goal by American defender Joshua Wynder.
Bafana Bafana took the lead in first-half added time when Gomolemo Kekana finished a quick counterattack.
In the second half, the Americans pushed for an equalizer, but their defense was exposed to the South Africans’ rapid breaks.
U.S. coach Marko Mitrovic made six changes to the Starting XI that defeated France 3-0 on Thursday, with Cobb making his first appearance of the tournament, while Reed Baker-Whiting, Luca Bombino, Luke Brennan, Matthew Corcoran, and Pedro Soma all earned their first starts.
This is the 13th time the U.S. has advanced from the group stage of the U20 World Cup. The 2025 edition marks the sixth time the Americans have accomplished this feat as group winners. (ESPN)
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