by Luca Kotton | Aug 2, 2014 | Sport
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END: Bloem Celtic team mates consoling tearful Limbikani Mzava after his penalty was saved by Mabokgwane, seeing The Clever Boys advance to the semi-finals with a 4-3 score. Photo: Nqobile Dludla
By Nqobile Dludla and Luca Kotton
Bivest Wits advanced to the semi-finals of the season’s first big tournament after trashing Bloemfontein Celtic 4-3 on penalties at the Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.
Wits goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane won the game for the Clever Boys by saving an attempt from Celtic’s Limbikani Mzava with the game at 4-3 in the MTN8 tournament. The match ended goalless after 120 minutes of play.
First to take the penalty from The Clever Boys was newly signed midfielder Dillon Sheppard who sent Bloem Celtic goalkeeper, Patrick Tignyemb flying the opposite direction giving his team a 1-0 lead.
Trying to catch up to The Clever Boys, Alfred Ndengane’s attempt was quickly deflected by Mabokgwane leaving the penalty score at 1-0.
Toriq Losper and Relato Lamola both added to the scoreboard, putting Bidvest Wits 2-1 over Celtic.
Despite the the crowd cheering on Clever Boys captain Sibusiso Vilakazi as he prepared to take a shot at penalty, he was denied by Tignyemb allowing Celtic to recover to 2-2 after Musa Lakay slotted his shot in. But Sthembiso Ngcobo quickly advanced the home team, earning Wits a 3-2 lead.
The unavoidable scoring machine, Joel Mogorosi caught up with The Clever Boys, equalising the score. While Phunya Sele Sele were still enjoying the equal scoreline, Onismor Bhasera sent Tignyemb flying the opposite direction, putting The Clever Boys in the lead with 4-3.
The goalless draw
The opening half saw Bidvest Wits failing to capitalise on promising goal opportunities. New defender Buhle Mkhwanazi’s header failed to materialise after receiving a corner kick from man of the match, Toriq Losper, sending it well wide.
While a failed free kick from Jabulani Shongwe had Bloem Celtic goalkeeper, Tignyemb reminding The Clever Boys why he is the best at what he does, the Witsies maintained pressure on the Bloem Celtic back line.
Coming in for a rebound, Losper’s header was denied by Tignyemb after receiving a well angled pass from Henrico Botes.
Bidvest Wits’ were often awarded corner kicks much to the frustration of Bloem Celtic coach, Ernst Middendorp, who spent a good part of the match jumping up and down on the sidelines and punching the air in frustration.
“There were a lot of fouls from Wits to which the referee refused to take notice of”, Middendorp said after the match.
Despite Midderndorp’s frustration, Bloem Celtic’s Ruben Cloete managed to break the Clever Boys back line only to have his attempt fly over the top of Mabokgwane’s goal post.
While the game gained momentum towards the dying minutes of the second half, the score still stood at 0-0 at stoppage time witnessing the game move into 30 minutes of extra time.
Bidvest Wits coach, Gavin Hunt told Wits Vuvuzela after the match: “We had a couple of opportunities and they [Bloem Celtic] also had a good couple of opportunities. I thought they battled well; they worked hard and outfought us but we stuck and held our ground”.
by Luca Kotton | Jul 30, 2014 | Featured 1, News
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Wits students can start saving for next year as there is a proposed increase to the upfront payment fee. Photo: Luca Kotton
Witsies are going to have dig deeper into their pockets in 2015 with the proposed upfront payment fee increasing to R10 270.00.
The fee, currently at R9340.00, entails a R930.00 increase which is needed by Wits according to university registrar, Carol Crosley. “The universities costs at the beginning of the year are very high,” she said. Crosley added that the registration fee was needed largely due to the department of higher education only providing a portion of their funding at the beginning of April every year and the rest during the start of September.
The SRC (Student Representative Council), though believes the fee is too high and remains opposed to the proposed increase. Shafee Verachia, SRC president said, “We are in the process of doing extensive modelling to see what the process of that upfront payment purpose is and our opposition is that it is to exorbitant and should remain the same. Relative to our peers the upfront fee payment is ridiculous.”
Two years ago Wits started an Upfront Payment Plan (UPP) for students who couldn’t afford the initial registration fee. The students utilising the UPP would only pay half of the registration fee and would still be able to register, the rest of the registration fees would go on their fee statement and could be paid off during the year.
Students on bursaries would have their registration fees waived if a letter by the donor was received by Wits and would then be expected to pay the full tuition fee by 31 March.
School-leavers entering Wits for the first time could avoid paying the registration fee all together if their Grade 12 results were sufficient to secure a university entrance scholarship, which would cover the registration fee in some cases.
Professor Tawana Kupe, deputy vice-chancellor (finance) of the university, told Wits Vuvuzela that the “university finances are stable but the university does not have the funds to do everything it wants to do.”
Typically the upfront fee payment increases by the agreed percentage fee increase for the following academic year, which needs to go through various structures and be approved by the university council, the higest decision-making body in the university.
by Luca Kotton | Jul 25, 2014 | Sport
READY FOR ACTION: Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt looks on as his team tackle Platinum Stars in a friendly match at Sturrock Park before the new season.
Wits attacking ace Sibusiso Vilakazi will be staying with the Clever Boys as coach Gavin Hunt looks to improve on last year’s season with more points and another cup final.
There has been speculation over Clever Boy Vilakazi, last year’s captain and PSL player of the season. Hunt told Wits Vuvuzela that Vilakazi would be at Wits this season unless something came up from overseas.
Hunt said Vilakazi did a great job last season as captain, however he was considering removing him from that leadership role.
“Maybe we need to free him up a little bit,” Hunt said.
Last season Bidvest Wits finished third in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), reached the final of the Nedbank Cup and qualified to play in Africa.
With many new players coming in Hunt said, “It’s all about me putting the jigsaw together this season but I don’t have to change too much because we did very well last season.”
Hunt has so far signed nine players, with five of them being over the age of 30. “I don’t see age, I see players’ ability. I think all players that we have signed still have legs on them, they have a lot of streetwise, a lot of know-how but we did have a little bit of imbalance with experience last year and I think that cost us the league,” he said.
With goalkeeper Dennis Onyango having returned to Sundowns and Jackson Mabokgwane likely to leave during the new season, Hunt told Wits Vuvuzela he has a bit of a problem in the goalkeeping department.
Rowen Fernandez looks set to make his return to Bidvest Wits this season, after being seen training during the week with the Clever Boys.Hunt would not officially confirm to Wits Vuvuzela that Fernandez was joining the team but said he could add a lot of experience and potentially help Bidvest Wits in the goalkeeping department.
With scoreless draws being a thorn in the Clever Boys’ side last season, Hunt said players such as Henrico Botes and Christopher Katongo coming in would do well this season with other players that can deliver the ball.
He added that the team’s set pieces were not good last season and he was looking to improve this aspect to score more goals.
With the Bidvest under-17 team recently reaching the finals of the Engen Cup, Hunt has signed two youth players from the academy.The duo consists of 15-year-old Liam Jordan and 20-year-old Julian De Freitas.
The Clever Boys’ first official game of the season will take place on August 1 at Bidvest Stadium in a quarter-final clash against Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN8 competition.
by Luca Kotton | Jul 16, 2014 | Sport
Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has opted for a mix of youth and experience in the team’s new signings. Photo: Bidvest Wits.
Nine new players have joined premier league side Bidvest Wits ahead of the start of the season in August.
Gavin Hunt, Bidvest coach, appears to have gone with a mix of youth and experience, with five of the new signings over 30-years-old.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Hunt said, “The team was very thin in defence, I lost some defenders last season so I had to replace them and strengthen the squad.”
“With the new guys on board, they bring a lot experience, played a lot games between them, versatile in their positions and that’s why we bought them.”
The experienced players include Platinum Stars striker Henrico Botes, Maritzburg United left-side player Dillon Shepard, Moroko Swallows defensive player Giorgi Nergadze, Zambian Christopher Katongo and Dutch Eredivisie star Kees Kwakman.
Hunt also opted for four young talents with Nedbank Cup young player nominee Vincent Pule And University of Pretoria star Buhle Mkhwanazi.
Thulani Hlatshwayo from Ajax Cape Town and 20-year-old Mthokozisi Msomi from Roses United, also join the squad which finished third in the league last season.
When Hunt was asked if he leans on either youth or experience, he said, “A bit of everything, we have lots of young players in the squad and the new signings were brought in to bring stability and help the young ones come on. The reason we came third was because we lacked experience and the combination of youth plus experience is what’s needed for season.”
Hunt will need the experience of the new signings as the team looks likely to participate in this year’s Confederations Cup based on a decision by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to increase the number of South Africa teams in the competition to four. Bidvest Wits together with Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates qualify for the tournament.
The Clever Boys will start their new season with a clash against Bloemfontein Celtic on August 1 at the Bidvest Stadium in Johannesburg.
by Luca Kotton | Jul 6, 2014 | Sport
READY: Bidvest Wits under 17 team always come in as one of the possible winners for the Engen tournament. Photo: Provided
Wits University will play host to the country’s top junior soccer players when the under-17 Engen Knockout Regional Challenge comes to campus from July 18-20.
The tournament sees the best of Gauteng’s youth teams taking part in the sixteen team showpiece.
The winner of the event will face the other regional winners around the country to lift the champions-of-champions trophy in Soweto in October.
Gauteng is arguably the most competitive leg of the tournament hosting teams like Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Bidvest Wits and last years’ winners Mamelodi Sundowns.
Engen sponsorship manager Brad Bergh emphasised the tournament is a foundation for developing future Bafana Bafana stars who will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Thulani Serero, Katlego Pule and Asive Langwe all of whom have played in the tournament.
by Luca Kotton | Jul 3, 2014 | News
UNDER FIRE : Hlaudi Motsoeneng, SABC COO, listens to questions from audience members during a heated discussion at the morning session of the Joburg Radio Days conference. Photo: Luca Kotton
“We need to regulate media generally,” said Hlaudi Motsoeneng during a heated discussion about the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation), at this morning’s opening session of the Joburg’s Radio Days conference at Wits University.
The SABC acting COO (Chief Operations Office), added that “if you are a journalist and you don’t have ethics and you mislead […] we need to take your license.”
Motsoeneng was part of panel of speakers that included Prof Anton Harber, head of Wits Journalism and SOS Support Public Broadcasting coordinator Sekoetlane Phamodi.
The session was titled “20 years of democratic public radio” but quickly shifted focus to the SABC and its mandate as a public broadcaster.
Harber set the tone for the discussion by reflecting on the ideal-typical role of a public broadcaster in a democracy. In reference to South Africa’s public broadcaster he said, “Why does the SABC seldom produce good journalism and not set a high bar for quality journalism?”
Phamodi spoke about maladministration at executive levels of the SABC and said, “What happens right at the top of the SABC really does filter down the value chain of the SABC and into our homes.”
Motsoeneng, clearly upset by some of the comments of his fellow panelists, referred to Harber and Phamodi as “people who talk about what they think and not what they know.”
Listen to some of Motsoeneng’s comments here.
Motsoeneng said the SABC is one of the best run organisations in the country and said that he will continue to insist on 70% of good news at the SABC.
“Let me tell what we have done, and you don’t need a degree to do this, you need a brain … You need to be a visionary, you need to have a strategy.”
Motsoeneng said that in order to undo the “brainwashing” that journalism students undergo at university-based journalism schools, the SABC will establish a school to train its own journalists.
Follow our live blog of the conference here.
by Luca Kotton | May 19, 2014 | News
A supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign stands in solidarity with the protest outside High Court earlier today. Photo: Luca Kotton
By Roxanne Joseph and Luca Kotton
Supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign protested outside the Johannesburg High Court today where a case about the removal of Palestine solidarity billboards was to be heard.
The BDS movement, who are suing Continental Outdoor Media for the removal of Palestine solidarity billboards in 2012, staged a protest outside the court despite a postponement of the matter to later in the week.
The organisation is represented by the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) and is arguing that the removal of the billboards goes against the principle of Freedom of Expression, according to BDS South Africa coordinator Muhammad Desai.
Desai says BDS are very confident they will win the case as this is a “contractual” and “constitutional” issue.
“The facts are very clear, in which Continental Media has succumb to the pressure. Unfortunately for Continental Media the Israeli lobby went very quickly to the media to take down the billboards. We don’t see any sign of the Israeli lobby now,” Desai said.
Supporters of the BDS movement, including the ANC Youth League and Cosatu, protested outside High Court earlier today. Photo: Luca Kotton
He added, “We are here to send a very clear message … playing around with freedom of speech and freedom of expression will not be taken lightly. We fought very hard for these freedoms.”
The billboards depicted the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land through a series of maps titled “Palestinian Loss of Land- 1946 to 2010.”
The matter was not heard in court today as the LRC believes the time allocated to the case is too little.
“We need more than four hours for the matter to be heard, it’s quite a complex matter. So we’re waiting for a time later in the week when more than four hours can be allocated for us,” according to Naseema Fakir, regional director of the LRC.
by Luca Kotton | May 17, 2014 | Sport
RUNNER UP: Gavin Hunt, Bidvest Wits coach, shows his emotions during a home game against Kaizer Chiefs ealier this year. Photo: Nqobile Dludla
Orlando Pirates lifted the Nedbank Cup trophy today with a 3-1 victory over Bidvest Wits at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The Buccaneers have lost in three previous finals and this win over the Clever Boys finally gives their fans some needed relief along with a R7-million cheque for the club.
The 3-1 score line was not a true reflection of the game according to Bidvest coach, Gavin Hunt, who was visibly upset after the game.
Hunt said, ” The players are distraught, they know they were robbed.”
When asked if Bidvest Wits is looking to improve, he said,”Other institutions of football should improve, it was a disgrace,” pointing to his disapproval of the referee’s decisions.
Pirates were looking to win their first of four finals this season and got off to a shaky start with an early goal in the 27 minute by the Clever Boys midfielder, Jabulani Shongwe.
The first half was a physical affair with Orlando Pirates boasting the majority of possession with 56% but trailing Wits by one goal.
The Champions came out in the second half with renewed energy and were rewarded after 53 minutes by a Kermit Erasmus goal.
The on-field tension eventually erupted into a full on fracas involving managers, technical staff and players in the second half.
But Pirates were not easily distracted and former Bidvest Wits player, Sifiso Myeni netted the second goal putting his team 2-1 ahead.
The match was all but sealed with the second Erasmus goal after 73 minutes. The striker deservedly ended the game with the man of the match award.
by Luca Kotton | May 15, 2014 | Sport
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC: Sibusiso Vilakazi battles away in their Nedbank Cup win over Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Luca Kotton
Sibusiso Vilakazi could finish this weekend with a cupboard-full of silverware and a cheque for R7-million for his team.
The captain of Bidvest Wits will lead his team in the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates on Saturday, and on Sunday, could walk away with any of 3 awards at the annual Premier Soccer League (PSL) awards.
The 24-year-old Soweto-born midfielder debuted for Wits in the 2009/2010 season after being groomed by the Bidvest Wits academy.
He has since notched up over 100 first-team appearances and been rewarded with the club’s captaincy and two national team caps for South Africa.
Vilakazi’s leadership saw his team finish third in the PSL this year and he has been nominated for the player of the season, the ABSA premiership players’ player of the season and the Nedbank Cup player of the tournament at the end of season awards.
Overseas target
Vilakazi’s performance has attracted some interest from Brondby in Denmark and the Clever Boys captain may be jetting overseas by the beginning of next season.
According to Vilakazi, he spent a week in Denmark on trial and a transfer there looks likely. Vilakazi has spent the last 5 years of his professional career with the Clever Boys and has no regrets.
“So far it has been great. I have worked through step by step, baby steps as well. I hope I can grow better and better.”
With an exciting weekend ahead for the Clever Boys captain, he said, “I’m hoping it will start with the cup final and we will see what happens with the awards but I’m hoping we lift the trophy.”
The final showdown
The Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, on Saturday afternoon, will be a tightly contested match if the draw in their last meeting is anything to go by. Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt said, “Winning the cup will define if the season is good or bad.”
Vilakazi will no doubt play a vital role in the clash on Saturday afternoon and said, “It comes down to that important day, what happened in the past doesn’t matter, we focus on what’s happening now.”
Vilakazi said that his team deserves at least one trophy for the season. He would be lifting the trophy as captain if they win and he added,” I believe in my team and each and every individual.”
by Luca Kotton | May 13, 2014 | Sport
IMPROVING: Wits hockey team has a team talk over one of their short penalties which they failed to convert in their game against UCT. Photo : Luca Kotton
Wits hockey are second last on the Varsity Hockey log, after two bonus points and a draw in this weekends’ fixtures in Bloemfontein left them just two points above Rhodes University.
The first game on Saturday was against the home side, University of the Freestate (UFS), who started with a flurry of goals. Wits found themselves 4-0 down after 25 minutes but somehow managed to salvage a bonus point with a great second and third chukka display. Wits spirited performance left the game ending 6-4 to UFS in a high scoring game.
Barry Morisse, Wits link said,” We really didn’t have a good game but lots of positives to take forward- to grab a bonus point after being 4-0 was a great effort. Lots of hard work to do still though. ”
The crucial clash for Wits came against Rhodes, who had also only accomplished one draw up to that point in the fixture list. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after Rhodes led the match.
Matthew Povall, Wits half said, “It was a game we really should have won. We had many chances but never converted.”
The last game of the second leg of the tournament, hosted by UFS saw Wits play University of Pretoria in their final game, late on Monday afternoon. Wits narrowly missed out, 3-2 to the second placed Pretoria team but managed to salvage another bonus point.
Wits hockey coach, Mark Sanders, after picking up four valuable points this weekend said,”It’s been a tough weekend but the improvement from last weekend is good. We’ve created more chances but failed to convert a lot. Defensively we grown and stepped up to show that we can carry out simple instructions and follow the plan.”
Wits last group game will be against University of Johannesburg, the host team, on May 17 before the playoffs take place the same weekend.
by Luca Kotton | May 9, 2014 | News
I have often heard members of our white minority complaining about crime, expressing the desire to leave a country that is “going backwards”. I have never felt that way.
I grew up in a diverse home where racism was non-existent. I grew up playing in soccer academies in areas where I often saw no other white people.
Never have I experienced a crime in my household nor have I been personally victimised. I lived my life in a free South Africa, unlike those who claimed that, if they lived abroad, their “children could ride their bikes outside and walk to school”. Growing up, I played in my neighbourhood park, in Orange Grove. I walked to school with my helper every day.
“I grew up in a diverse home where racism was non-existent.”
In my mother’s opinion, it was always about your attitude to crime.
If you wanted to be negative then bad things would happen to you.
However last week Wednesday, while covering a soccer game, I was mugged. I was approached by two men who took my phone and threatened me physically. I was distraught.
When they walked up to me, I had no foresight of what would happen next. I was not scared, I was just ready to get home and finish my work. I did not expect to be mugged.
Friends have since suggested that I take precautionary measures for the future: perhaps buy pepper spray or a knife to protect myself. I thought deeply about this and remembered my mother’s words. I decided not to buy either of these items because, if I do, I fear that I will constantly find reasons to use them.
I made the decision that those two men will not change my attitude towards the country I hold so dear to my heart.
I will not become a racist because of two people who committed a crime.
I will not live in fear in the streets I call my own because of two individuals. I still love my beautiful country, but I will learn to be more cautious, because not everyone is a good person.
I am lucky that I was not physically harmed, and I understand the situation could have been vastly different. But crime happens all over the world.
I still live with hope that one day, my children will have the same childhood that I had and will experience the freedom I experienced and the simple pleasure of being able to walk in their neighbourhood without fear in their hearts.
by Luca Kotton | May 9, 2014 | Sport
BIDVEST WITS has moved all of its attention to the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates, after sealing third place in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
The final will take place on May 17 at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, after much discussion amongst the Nedbank Cup organising committee and the PSL.
The Clever Boys final showdown against Orlando Pirates will be the biggest match of the season for the Braamfontein-based team, which will be looking to pick up silverware for the first time since 2010. Incidentally, the trophy the team won then was the Nedbank Cup.
Hunt vs Vermezovich
Orlando Pirates are under the reign of their recently appointed coach, Vladimir Vermezovich, who only took charge of the team almost a month after his appointment due to work permit
issues. Vermezovich guided his previous team, Kaizer Chiefs, to two cup finals but never a Nedbank Cup victory.
HEATED AFFAIR: Bidvest Wits players clash with their Orlando Pirates
counterparts in the last match between the teams. Photo: Luca Kotton
The Serbian coach was confident of his team’s victory in the final and said: “It will be a disgrace for a team of Orlando Pirates calibre to go a season without a trophy, so we will have to win this one.”
In contrast, Gavin Hunt, the Bidvest Wits coach has tasted success in the Nedbank Cup with his previous team. Hunt guided Supersport United to a Nedbank Cup victory in 2012.
How the teams face up
In head-to-head statistics, the Buccaneers hold the edge over the Clever Boys as they have won 24 of the teams clashes with their opponents having only won 12. Their last two matches in the current season saw a home win for Orlando Pirates in February and a stalemate at the Bidvest stadium at the end of April. Going on the head-to-head games the outlook wouldn’t be positive for the Clever Boys trophy aspirations but Hunt had
previously told Wits Vuvuzela, “Cup games are completely different to league games, you can’t compare.”
Fringe players get the chance
Wits failed to beat Maritzburg United in their last home game of the season on Tuesday night and Hunt gave many of his fringe players an opportunity to play, making nine changes from the team that won the Nedbank Cup semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs. Hunt said: “I gave players a chance but the players are not good enough, some of them. Some players have been here for two or three years now and they won’t be here next season.”
Who will be missing?
Hunt said he would go back to his “A” team for the Nedbank final.The only big blow for the Clever Boys will be the absence of Papy Faty who is out for nine months after a tackle from Oupa Manyisa in Bidvest Wits’ last home clash against the Buccaneers.
Orlando Pirates may be without striker Lennox Bacela, who injured his ankle in their 2-1 semifinal win over Maritzburg United.
The spectacle
The final in Durban which will see the winning team bagging R7-million in prize money is sure to be a spectacle. PSL chief executive, Brand de Villiers said: “We are planning a spectacular event on May 17 and we urge football fans to purchase their tickets early.”
Danielle van de Merwe, the Bidvest Wits marketing manager, told Wits Vuvuzela: “The club will notify the supporter club members of any travel arrangements made.”
luca@witsvuvuzela.com
