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11 - 18 June 2020

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UJ adopts cloud accounting ‘The partnership is a first for education in the accounting industry and will give our graduates the necessary tools to be well-skilled, agile and ahead of the game’

Professor Amanda Dempsey

Johannesburg - The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has become the first SA tertiary institution to adopt Xero Learn. Developed by global cloud accounting and small business platform Xero, the aim of Xero Learn is to drive innovation in financial education and develop digital skills for the future of accounting. It supports tutors in preparing courses, delivering lessons and provides students with real-world experience in using cloud technology to support clients. UJ senior director at the School of Accounting, Professor Amanda Dempsey said they are proud to be the first South African university to introduce Xero to their teaching syllabus. “Our vision is to educate a generation of accountants that embraces the fourth industrial revolution. The partnership is a first for education in the accounting industry and will give our graduates the necessary tools to be well-skilled, agile and ahead of the game,” Dempsey said. Country manager at Xero South Africa, Colin Timmis said: “Cloud technology

is rapidly transforming accountancy, so it’s critical that the next generation of accountants is equipped with these skills to support businesses through economic challenges. We hope this is the first of many academic institutions future-proofing their accounting courses in this way.” Every full-time, second-year B Com Accounting student at the university will be given a Xero license. After completion of the course, every student will be given the option to become a ‘Xero Advisor certified’ by completing the Xero Advisor certification. Within the Xero Learn software there are customisable ‘teaching’ panels that guide students, allowing tutors to adjust the in-product content to meet curriculum requirements. They can also create a dummy company moulded to resemble various scenarios, like a failing company or a completed assignment. To make these examples as authentic as possible, digital accounting company DoughGetters worked closely with Xero and the university to shape the in-product messaging and scenarios.

Co-founder and CEO of DoughGetters Accounting, Willem Haarhoff said: “Developments like this will help equip students with the ideal tools to become digitally-thinking professionals. As a digital-first accounting business ourselves, it’s been great to help create learning experiences that reflect what it’s like in the real world of beautiful accounting.” Senior Executive: Professional Development Pre-Qualification at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Mandi Olivier said accounting professionals of the future need to have more digital acumen than in the past. “The new CA2025 competency framework, which will be introduced at universities from 2021, requires far more emphasis on the acquisition of these digital skills. Digital acumen includes data analytics, cognitive and non-cognitive systems, cyber security and IT user competencies to name a few. Cloud computing is the way of the future and it is pleasing to see universities adapting by including this in their academic programmes,” Olivier said.

Inner-city Gazette

News

A Unique Postgraduate Diploma in Management: Options for a Changing World On the 30th of May 2020, the world witnessed the successful collaboration between NASA and SpaceX that culminated in the docking of Dragon with the International Space Station nineteen hours after lift-off. At the same time, we are witnessing the fragmenting of our fragile society, not just in our backyard, but across the globe. The world, it seems, is spinning out of control. Whether we are highfiving in celebration of the historically significant moment of SpaceX or mourning the equally significant impact of a global pandemic, we are witnessing a massive shift of global proportions. As the tectonic plates of our global cultures move and shift, they give rise to new and unexplored worlds. In this time of change, we are invited to re-consider and re-imagine what kinds of skills will be required to lead a company or manage people. At Boston City Campus, we believe our Postgraduate Diploma in Management will offer the adventurous and commercially minded leader a rich foundation from which to navigate this ‘brave new’ and emerging world. The Postgraduate Diploma in Management is an NQF Level 8 qualification accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). The qualification is geared towards developing intellectual and management capacity in such vital areas as operations and enterprisewide risk management, corporate governance, global marketing, human capital and talent management, negotiation techniques, financial management, business research methods and quantitative skills. Head of Institution, Dr Hendrik Botha, believes that “Management and industries across the spectrum are at a pivotal crossroads with the digitisation and intersection of the human-robotics interface of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Higher education must change how it designs programmes to navigate

Dr Hendrik Botha the disruption of a changing world of work. We maintain that the design of this qualification develops critical and creative thinking—two essential competencies for effectively steering and managing a business during an unprecedented crisis, and after.” Cultivating capabilities in critical and creative thinking, the Postgraduate Diploma in Management recognises the importance of leadership development and seeks to contextualise business leadership and management styles within fluid contexts. Dr Botha notes further that the qualification is “set to develop the relevant advanced managerial skills needed to leverage the technologies of the digital era within our postgraduates, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), skills which become even more important as we move into remote working spaces.” Boston’s Postgraduate Diploma in

Management takes the current local and global contextual realities and challenges seriously. It offers students a significant space to think broadly and deeply about how to transform the workplace from a place of surviving to a place of thriving. Dr Botha maintains that “The Postgraduate Diploma in Management will offer students a penetrative and comprehensive understanding of the operational side of the business, especially for coping in turbulent times and with an emphasis on human development.” This comprehensive understanding is, according to Dr Botha, “underpinned by the development of strategicgeneral management and business acumen for effective and appropriate decision-making, as well as creative and critical thinking.” Students will be equipped with enabling competencies that will stand them in good stead locally, nationally and globally. There remains a positive correlation between education level and obtaining employment. A postgraduate qualification such as Boston’s Postgraduate Diploma in Management puts you a step ahead of undergraduates. Completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Management (NQF Level 8) will offer graduates interested in further study opportunities to enrol in a related Master’s programme (NQF Level 9) in the areas of commerce, general management, marketing management, or business administration. Dr Botha reminds us that “while graduates who complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Management are eligible for application to enrol in a Master’s programme at another higher education institution, the receiving institution will have its specific admission and selection criteria.” A PG Dip is a serious investment in time and commitment. Invest one hour of your time right now and experience an unconventional approach to Postgraduate Management Education! https://youtu.be/930MDnOwac4

11 - 18 June 2020

New Facebook feature deletes unwanted posts This has become especially relevant as users who began using Facebook in the first years of high school should now be entering the job sphere and beyond Luis Monzon

acebook has launched a new feature called Manage Activity, which allows users to travel through their old posts and choose which to keep and the ones to delete. The new feature will make it easy for users who want to clear up some unwanted posts from their teendom, or erase an embarrassing weekend worth of activities before a prospective employer can see them. This has become especially relevant as users who began using Facebook in the first years of high school should now be entering the job sphere and beyond. “Whether you’re entering the job market after college or moving on from an old relationship, we know things change in people’s lives. We want to make it easy for you to curate your presence on Facebook, to more accurately reflect who you are today,” the company explains in a blog post. With Manage Activity, users can move posts either into an Archive

A Facebook user on her phone

or into the trash for deletion. The Archive feature is for content that users no longer want others to see on Facebook, but you still want to keep for yourself. “For example,” the post says, “you could archive a post you made when you were in high school, that you still find amusing but that you’d rather not be seen by anyone else on Facebook.” Posts sent to the trash will remain there for 30 days before they are permanently deleted, unless they are manually deleted or restored. Facebook says that this will let users have room to change their minds on particular posts. Manage Activity lets you view and manage your posts in bulk. Facebook has developed filters to help sort and find what you’re looking for, like posts with specific people or from a specific date range.

11 - 18 June 2020

Inner-city Gazette

Network provider partners with varsity to support online learning

Clinician urges HIV positive residents to take treatment HIV-positive patients who are not undergoing treatment, or who have stopped taking antiretrovirals during the lockdown, are likely to be at greater risk of corona virus infection Johannesburg - Residents with compromised immune systems are warned to be extra cautious amid the Covid-19 pandemic. HIV clinician Dr Kay Mahomed, who runs an HIV clinic at Netcare Garden City Hospital, says HIV positive residents who keep on treatment, and whose viral loads are at undetectable levels, are likely to be at no greater risk of contracting Covid-19, compared to the rest of the population. Mahomed said HIV-positive patients who are not undergoing treatment, or who have stopped taking antiretrovirals during the lockdown period, are likely to be at greater risk of infection.

News

The recurring data bundle provides students with access to learning sites for up to a maximum of 30gb per month Jenna Delport

T Dr Kay Mahomed

Recent reports have indicated that thousands of people in Gauteng had failed to collect their medicine during the lockdown period. Mahomed said they were also at risk of developing other HIV-associated conditions that include TB. “The days your immune system was like dead are not there anymore, and a couple of years when we started the testing programme, we started putting all patients on antiretroviral therapy. Those patients who went on treatment at that time were doing well now because their viral loads were undetectable and they had good CD4 counts,” Mahomed said.

o help students stay on track to successfully complete the 2020 academic year, despite not being on campus, network provider Vodacom has partnered with Wits University to keep students connected to learning activities. The network provider states that it has committed to providing each student with a 30 gigabyte data bundle to remain connected and continue their education, while away from campus. Vodacom Business chief officer William Mzimba said for many students, remote learning is a challenge, as they do not have the means to access online learning materials. “As remote learning becomes a necessity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Vodacom Business is proud to partner with Wits to support education and the development of future business leaders by keeping students connected. Investing in education and improving connectivity

plays a key role in fast-tracking our country into the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Mzimba said. The recurring data bundle provides students with access to learning sites for up to a maximum of 30gb per month. NonVodacom students were given the option to purchase a R5 Vodacom SIM card and RICA it at any Vodacom-accredited outlet. To receive this data allocation, students need to update their new Vodacom phone number as part of their student record with the university. As part of the package and agreement with the learning institution, Vodacom agreed to reimburse students for the cost of the SIM card with airtime to the value of R5. This offer is valid from 5 June on a rolling month-to-month basis, made up of 10gb any time URL data to access specific university sites for e-learning and home study,

Vodacom Business chief officer William Mzimba

and 20gb night owl data, valid between 00:00 and 04:59 daily. Data bundles will be allocated to students monthly, with the full amount given on the first day of each month. ITNewsAfrica

Inner-city Gazette

News

Simplilearn CEO Krishna Kumar

11 - 18 June 2020

The partnership is expected to benefit over 10 000 learners who are now on the platform in the current financial year

Partnership enhances

African digital skills Johannesburg - Global digital skills training provider, Simplilearn, has announced its partnership with Deviare, a South African based digital and IT solutions platform. Through this collaboration, Simplilearn will offer digital skilling programmes in Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud programming, and Full-stack Development for learners and corporations in the African market. Deviare said it will take Simplilearn’s training programmes to the entire region, enabling learners to gain from the company’s high-touch learning platform. The partnership is expected to benefit over 10 000 learners who are now on the Deviare platform in the current financial year. The programmes are accredited by Media, Information, and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) of South Africa. Simplilearn already has a strong presence in the US, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Europe, and the United Kingdom; and is also expanding its footprint in the African continent. CEO and founder of Simplilearn, Krishna Kumar said: “Organizations need to invest in skilling their workforce for these new roles, to prepare for an increasingly digital future. Through this

partnership we hope to enable the digital transformation journey of businesses across Africa, to prepare them for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” According to a global report, digital transformation will create 133 million new jobs across the globe, with vast new opportunities for fulfilling people’s potentials. Deviare co-founder and director Lubabalo Dyantyi said the debate on reskilling and upskilling is a global agenda. “Governments and businesses are coming together to address the issues of building a relevant skilled workforce. With this association, we aim to play a big role in helping businesses across Africa navigate their digital transformation journeys,” Dyantyi said. As part of a recent programme initiated by the IT Ministry of South Africa, Simplilearn and Deviare together supported the skilling of over 500 IT professionals. With this collaboration with Simplilearn, Deviare started working with Microsoft SA to deliver skills in Cloud Computing. Microsoft SA executive director for Corporate and Legal Affairs Siyabonga Madyibi said a majority of businesses in South Africa and across the globe are adopting cloud for at least some of their applications and workloads.

Petco collections and training manager Belinda Booker (left) with project members

Reclaimers programme bears fruit Marleny Arnoldi

pilot programme jointly executed by recycling organisations, fast-moving consumer goods company Unilever and Wits University has started integrating individual waste reclaimers into the circular economy of the city. It is the first project in South Africa to pilot paying reclaimers for the collection service they provide. Data shared by the South African Polyethylene Terephthalate Recycling Company (Petco) shows how the programme has boosted the city’s recycling rates and the number of households that actively recycle, while creating much-needed income opportunities in the informal sector. The Building an Inclusive Circular Economy: Recycling with Reclaimers in Johannesburg, programme started in mid-2019, in partnership with the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO). The project started in Auckland Park and Brixton, with more areas to follow. The programme follows after years of reclaimers’ reports that they are often harassed, ignored and misunderstood by residents.

The programme started with Petco donating 100 000 clear plastic recycling collection bags, made from recycled content, to ARO members, which distributed the bags to residents in their collection areas. The programme followed with a survey of 50 reclaimers working in those two suburbs to identify the working standards of the city’s waste reclaimers. In the survey, 66% of reclaimers cited that by providing households with clear plastic bags for recyclables, it increased the number of agreements they reached with residents to save recyclable materials for them. Further solidifying the reclaimerresident relationship was a donation earlier in March this year of 400 recycling wheelie bins by Safripol, a manufacturer of high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastic; which reclaimers in Bordeaux handed over to residents there. Petco’s collections and training project manager Belinda Booker says the reclaimers are entrepreneurs and proud of the work they do. “They are up at 03:00 and walk long distances to collect recyclables. Not having to scratch through bags of general waste means they can collect more and earn more, with dignity,” Booker says.

Resident Angela Schaerer, who has been mobilising members of the Bordeaux South Residents Association, says many residents were not separating materials or recycling materials before the partnership with the reclaimers was established. “Now we have an easy way to do this, while supporting people who help our environment. Information about the programme was shared through WhatsApp, pamphlets and email newsletters; and residents were seeing the benefits of a cleaner suburb as a result of the initiative. Previously, residents tended to ignore or harass the reclaimers. Now people greet the reclaimers, separate materials for them, provide refreshments and take time to learn more about their work and personal stories,” says Schaerer. Since last year, ARO has embarked on an awareness campaign in support of the recyclables separation programme, with workshops and clean-up activations at schools, universities and community events. ARO organiser Eli Kodisang says: “Having a personal relationship with reclaimers makes residents more willing to separate materials, as they understand the difference it makes to the daily life of the reclaimer and her or his family.” Creamer Media

11 - 18 June 2020

Inner-city Gazette

News

Covid-19 drug trial to resume Woman stabs and kills her boyfriend ‘There are over 130 trials worldwide with hydroxychloroquine’

In an identical incident last week police arrested a woman for allegedly killing her 40-year-old boyfriend in KwaThema Soweto - A woman has appeared in court for allegedly stabbing her lover to death during an argument. The woman, Makhosazana Shabani, 42, appeared at the Protea magistrate’s court on Friday on a murder charge. She allegedly attacked Isaac Mathebela, 42, last week and stabbed him several times in the head. The man died on a bed in their rented room in Jabulani last Wednesday. Shabani’s brother Khulekani Shabani said the couple fought after he and two of his friends dropped off the woman at their home on Monday night. He said he heard that the man was upset because Makhosi jumped out of a vehicle with three men inside. “He didn’t know that I was in the vehicle and accused my sister of cheating on him. Their neighbour said they started fighting as soon as they entered the room,” he said. He added that he had been drinking liquor with the couple at their family home in Zola earlier in the day, and that Mathebela was drunk when they dropped off his sister. “They called me the next morning and I found blood all over their room. Their bed was soaked with blood and Isaac had a huge gash on his forehead. Mathebela said I must not worry because they had resolved their issues. I advised that he needed medical attention, but he said he would be fine. My sister also advised him to go to the hospital because he had bled a lot,” Khulekani said. He added that next day he was called by a neighbour to say Mathebela had died. Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo confirmed the case and said Shabani was arrested on Wednesday. In an identical incident last week police arrested a woman for allegedly killing her 40-year-old boyfriend in KwaThema. The woman, 31, allegedly stabbed her boyfriend, Veli Mahlangu, several times with a knife. Police spokesperson Constable Media Khoza said the incident took

place last Wednesday afternoon. “A witness said the victim ran towards his direction being chased by his girlfriend. He suddenly fell, and he realised the victim had been stabbed and the girlfriend had a knife, and had blood on her hands and clothing,” Khoza said. The girlfriend, who would not be named before she appeared in court, allegedly tried to escape, but was arrested. Neighbours alleged that the lovers were drunk at the time. One said they heard noise from the couple’s room, the girlfriend asking Mahlangu why he bought a big pack of mealie-meal. “She complained that they now did not have enough money to buy beer. He tried explaining that he wanted the mealie-meal to last until monthend. The argument escalated, and because Veli did not like violence, he just came to chill with us outside. About an hour later he returned to the room. We heard a noise again, then he came running out of the house, his girlfriend chasing him holding a knife. She stabbed him twice more in the chest, once in the neck and in his back,” the neighbour said. Another neighbour who would not be named said Mahlangu collapsed on the pavement near his home. “When I got to him he was on the ground and running out of breath. The woman was drunk; after she stabbed him she just stood there with the knife in her hands, with blood dripping from it. We called paramedics and the police, but sadly he died before help could arrive,” he said. The mother of deceased Mahlangu’s three-year-old daughter, Sibongile Matsana said she had last seen him the previous week. “He and I broke up in October when he went to stay with his girlfriend, but we were fixing things because he spent the entire week with me. He wanted to come back home, and had planned to come back in the next week. He was not a violent man; he was down to earth and always smiled,” Matsana said.

Couple held for R500 000 drugs Eldorado Park - On Tuesday afternoon a tip-off led to the arrest of a couple who were found in possession of Mandrax powder worth R500 000 in their house. Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng said their drug enforcement unit followed leads which led them to the house in 2nd Street, Eldorado

Park, where the couple, aged 35 and 2, were arrested. “The couple were found with 11 packets of methaqualone powder, which is the main ingredient used to manufacture Mandrax tablets, valued at R500 000. The male and female suspects are facing charges of possession and dealing in narcotics,” Mokheseng said.

Johannesburg - The World Health Organization (WHO) has resumed global trials of the anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for Covid-19. The WHO suspended the study after two research papers in respected journals flagged health dangers. But those papers were withdrawn last week; just as South Africa prepared to enrol its first patients in the International Solidarity Trial. The New England Journal and Lancet have retracted studies that vilified the hydroxychloroquine medication; saying the authors were unable to independently verify the data behind the analysis. Questions were asked about the integrity of the data from a littleknown company called Surgisphere; which claimed to have sourced information from over 1 000 hospitals around the world.

Last month the WHO stopped the use of hydroxychloroquine in the Solidarity Trial based on those studies, a decision it reversed last week. The WHO said it should have asked for the database; but accepted the report because it was published in the well-respected Lancet publication. Solidarity Trial co-principal investigator Professor Helen Rees said there are over 130 trials going on worldwide with hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19, and the study is about to get underway in South Africa. “Many of those studies were temporarily stopped and the WHO suspended the hydroxychloroquine arm of the study. The Solidarity trial has now been approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA),

Professor Helen Rees

and is now in the final stages of discussion with the ethics committees. I think those will come through quite soon; so we hope the study will start within the next one to two weeks,” Professor Rees said.

Missing woman’s body found hanging from tree ‘She was last seen taking an Uber cab that was called for her by her boyfriend on Thursday night’ Roodepoort - A pregnant woman who disappeared from her home last week was found hanging from a tree on Monday. The woman, Tshegofatso Pule was found dead with stab wounds near Florida Lake, after she was last seen on Thursday night. Pule of Meadowlands, Soweto, left home saying she was visiting her boyfriend in Florida. Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said a case of murder is being investigated. “The deceased, who is confirmed to have been pregnant, was found by a community member hanging from a tree. Suspects are unknown at the moment, and we call on anyone who might have information to come forward.”

A relative said Pule was last seen taking an Uber cab that was called by her boyfriend on Thursday night. “That night she called, saying she got into a fight with her boyfriend and was returning home. We tried calling her later that night but could not get through to her. We called again from Friday until Sunday, but her phone was off. We tried calling the boyfriend but could not reach him, then we decided to open a missing person case with the police on Sunday,” the relative said. He added that they cannot speculate about what led to her death. “But things were not well with her boyfriend; and his wife also knew about Tshego; and was always fighting with her,” said the relative.

The late Tshegofatso Pule

Inner-city Gazette

11 - 18 June 2020

UJ’s UNFESTIVAL SA extended to mid-June Lakin Morgan-Baatjies UNFESTIVAL SA has now been extended beyond the initial closing date of 6 June to 14 June 2020. Head of UJ Arts & Culture Pieter Jacobs says: “Remember The Nothing from the 1984 movie, The Never Ending Story, directed by Steven Spielberg? The Nothing is the overarching antagonist and primary threat of the 1979 German fantasy novel Die unendliche Geschichte and Spielberg’s 1984 film adaptation of the same name.. Imagine for a minute you’re an artist or a creative, well that’s what Covid-19 is, irrespective of which level of lockdown we happen to find ourselves in. This pandemic continues to be the overarching antagonist and primary threat to the livelihoods of cultural and creative practitioners, which is dependent on social closeness, not social distance.” UJ’s UNFESTIVAL SA is a symbolic concept intended to benefit students in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, and through partnership with BASA’s Artist Relief campaign, for the creative sector as a whole. Cancellations of festivals, concerts, productions, exhibitions, events and cultural programmes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is a Sword of Damocles, hanging over the livelihoods of artists globally. UNFESTIVAL SA is an opportunity to show up, buy a ticket at https://tinyurl.com/unfest2020. Do the right thing and support the arts.

Inner-city Gazette

The Arts

SA Theatre celebrates Youth Month Thakgatso Setseta

n June 1976, African youth protested against apartheid, the quest for equal education their driving force. About 40 years later (2015-16); postdemocracy youth reignited that quest with the #FeesMustFall movements. In commemoration of the youth of June 1976 and 2015/16; the theatre will stream youthful productions from 15 June to 5 July 2020. Many of the productions are programmes of the Incubator Programme through the Education, Youth & Community Training Department of SAST, designed to accelerate transition of semi-professional entrepreneurial artists through business, technical and artistic mentorship. The theatre has programmed; Freedom the Musical, a ground-breaking musical by the State Theatre’s Artistic Director and multi-award-winning playwright, Aubrey Sekhabi. A strong cast of 47 members and a 13-piece band tell the story of Phindile Ndlovu, a Tshwane University of Technology student and leader of #Fees Must Fall movement. Phindile’s life takes a sharp turn after the student protest at the Union Buildings. This story is a testament to her determination to triumph, despite the odds stacked against her. She will stop at nothing to fight for

Part of the recent Fees must Fall student march

the freedom of students, for free education and ultimately her own freedom. Freedom also examines crime and violence that is rife in our society, and tackles issues of rape, abuse against women, racism, xenophobia, corruption, and many more that cost us our freedom. The play premiered at the State Theatre in 2018. The critically acclaimed play, The Fall will be headlining to also commemorate Youth Month this June. It was created by seven University of Cape Town’s Drama Graduates who were at the forefront of the movement. They share their personal experiences during the #RhodesMustFall, #FeesMustFall and subsequent

student movements that swept South Africa during 2015 and 2016. A visual art exhibition doccie; Artdiction 0.1 by Anathi Nkanyuza is also featured. The smoke artist Nkanyuza, affectionately known as Elpee, with his rare visual art technique exhibited under the Incubator Programme at State Theatre in 2018 and Mzansi Fela Festival in 2019. Using only a candle and paraffin lamp, he applies fire and smoke on paper to turn pieces of colour into something the world has never seen before. Elpee was selected to showcase his installation at the 2019 National Arts Festival, held in Makhanda. Torsten Tebogo Rybka, known on

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By Prophet Philip Banda

stage as Clear as Fire, brings a poetry production; Speaking from Experience, a journey on the wings of poetry and music, described as an emotional journey of awareness. As part of the Youth Month celebration, Salt Art of the Earth exhibition by the Guinness record holder, Percy Maimela and Ncamisa Nqana A Bird with Melodies jazz performance, are currently showing on The South African State Theatre You Tube channel until 07 and 13 June respectively. These productions will be streamed on YouTube. Viewers can subscribe to theatre’s YouTube channel on the link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgyEcxGJaQ2376NJ_6aqH7A.

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PSL focuses on completing the

season; not seeking sponsor Companies that include Bidvest, Telkom, Betway and Nedbank have been reported to be interested in taking over PSL sponsorship for the next season. Sports Reporter

remier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza says the league will only seek a replacement for Absa after they are sure of what happens to the current season, which has remained suspended for over two months due to Covid-19. Absa recently decided against renewing sponsoring the PSL since a three-year deal in 2017; a decision to be in effect when the 2019/20 season ends. Khoza said the sponsorship contract was for three years,

which means Absa is not withdrawing support. “It was to do with expiry of the contract, which is a question of deciding whether they continue the sponsorship or not. But the decision to end the relationship was not an acrimonious one; it was a situation that we understand because, with Covid-19, anything is possible,” he said. He added that it is impossible to begin a process to find a replacement sponsor at this stage, while soccer is suspended. “It’s important that we finish the league first; then we know what we are selling, since a

sponsor would ask when we are starting,” Khoza said. Companies that include Bidvest, Telkom, Betway and Nedbank have been reported to be interested in taking over PSL sponsorship for the next season. The PSL and the South African Football Association (Safa) are working to ensure the season resumes. Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe recently said with football clubs having fumigated their training facilities; that may speed up the process of allowing them to resume training.

PSL chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza