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16 - 23 April 2020

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Inner City Gazette

Calls flood abuse relief centre The call centre receives between 500 and 1 000 calls a day from women and children confined to homes as part of the Covid-19 lockdown Joan van Dyk

here have been thousands of calls to the country’s gender-based violence command centre in Tshwane and places of safety around the country, social workers say. The call centre receives between 500 and 1 000 calls a day from women and children confined to homes as part of the Covid-19 lockdown. Statistics South Africa estimates that SA women are five times more likely to be killed on account of their gender than other women worldwide. Now, many South Africans are stuck at home with their abusers. The centre’s data shows that, in the first four days of the lockdown, the number of daily calls doubled. Data-free messages to the centre’s phone number increased more than ten-fold and SMSs streamed in at double the usual daily rate too. By 11 April, the centre had received 8 764 calls since the start of the lockdown, according to the Department of Social Development’s records. People call about domestic violence, attempted suicides, and very often, because they need food. A social worker at the gender-based violence command centre in Groenkloof, Tshwane, Pheladi Mamaila says each call takes at least half an hour

as her team counsel people who have endured often traumatising abuse in their homes. In some cases, the workers call the police to intervene. “Sometimes the abuse is so bad that we send people to a shelter where they can be safe,” Mamaila says. But these days it’s not quite as simple as dropping someone at a shelter, explains Moya Hay, head of the Salvation Army in Tshwane. “Everyone who comes to our shelter must be cleared of the coronavirus first,” she says. People waiting for test results are quarantined in hospital until they are taken to the shelter; and the number of people living in a room has also been cut,Hay says. Since lockdown started, the number of requests Hay gets for accomodation at her home for abused women and children have been astounding. The charity also runs a round the clock counselling hotline. “Two nights ago, a lady called and she just cried,” Hay says. At the command centre, even abandoned calls are returned to ensure the person on the other end is safe. But something’s got to give, Mamaila says: “The phone never stops ringing. As soon as you put the phone down another call comes through.” Mamaila and the other supervisors

have requested the Department of Social Development to hire 16 more social workers to help field the deluge of calls. The department of social development did not respond to a request for comment. This kind of violence is likely to get worse as the pandemic stretches on, warns Amber Peterman, lead researcher of a review published by the United States NPO Center for Global Development in April. The review is the first in a series by an independent research team called the Gender and Covid-19 Working Group. This 45-page document draws together evidence on the impact of pandemics on violence against women and children from previous crises such as HIV and Ebola, and outlines nine different factors that might increase abuse. Peterman says: “Quarantines and social isolation have been shown to increase women’s and children’s risk of being abused; for the simple reason that they are more exposed to potential perpetrators.” Controlling behaviors may also be coping mechanisms for perpetrators, who feel a loss of control due to quarantine, the researchers write: “Isolation is an established abuse tactic for intimate partner violence even out-

side of pandemic contexts.” Peterman explains: “We already know many poor populations have increased levels of violence because of food insecurity and stressors related to everyday life.” Financial stress and poverty have been linked to dangerous coping strategies such as substance abuse, taking on debt and transactional sex, which in turn make violence against women and children more likely, research published in the Annual Review of Economics in 2018 shows. The researchers suggest that social safety nets such as paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, food voucher payments and tax relief will act as shock absorbers for the economic downturn the pandemic brings. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the Unemployment Insurance Fund has set aside R40-billion to help people who will not be able to work during lockdown. When it comes to violence against women, Peterman and her colleagues suggest such grants could be expanded to include cash transfers for house-

Researcher Amber Peterman

holds hard-hit by abuse and violence. She explains: “An important lesson from the research is to have some form of support for people who are heavily hit by abuse both financially and with complementary referral services including psychological support.” The Gender-Based Violence National Command Centre can be reached on telephone 0800 428 428. Article first published by Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism

News

Finding

Inner-city Gazette

an antidote to cabin fever

Feeling like the walls are closing in on you? We’re living in a surreal time: the line between work and home has blurred, while life has taken on a timelessness, without the structure of rigid deadlines or places to get to by a certain time. “While students may have wished for exams to be over or mid-term break to arrive, now that we have an extended break no-one is really happy. Students miss their friends and the social aspect of college, employees miss working with their colleagues their teams and of course, the common kitchen coffee breaks! You may be feeling demotivated caused by feelings of cabin fever,” says Natalie Rabson, Wellness and Education Counsellor at Boston City Campus who recommends the following: Natalie Rabson, Wellness and Education Counsellor at Boston City Campus 1. Avoiding overwhelm Like Lockdown, tertiary studies via Boston Connect. a formal qualification from online eduare overwhelming. Therefore the cational institution Boston. Keeping 6. Control what you can Boston premise of having a timetable your mind busy with new information Having a sense of control brings a is a way to overcome this. Head of Inwill help you reset your goals, update sense of security, especially the uncerstitution Dr Hendrik Botha created a your CV and motivate you to achieve tainty of our future in terms of our jobs, day by day and page by page schedule something that will be valuable to both companies and economy. “By implefor students to follow. Create this for you and an employer when the Lockmenting a daily routine, such as followyourself, whether as a student or as an down is over. ing a study or work timetable, we can employee. Schedule tasks in individual 4. Unplug bring a sense of control to our lives in chunks, and in confined spaces of time, The latest stats on how many have these unprecedented times, which will so that you can see that it is managebeen infected and which politician said reduce anxiety,” says Natalie. able. Rather than thinking of the big what will only make you more anxious. 7. The situation is temporary picture, take each task one step at a Catch up once a day, and then unplug! Keep in mind that although we don’t time. Focus on your new course, your studknow the exact amount of time it’s go2. Find opportunities to connect ies, or investigate fourth IR skills availing to take to go back to regular life, this “We may be isolated, but we don’t able on websites such as Boston Conis a temporary situation. Make a conneed to feel alone,” says Natalie. “As nect. Give yourself time away from the scious goal of work, studies and family the Lockdown started Boston held news and social media to avoid being connections, giving yourself something an online and free concert with Holly consumed by the lead story of the panto look forward to, and keeping in mind Rey, the intention was to show South demic which creates anxiety. that “This too shall pass.” Africans that we are in this together. 5. Well-being 8. Remember your why As the hash tag says #TogetherApart. Not feeling motivated on your own? German philosopher, Friedrich NiFind ways to connect with other peoetzsche said, “He who has a why to live Make a set time to virtually connect ple, such as online study groups, book can bear almost any how.” and have a combined workout session! clubs or co-working spaces. This is an ideal way to keep yourself “Remember your WHY. Why are we 3. Keep your mind active all doing lockdown? We’re protecting accountable by having a dedicated Not everyone is able to easily work ourselves, our loved ones, friends and time where you do physical exercise – from home. This makes lockdown and our fellow South Africans. So commit even in the confines of your home. ideal opportunity for those who don’t to this goal as well – we are all in this This is a time to look after your mind always have the opportunity to study, together,” concludes Natalie. too with personal development to use this time to learn a new skill or

16 - 23 April 2020

Group extends home-learning programme Now in its sixth year, Girls4Tech has engaged more than 800 000 students across the globe, including over 1 000 in South Africa, through inquiry-based activities and real-world Tech Reporter MasterCard has extended access to its signature STEM curriculum, Girls4TechTM, through a suite of new online, creative educational resources, the group has announced. MasterCard country manager Suzanne Morel said these are challenging times for parents and teachers on many fronts. “We hope that these learning resources are a fun way to engage and inspire children about STEM while at home. The easy access to the website enhances what we’ve done in so many workshops in South Africa. We look forward to building on both efforts when it’s once again safe to gather in person,” Morel said. The learning programme has been designed to help parents and teachers engage and inspire children aged eight to 12. “Through the newly launched website Girls4Tech Connect, as well as through activities made in collaboration with MasterCard’s education partner Scholastic, teachers and parents can download lessons to help students learn about STEM topics, from the comfort of their homes. These activities are built on global science and maths standards, and incorporate MasterCard’s deep expertise in payments

Country manager Suzanne Morel

technology and innovation, to enable children to discover a range of STEM careers, such as Fraud Detective, Data Scientist and Software Engineer,” Morel said. Now in its sixth year, Girls4Tech has engaged more than 800 000 students across the globe, including over 1 000 in South Africa, through inquiry-based activities and realworld challenges. This is all with the goal of inspiring more girls to pursue STEM careers and reduce the gender gap in these fields. Recently, MasterCard launched its first 2020 South African Girls4Tech programme at Phoenix College in Johannesburg where it reached 110 girls aged between nine and 11. New activities are posted on a weekly basis at the Girls4Tech website, Facebook page and Twitter account. Lessons are currently available in English. While all lessons are designed for students to work independently, materials are also available for teachers to guide online sessions.

16 - 23 April 2020

Inner-city Gazette

Suspects held for vandalising schools Johannesburg - Police have arrested 41 suspects in connection with increasing burglaries and burning of schools in Gauteng. Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said 17 suspects were arrested in Johannesburg and Soweto, nine in Tshwane, seven in Sedibeng, four in Ekurhuleni and another four in the West Rand. Masondo said Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela appointed a team of experienced officers to investigate and identify the perpetrators. “I am pleased with the progress made by the team and I believe more

suspects will be arrested soon. We appeal to the community to work with police in exposing those with intentions of depriving our children a better education,” Mawela said. On Sunday the Basic Education department said five schools in Soweto fell victim to theft by criminals. The department added that burglaries at schools had gone up to 55 during the Covid-19 lockdown. Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said he is perturbed by the increase in the number of cases of burglaries and vandalism at schools, from 40 on April 9. The latest break-ins occurred be-

tween April 9 and 11, affecting 15 schools. Those are Harmony Primary, Lenasia; Eersterust Secondary, Eersterust; Matseke Primary, Atteridgville; Jordan Secondary, Evaton; Jabulani Technical, Soweto; Thomas Nhlapho Primary, Meyerton; Moqhaka Secondary School, Sebokeng; Kwa-Ntsikana Secondary School, Soweto; Klipvalley Primary School, Soweto; Lufhereng Secondary, Soweto; Mbuyisa Makhubu Primary School. Soweto; Ivory Park Secondary, Ivory Park; Mahube Valley Primary, Mahube Valley; Sehopotso Secondary, Sebokeng; and Princess Primary in

Roodepoort. During the break-ins valuable equipment and school nutrition groceries were stolen, the department said. “It seems that these criminals do not have a sense of the damage they are causing to the future of our children and our country, because without education, we are doomed,” Lesufi said. He reiterated his call to communities to help protect schools and report criminal activities in their areas to law enforcement agencies. “The behaviour of these criminals is annoying and they must be apprehended and face the law,” he said.

News

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi

Covid-19 info centre extends to 17 countries Jenna Delport

Facebook policy head Kojo Boakye

ocial media platform Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Centre to 17 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Information Centre forms part of the social media giant’s effort to help the global fight against Covid-19. It hopes to do this by providing people with the latest news and information from trusted health authorities, as well as resources and tips to stay healthy

and support their family and community. The Coronavirus Information Centre is featured at the top of News Feed, providing a central place for people to keep informed about the pandemic. It includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organisations such as the World Health Organization, as well as helpful articles, videos and posts about social distancing and preventing the spread of Covid-19.

Facebook users can opt in to follow the centre to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities. The centre, which has already launched in South Africa, will now be expanded to the Saharan African markets of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, DR Congo and Togo.

Facebook’s Head of Public Policy for Africa, Kojo Boakye says: “We’ve built the information centre, in collaboration with national health partners, to ensure that people can get access to information from trusted health sources. The launch of the Covid-19 Information Center on Facebook in more than 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa aligns with our commitment to making accurate, timely information about the pandemic accessible to all communities.”

Inner-city Gazette

News

16 - 23 April 2020

Wits seeks to get medical students into the field The decision is to allow students to be provisionally registered by the General Medical Council (GMC) and begin working as doctors as soon as possible Vaccinology Professor Shabir Madhi

A JMPD officer with Chinese instructors

JMPD partners with Chinese varsity ‘The JMPD and PPSUC have a memorandum of understanding for three years with a possibility of extending the partnership thereafter, if no disagreement is raised by either side’ Takalani Sioga

he Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has partnered with the Beijing-based People’s Public Security University of China (PPSUC) to offer a variety of programmes to officers. The educational programmes focus on leadership, counter-terrorism, domestic and cyber security, VIP protection and the Chinese language Mandarin. All courses range in duration from six months to three years, and include a four months undergraduate exchange programme, six to 12 months Chinese language training, a two to three weeks on-the-job short training course and a threeyear Master of Laws (LLM) degree. JMPD Chief of Staff Superinten-

dent Eldred Fortein says the partnership aims to promote joint activities and exchanges to strengthen relations between Beijing and Johannesburg. “We are committed to the development of our officers and aiding them to be the best they could possibly be in the City and the world. We partnered with PPSUC because they are one of the best policing institutions in the world,” Fortein adds. All the fees are paid for by the JMPD and PPSUC through their joint scholarship, except the LLM degree, Fortein says. “All LLM students are granted a Chinese Government Law Enforcement scholarship, which covers tuition and most of living expenses in China. Unfortunately, students have to pay travelling expenses from

their own pockets,” Fortein says. The JMPD and PPSUC have a memorandum of understanding for three years with a possibility of extending the partnership thereafter, if no disagreement is raised by either side, Fortein adds. The PPSUC was established in 1948 under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China. It provides an integrated police education and training system for Bachelor, Master’s, and PhD degrees and officer training programmes. About 700 foreign police and law enforcement officers participate in these programmes each year. Officers who wish to participate in the programmes are urged to contact JMPD Human Resources for application dates and criteria.

Braamfontein - Wits University seeks to get medical students to help out in required fields during the Covid-19 pandemic. The institution’s Professor of Vaccinology Shabir Madhi says: “We are likely to see an increase in number of hospitalisation over the course of the next 3-4 weeks, and right now the focus needs to be on leveraging on our existing human and facility resources.” Madhi adds that students do have a role to play. “But medical students cannot be fast-tracked, as this poses a greater risk in the long term. Rather those in final year could be asked to volunteer to assist,” he says. Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning Professor Judith Bruce says Wits has started engaging with students to have an exact tally of those who would like to volunteer. “At the moment we are establishing who would be willing to volunteer,” she says. The idea of having medical stu-

dents volunteer in hospitals is already being implemented in Britain, where final-year students are fast-tracked, and join the workforce in time to contribute to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The Guardian newspaper recently reported that the Medical Schools Council (MSC) advised UK’s 42 medical schools to prioritise qualifying final-year students, regardless of them having completed their clinical exams. The decision is to allow students to be provisionally registered by the General Medical Council (GMC) and begin working as doctors as soon as possible. The letter to the schools from the MSC’s co-chairs and chief executive stated: “It is important that medical schools do not delay qualification and so prevent new doctors joining the workforce. We suggest that finals are simplified as far as possible, consistent with testing necessary learning objectives.”

Man and child killed in shack fire ‘According to neighbours on the scene, the bodies were assumed to be those of a father and his child’ Germiston - In the early hours of Monday morning a man and a child were burned to death after a fire broke out at the Good Hope informal settlement in Germiston. Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Services (EMS) spokesper-

son Eric Maloka said at around 02:30am teams responded to reports of the fire. “Upon their arrival several shacks were found to be engulfed in flames. Backup was provided by a neighbouring fire station and 15 fire-fighters were deployed to assist in extinguishing the fire. The fire was contained, and following search-and-rescue efforts, two bodies were recovered.” Maloka said according to neighbours on the scene, the bodies were assumed to be those of a father and his child. “About 10 dwellings were destroyed, but no injuries had been reported. The cause of the fire was still undetermined, and fire safety officials were summoned to assist with investigations,” Maloka said. The scene was handed over to the police for further investigation.

16 - 23 April 2020

Inner-city Gazette

News

Joburg CBD vendor Dade Hlatshwayo has been working in Helen Joseph Street for decades.

Pic Zoe Postman

Covid-19 could push half a billion Africans into poverty, says Oxfam

The African Union, which is chaired by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, has been urged to raise its voice to defend the right of African governments to protect their citizens from the worst pandemic in 100 years. Sibongile Khumalo A waste picker in a Joburg street

Relief for waste pickers Johannesburg - Government will be distributing food vouchers to waste pickers in an effort to alleviate their suffering during the lockdown. On Sunday the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries said since the collection of recyclable waste was not included as an essential service during the lockdown, waste pickers have been unable to earn a living and are experiencing extreme hardship. The department said after several meetings with the packaging industry, it has secured R785 000 which will be used to help waste pickers and reclaimers who have lost their livelihoods. Twelve companies in the packaging industry made donations. About 3 925 waste pickers who make a living by recycling materials around the country will receive vouchers which they can reclaim at specified retailers. The department had already paid 1 000 of these vouchers to waste reclaimers by Thursday, it said. Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy said the electronic vouchers will be distributed to waste pickers’ cell phones. Organisations representing recyclers have submitted lists of beneficiaries who will receive the vouchers. “We are grateful to all those who have opened their hearts to the distress of Waste Reclaimers. Because the need out there is so

great, we urge others to join our partnership and donate generously,” Creecy said. The department’s spokesperson Albi Modise said: “We decided to work via the associations because we want to make sure that it’s people who are legitimate reclaimers. But it could be that we move on, we find additional reclaimers who may not have been on the initial lists or people who have changed cellphone numbers and we’ve struggled to get hold of them. Those people must get in touch with their associations.” The department said also with the help of Coca-Cola Beverages SA and Fibre Circle, it also distributed food parcels to waste pickers in Gauteng and handed out food vouchers to the waste reclaimers in Sasolburg.

nternational charity organisation Oxfam is urging rich countries to help poorer nations prevent catastrophic poverty levels. This follows the World Bank predicting that the on-going economic impact of the coronavirus could push Sub-Saharan Africa into its first recession in over 25 years. According to separate reports released by the organisations, African countries need to act swiftly to cushion their economies against the economic and humanitarian shocks of the deadly virus. The World Bank, in its bi-annual Africa’s Pulse report, said growth in sub-Saharan Africa has been ‘significantly impacted’ by the outbreak. The World Bank states that growth in sub-Saharan Africa could fall sharply from 2.4% in 2019 to -2.1 to -5.1% in 2020, sending the county region into recession, the first in over 25 years. Countries in the region would be unevenly affected by the pandemic, however. The GDP of three largest regional economies, South Africa,

Angola and Nigeria are projected to ‘fall sharply’ as a result of weak growth and investment. Although governments in the continent have acted quickly to attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19, the crisis has the potential to spark a food security crisis, with agricultural production potentially contracting by between -2.6% to -7% if there are trade blockages. Economist and lead author of the report Cesar Calderon says the immediate measures are important. “But there is no doubt there will be need for some sort of debt relief from bilateral creditors to secure the resources urgently needed to fight Covid-19 and to help manage or maintain macroeconomic stability in the region,” he said. Food imports would decline substantially, as much as 25% or as little as 13%, due to a combination of higher transaction costs and reduced domestic demand. In its Economic Rescue Plan for All, Oxfam outlined measures that could be adopted to cushion poorer nations from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The charity said at least $2.5 trillion must be mobilised to tackle the pandemic and prevent global economic collapse. Unlike ordinary assistance, the plan suggests prioritising helping people directly, giving cash grants to those in need and the immediate suspension of the debt payments of poor countries. This should be combined with a one-off economic stimulus by the IMF and an increase in aid and taxes, according to the organisation. Oxfam further predicts that the economic crisis caused by coronavirus ‘could push over half a billion people into poverty’ unless urgent action is taken. The African Union, which is chaired by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, has been urged to raise its voice to defend the right of African governments to protect their citizens from the worst pandemic in 100 years. China and the Paris Club of creditor nations could play a leadership role on the world stage by announcing suspension of all debt payments by developing country governments for the next year, it said. Fin24

Inner-city Gazette

16 - 23 April 2020

Inner-city Gazette

The Arts

‘Theatre will

rise again’ drive is on Lusanda Zokufa

he #TheatreWillRiseAgain is a social media campaign initiated by the Market Theatre Foundation for artists to share dramatic monologues and solo performances. The videos offer a walk down memory lane of some of the contemporary works the Market Theatre has staged over the years. Market Theatre Foundation’s communications manager Zama Buthelezi says the programme, curated by the Market Theatre’s artistic director, James Ngcobo, features some of South Africa’s leading actors, dancers, musicians and poets. “They join our efforts to keep theatre alive online during the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.” Artistic director James Ngcobo says: “Though our industry has been badly affected by the lockdown to curb this global pandemic, it is important that theatre is kept alive through our social media platforms.” Ngcobo mobilised leading actors to create a self-recording of them performing a monologue from one of the plays that had graced the Market Theatre’s stages. “I thought it would be fitting to talk to these amazing artists about recording monologues for social media, so that it can reach a wider audience

A scene in a previous edition of Cinderella

Joburg celebrates annual pantomime

Ntombi Mashaba

t the most difficult time for artists, musicians and theatre workers across the globe, Joburg Theatre looks forward to its annual tradition of the theatre’s Janice Honeyman, written-and-directed pantomime opening for performances from October 30 this year. Joburg City Theatres CEO Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema says: “Although we of course hope to return to our regular programming at all our venues in the very near future, it is both comforting and exciting to know that this most popular of all South African family shows will definitely be back on our boards in the festive season, with the most acclaimed cast ever assembled for the panto.” This year’s Cinderella features Desmond Dube, in his seventh Jan-

ice Honeyman panto, and Ben Voss as Cinderella’s two ugly stepsisters. Desmond and Ben were both nominated for Naledi Awards for their hilarious on-stage antics in 2018’s Snow White. Best known for her starring role as Mamokete Khuse in the eTV soapie Rhythm City, famed South African actress Connie Chiume will make her panto debut this year as the Fairy Godmother. Hugely popular panto regular Bongi Mthombeni also returns to Cinderella, this time in the iconic role of Buttons. Young and multi-talented KirunaLind Devar gets to play the title role in the panto once again, following her personal triumph as Snow White two years ago. As her Prince Charming, the producers welcome SAMA and Ghoema Award-winning rock idol and stage heart-throb Kyle

Grant, also making his panto debut. Multi-award winning film, TV and stage actor Graham Hopkins returns to pantoland to play the comedy role of Baron Horace Hard-Up. The show’s executive producer Bernard Jay says: “With its regular season of 72 performances, 18 of which are sold-out each year to school learners, we are counting down the days to be back on the spectacular Nelson Mandela Theatre stage at Joburg Theatre.” Janice Honeyman’s 2020 Cinderella will have an all-South African team of 21 performers, five musicians and over 30 technicians and stage crew. Musical direction is by Dale-Ray Scheepers, choreography by Nicol Sheraton, lighting design by Graham McLusky and sound design by Akhona Bozo. Visit www.joburgtheatre.com

uotable

uotes

By Prophet Philip Banda

Market Theatre’s Zama Buthelezi

through this period. I asked Mncedisi Shabangu to perform a monologue from Sizwe Banzi is Dead. It was such a joy to see two young actors tackling this piece and to witness the timelessness of the play. I so enjoyed watching them stepping into the shoes of John Kani and Winston Ntshona,” says Ngcobo. Among the series of monologues in the campaign is Dorothy Ann Gould’s performance as Hester in Hello and Goodbye written by Athol Fugard. The selection of solo performances also includes Lulu Mlangeni doing a solo dance piece as well as Tshepo Mngoma doing a violin recital of Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring by Bach. Audiences can also look forward to solo performances from Gugu Shezi and poems by Eric Miyeni and Sandile Ngidi. The programme also features an intergeneration of actors, among them Atandwa Kani, Nat Ramabulana, Lesedi Job and Lerato Gwebu. Go to Instagram @markettheatre; Facebook@TheMarketTheatre and Twitter: @markettheatre.

Soccer body welcomes Olympics postponement This should come as a welcome relief for coach Notoane, who had some players who could miss out if the rule was not relaxed Sports Reporter

he South African Football Association (SAFA) has welcomed the FIFA decision to move the Olympics Games from the initial 24 July - 9 August 2020 to 23 July-8 August 2021. FIFA also adjusted the age group of those participating in football competition from the standard Under-23 age group to 24 in light of the Games having been moved by a year.

This will allow the players who qualified for the tournament to take part in the Olympics. South Africa, Egypt and Ivory Coast will represent the African continent at the Tokyo Olympics. The women’s event has no age limit. SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan said: “We have a great team comprising some very talented and up and coming stars. Coach David Notoane has assembled an ambitious squad which has all the qualities to go

all the way in the upcoming Olympic Games.” This should come as a welcome relief for coach Notoane, who had some players who could miss out if the rule was not relaxed. The men’s tournament will kick off before the 23 July 2021 opening ceremony in Tokyo. FIFA has called off all national team matches set to be played in June 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic grips the world.

Safa president Danny Jordaan

Banyana Banyana was to play either Malawi or eSwatini in AFCON qualifiers, while Bafana Bafana was to host Ghana in the return leg of the 2021 Afcon. The FIFA-Confederations working group will continue discussions as the situation evolves.