Inner City Gazette

Honours for top business women

Johannesburg - Winners of the eighth annual Santam Women of the Future Awards, in association with Fairlady and Truelove, have been announced.

At the Venue Green Park in Morningside guests included businesswomen and media personalities Miss South Africa Ndavi Nokeri, Johanna Makgalemele, Uyanda Mbuli, Sonia Booth, Jena Dover, Catherine Constantinides, Miss Earth SA Ziphozethu Sithebe, Anthea Gardner and Zuraida Jardine.

The winners were selected from a shortlist of nine finalists by judges Professor Thuli Madonsela, chair in social justice at Stellenbosch University; Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers SA; Dawn Nathan-Jones, entrepreneur and CEO of Over the Rainbow; Enid Lizamore, head of human

resources at Santam; Suzy Brokensha, Fairlady editor-in-chief and Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa, Truelove editorin-chief.

Monalisa Zwambila of The Riverbed Agency was named the Santam Woman of the Future, which is awarded to an entrepreneur whose business is over 1 000 days old. The agency is a womanowned advertising agency that provides integrated communications services to global clients. Zwambila says being recognised for her efforts is rewarding.

“Winning the title also acknowledges my team at Riverbed, and something they can be proud of too,” she says.

Janna Kretzmar of EarthChild Project was named the Santam Social Entrepreneur, awarded to an entrepreneur making a real difference in her commu-

nity. The project offers complementary education to under-resourced schools in Khayelitsha and Lavender Hill in Cape Town, with a focus on the environment, health and life skills.

“To have my work recognised means so much to me and my team who so diligently support me,” Kretzmar says.

Amahle Ntshinga of Luntu was named the Santam Rising Star, awarded to an entrepreneur who is still within her first 1 000 days of business. Luntu is an online store that sources products from suppliers from marginalised groups. It is doing business in 24 countries across six continents. For Ntshinga, winning the award is validation that her hard work has been worth it.

“In some months sales get really low, and I would ask myself whether I

should keep going. But I will not give up, especially while knowing that we are able to help more businesses to grow,” she says.

The Santam Readers’ Choice Award, voted for by the public, went to Zanele Ngcobo of BNK Solar, which provides solar solutions and assists clients with energy management systems and efficiency solutions. Ngcobo won a Golden Circle Mentorship programme from Over the Rainbow worth R9 000.

Brokensha said: “The winners make me proud because of their excellent businesses, and enormous energy they put in making our country work. ”

Zwane-Siguqa said: “All the finalists are exemplary leaders. I am grateful to the judges who gave us their time and wisdom, as well as all our sponsors.”

Riverbed Agency CEO Monalisa Zwambila

Choosing a CaReeR

With all the choices available it can be challenging to know where to start. As a leading South African academic institution with over 30 years of experience in guiding young adults in making the best career choices, Boston City Campus shares the top 5 key factors to consider when choosing the career path that is right for you.

Choosing the institution

Find out more about your campus by taking a look at the prospectus that will outline the courses and subjects offered.

With digital advances, the world narrows as communication and work efforts lose borders and times zones. What this means for you is that you have heaps more potential work opportunities! You want to know that your qualification is recognised both locally and internationally. Boston concurs! Establishing a benchmark of a high standard of education combined with international recognition, Boston has successfully obtained institutional accreditation from the British Accreditation Council (BAC), and is a candidate for accreditation for specific programmes with The Accreditation Council for Business School and Programs (ACBSP), USA.

This means that as a Boston graduate you are now assured that your institution is internationally recognised. This also means that the institution’s education is on par with standards of the international education landscape. Additionally, as a student, you can enjoy a balanced educational approach of local accreditation, while maintaining an active link with global education standards and trends.

2. Your values and interests

Your interests and values play an important part in guiding you in your choice of career. We live in exciting times when there are a lot of different career options available to us!

Starting points include looking at

someone whose career you admire, and finding out what their qualifications are. Read through the courses and categories in the prospectus whether hard copy or online, as this can help narrow your field of interest. Look for something that matches your personality, values and goals.

Choosing the career best suited to you is life-changing which is why Boston has an online assessment to guide you in choosing a career aligned to your skills and interests.

3. Evaluate Your Skills Knowing your skills strengths and weaknesses will help guide you in choosing your career and course.

Start by asking yourself two questions:

1. What do I like to do?

2. What am I good at?

Your natural interests can be used to guide you towards choosing the course that is right for you and in which you are likely to excel. Keep in mind that while we all have unique skills and talents, we can also develop new abilities and improve our current skill set.

4. Experience your qualification in the professional environment

WhatsApp mod hits African users

Tech Reporter

Researchers at Kaspersky have discovered a new malicious version of a WhatsApp messenger mod called YoWhatsApp.

Popular for having features the official app does not offer, this mod spreads the notorious Triada mobile trojan, which can download other trojans, issue paid subscriptions and even steal WhatsApp accounts.

Users around the world were affected by this threat in the last two months, 27% from the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) region.

This new malicious mod is advertised in the popular Snaptube app, also distributed via Vidmate.

There are many different ways to get up close and personal with the qualification of your dreams. Being able to have first-hand experience of a particular career can help you see if your chosen career is right for you. This includes research, job shadowing, internship, interviewing experts in a field of interest and networking on LinkedIn.

5. Earning capacity

Financial stability it is an important reality which must be considered when choosing your degree/diploma and career. The employment environment has become fluid, it is important to be clear on your chances of finding work once you graduate. Look through job advertisements or make an appointment with the Human Resources department at a relevant company.

Choosing the right career may not be easy, but these steps discussed can go a long way in helping you to settle on an option that can make you happy and assist in achieving your life goals. Always keep the big picture in mind - targeting where you want to be in the next 5 - 10 years to guide you in your journey of achieving fulfillment in your career.

WhatsApp is used by millions worldwide, but not all are satisfied with features the app offers. Some users download WhatsApp mods that give more options, such as custom backgrounds and more. However, such mods are not always secure.

Previously Kaspersky discovered another modification of WhatsApp, which also spreads the dangerous Triada mobile trojan. Researchers indicate that fraudsters continue to take advantage of the globally recognised messenger by creating malicious modifications, such as some versions of the so-called YoWhatsApp.

To infect as many users as possible, cybercriminals advertise the malicious YoWhatsApp mod in the popular Android app Snaptube, which is used to download videos from YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Since YoWhatsApp is being advertised in the Snaptube app used by hundreds of thousands around the world, many are not aware that this modification could be dangerous.

YoWhatsApp is also being distributed via the Vidmate app, which has an

unofficial Android app store. Here attackers published a malicious version of YoWhatsApp called Whatsapp Plus. Since Vidmate is not an official app store, likelihood of malicious apps being distributed there increases, and Whatsapp plus, which infects with the Triada trojan, is an example.

To use the WhatsApp mod users need to log in to their account of the legitimate app. However, along with the new features, users also receive the Triada trojan. Having infected the victim, attackers download and run malicious payloads on their device, as well as get hold of the keys to their account on the official WhatsApp app. This gives them ability to steal accounts and get money from victims by signing them up for paid subscriptions they are not even aware of.

Security researcher Anton Kivva says users believe that if the application they are using is safe any advertising on it does not carry any risks.

“However this is not always the case, so we recommend that users download applications only from official app stores. They will not always carry the same large number of custom features, but they will definitely be much safer for you, reducing the possibility of losing your account or money,” Kivva adds.

Matric finals are here! Many students are making choices about their careers, even as they study and wrote exams.

Users have been advised to download applications only from official app stores

Residents urged to use water sparingly

This follows interruptions at a bulk supplier in Vereeniging which were caused by a series of power outages

Female tech entrepreneurs to be honoured

Johannesburg - The sixth annual Innovator Trust Women in Tech (Wit) Appreciation Experience aims to honour female tech entrepreneurs for achievements in their businesses.

The awards, to take place on 16 November, are hosted by the Innovator Trust, a small-business training incubation facilitator established in 2014.

Its mission is to support development of sustainable information and communications technology SMMEs.

Now in its sixth year, the Wit Appreciation Experience event was initially conceptualised primarily to recognise female beneficiaries from the enterprise development, supplier development and young entrepreneur programmes that are facilitated by the Innovator Trust.

Since its inception, the Innovator Trust has incubated more than 190 black-owned ICT small businesses, some of which have been able to grow from the start-up phase to medium and large-scale enterprises.

For the last two years, the event was virtual and offered a line-up of keynote addresses and panel discussions featuring women in leadership such as Small Business Development Minister Stella NdabeniAbrahams; former public protector Professor Thuli Madonsela; Nelson Mandela Bay University chancellor Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi and Vodacom director for external Affairs, Takalani Netshitenzhe.

This year’s event will be hosted as a one-day event to include those unable to attend in person. Leading women of industry, innovators, government, academia, media and

Food problem awareness drive

Abongile Guntu

Environmental Health Services, Social Development, Joburg Market and the Heart and Stroke Foundation gathered at Fred and Marties soup kitchen in Claremont, for the World Food Day Event on 21 October.

The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of the world food problem and assisting soup kitchens in the community with food and donations.

One of the owners of a soup kitchen, Yolindie Oberholzer said: “The soup kitchen plays a significant role within the community through providing food parcels every second week and feeding at least 400 people every day. Children are also assisted with after school programmes uniform and stationery.”

The Social Development Food Resilient unit provided the community with seeds and did a demonstration on how to plant them.

City of Joburg Urban Agriculture Management’s Gladness Boikanyo said: “Our unit donated 10 packs of vegetables for the World Food Day because the unit’s core programme focuses on gardening, encouraging food security and sustainability.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation encouraged participants to make informed decisions regarding their food in terms of maintaining nourishment. The foundation’s Emma Siluma said: “We believe this initiative will help expose a healthy living lifestyle, which will reduce issues of stroke, heart disease, hypertension and heart attacks.”

Environmental Health Services also raised awareness on food handling, temperature control, hygiene and washing of hands. Its operational manager Morne Swart said: “It is important to give the community knowledge on why they should do things a certain way, such as washing their hands and wearing proactive gear when handing food.”

small business owners are expected to attend the event.

CEO of the Innovator Trust Tashline Jooste says:

“Wit 2022 presents a call to action for women to #PowerUp in support of each other and unite toward creating opportunities for economic growth within the realm of tech entrepreneurship, despite the dire economic and social climate.”

In addition the programme promises an impressive lineup of guest speakers and panel discussions engaging on topics such as women and sustainability, African entrepreneurship and the effects of the energy crisis in the SMME sector and challenging the current status quo on the state of women in technology and entrepreneurship.

Virtual registrations to the event are now open until 16 November.

Johannesburg - Residents have been urged to use water sparingly while Joburg Water attends to water shortage affecting parts of the Gauteng province. Joburg Water managing director Ntshavheni Mukwevho attributed the water shortages to power outages at some of its reservoirs, among other challenges.

This follows interruptions at a bulk supplier in Vereeniging which were caused by a series of power outages. The temporary disturbance is said to have negatively impacted pumps at some reservoirs.

“We require 2 500 kilolitres per hour for our pumps to operate at

optimal levels. The power interruption meant that the reservoir for our bulk supplier went low, which also affected our reservoirs,” Mukwevho said.

City Power said the reservoirs to which it supplies electricity are exempt from the rolling blackouts, and attributed the power outages to vandalism, theft and aging infrastructure.

City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava said: “We are able to isolate during load shedding and we ensure that their power is kept on.”

Meanwhile residents have been urged to exercise patience while the system is under pressure.

Helpline to address drug abuse

Johannesburg - The Gauteng government has launched a 24-hour substance abuse call centre service to help those in need of counselling, and is expected to address the drug abuse in communities.

The Department of Social Development has deployed social workers to manage the admission of drug addicts into rehabilitation centres.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the helpline will be led by agents who will refer clients to social workers for professional assistance.

Those in need of help can call:

0800 2288 27 134 474727 # and follow the prompts; send an email to GPAntiSubstanceAbuse@Gauteng. gov.zaUSSD, or dial 134 474727# and follow the prompts.

The event aims to honour female tech entrepreneurs for achievements in their businesses

Some of the community members who attended the World Food Day event

Joburg Water managing director Ntshavheni Mukwevho

Leading women of industry, innovators, government, academia, media and small business owners are expected to attend the event

SMEs urged to drive job creation

Johannesburg - With small and medium enterprises (SMEs) providing an estimated 60% of all employment opportunities in the country, their potential to provide social upliftment and development is unlimited.

As policy makers, businesspeople and civil society put measures in place to work towards economic recovery; small business entrepreneurship must be at the centre of public discourse as one of the key opportunities to solve South Africa’s most pressing economic and social challenges.

Executive manager for Impact Investing at Business Partners Limited David Morobe says after seeing small business confidence decrease steadily as SMEs struggled to navigate the challenges of the pandemic years, a recent SME confidence index found that this is shifting.

“We are encouraged by that small businesses have confidence levels of 77% that the current economic conditions are conducive to business growth, the highest it has been in a decade. This is a positive sign that the sector is finding its feet again after two years of instability. This is of particular relevance now, given the country’s on-going unemployment crisis,” he adds.

A report by Finfind, in partnership with the South African SME Fund, puts the total number of SMEs

in the country at around three million.

According to the report, the average number of employees per SME varies between 12 and 27, with most full-time positions being offered by mediumsized enterprises with an average annual turnover of R10m.

Morobe says creating the number of jobs required to make a dent in the unemployment rate is an ambitious task, but one that can be realised by unwavering collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as other stakeholders who provide support for South Africa’s entrepreneurs.

“Fortunately industry trends locally and abroad are expanding the landscape of opportunity and providing entrepreneurs with a chance to explore uncharted business territories. As financiers we must continue to provide the necessary sup-

port to SMEs to facilitate their growth and sustainability,” he says.

The increasing development and application of technology such as cloud computing has the potential to revolutionise the SME sector.

According to the 2022 State of South Africa Small Business Report by accounting technology firm, Xero, half of businesses now use cloud technology, with 30% claiming that it has enabled them to expand their customer base and 28% saying cloud technology has made a direct impact on the efficiency of their operations.

Morobe says cloud technology presents SMEs with reach and enormous growth potential.

“SMEs will continue to grow as new and emerging entrepreneurs adopt the remote working trend and digital nomad approach to work: Cloud technology has been found to dramatically reduce the cost of doing busi-

Police and Bemssel college in GBV march

Police in conjunction with Social Crime Prevention had a march with Bemssel College learners, staff, security agents and organizations, to rescue them from the jaws of GBV, domestic violence and violence in all its forms.

They are committed, as individuals and a collective, to render any form of support which they can render, within their power, in order to end violence in communities.

They have decided to embark on this campaign, code-named *”END IT NOW “* with the hope of seeing these evils eradicated from our homes and public places as soon as yesterday.

BEMSSEL College further pledged, as individuals and as a collective, that we will not be propagators or perpetrators of violence. Their dream is to live in a violencefree South Africa.

Police in conjunction with Social Crime Prevention had a march with Bemssel College learners.

“The main aim was to sensitise them about GBV, we requested them to become our eyes and ears in the fight against crime,” Mbele said.

A memorandum was handed to Lt Colonel Sithole on behalf of the Station Commander Brigadier Perumal.

ness, which could free up capital for human resources, innovation and other business avenues.”

On a global scale business and social activism are merging to form the basis of a new class of entrepreneurship, a kind that values profitability in the same way as it prioritises aspects such as community development, social justice and charitable objectives.

“We have seen some organisations being developed around issues such as education, access to public services, environmental conservation and climate change. The rise of social entrepreneurship also presents a range of opportunities. It can be summarised as problem solving. In South Africa, which has its fair share of unique socio-economic challenges, these problems are opportunities in disguise for entrepreneurial individuals,” Morobe says.

Another trend driving innovation within the SME sector is evolution of customer experience. Given the fierce rate of competition SMEs are increasingly making use of optimised customer service experience as a point of differentiation and the basis of their value proposition.

“As the customer experience evolves more job opportunities will arise at every level, from call centres and customer service agents to community managers and product support executives. Technology will continue to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunities they require to grow successful ventures. Coupled with the government’s drive to increase infrastructure development, attract foreign investment and promote training programmes, the SME sector stands in good stead to create much-needed employment opportunities for millions of South Africans,” Morobe says.

Robbers get 12 years jail

“They entered the shop pretending to be customers, pointed a firearm at the cashiers and took an undisclosed amount of money and one of the cashiers’ cellphone and fled.”

Johannesburg - On Wednesday the Johannesburg magistrate’s court sentenced two men to 12 years imprisonment after they were found guilty of armed robbery.

Police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the men, Mlungisi Hudle, 29, and Phakamani Ximba, 27, of Nancefield Hostel were found guilty of business robbery and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment each.

“The men robbed the Engen garage at Westdene on 21 December 2019. They entered the shop pretending to be customers, pointed a firearm at the cashiers and took an undisclosed amount of money and one of the cashiers’ cellphone and fled. The cashiers screamed for help, community members and police chased and arrested both men. The cellphone, money and a firearm were recovered,” Mbele said.

He added that the conviction resulted from investigation by Sergeant Mbali Mbense of Johannesburg Central Trio Detectives.

“We hope this sentence will deter would-be offenders from the same crime,” he added.

Prasa introduces electrical motor trains in Gauteng

“In its recovery strategy the agency adopted a phased-in approach in rebuilding the passenger rail corridors that were decimated.”

Johannesburg - The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) says it has introduced new electrical motor trains in Gauteng.

Several lines were damaged by vandalism and theft, and Prasa says it is making steady progress with repairs.

The agency said eight major lines have been repaired in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town this year, and it plans to open all railway lines by the end of this year.

Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said in its recovery strategy the agency adopted a phased-in approach in rebuilding the passenger rail corridors that were decimated.

“Since the recovery of the corridors and reopening of the lines, Metrorail has transported around 4.1 million people in the second quarter and created 1 096 job opportunities,” Makanda said.

Police search for armed robbers

Cleveland - Police are searching for suspects who are linked to armed robberies in Jules Street, Malvern, and the Denver informal settlement.

Police spokesperson Captain Johan Jordaan said one of the suspects is known as Mteki Dlamini.

“It is believed that he might be somewhere in Soweto, while the other two are still unknown,” Jordaan said.

He added that anyone with any information of the suspect’s whereabouts may contact investigation officer DetectiveSergeant Mocheke of Cleveland police on 072 931 1430, and all information will be confidential.

Impact Investing manager at Business Partners David Morobe

Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda

Part of the march against GBV

Boost for African music industry

Arts Correspondent

Pan-African communications consultancy service All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has appointed APO Group founder Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard to its international committee.

The AFRIMA International Committee is a group of music professionals and prominent African stakeholders.

The committee, together with the African Union Commission, organises the annual AFRIMA Awards which recognise the best African talent in diverse musical genres from all over Africa.

This year’s AFRIMA Awards will be held from 8 to 11 December, culminating in a ceremony that will be broadcast live to over 80 countries around the world.

In his role with the AFRIMA committee Pompigne-Mognard will leverage his vast experience of African business and communications, having founded APO Group in 2007 and seen it grow into a pan-African public relations consultancy reaching into all 54 African countries.

Pompigne-Mognard and APO Group have built relationships with some of the most prominent public and private institutions, sporting organisations and multinational companies operating in Africa, making them well placed to help AFRIMA achieve its core mission of a peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa through the celebration of excellence in African music and culture.

Africa has been influential in shaping the global music industry.

Genres from rock to hip-hop to bluegrass all have their origins in traditional African styles and the music created by African slaves in America.

Today the African music industry is growing fast, and increased popularity of African music on the global stage creates a pathway to increased commercial opportunity

Partnership in arts awards expo

Tshudufhadzo Magadagela

MTN SA Foundation and UJ Art Gallery partnership, supported by Business and Arts South Africa, has seen the launch of the MTN X UJ New Contemporary Awards which look at developing the curator and artists selected to participate.

and growth for African economies.

Data from Apple Music’s streaming service shows that mixes from African DJs increased by more than 500% from August 2021 to August 2022, while African electronic genres like Afrobeats, Amapiano and Gqom are generating massive numbers of followers.

Other members of the AFRIMA International Committee include Rikki Stein, former personal manager of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.

AFRIMA president and executive producer Michael Dada said they welcome Pompigne-Mognard.

“He has always been committed to changing the narrative about Africa, and elevating the continent on the world stage,” Dada said.

Pompigne-Mognard said AFRIMA is hugely important within the African music industry.

“It provides global spotlight for the best African talent and demonstrates the universal power of music as a symbol of hope and unity in Africa. I am thrilled to be working with those who share my vision for helping Africa realise its potential,”

This year Khanya Mashabela was awarded the curatorship of the awards, and has been formulating her research, selection of artists and vision for the inaugural event on 25 November at UJ Art Gallery.

The MTN X UJ New Contemporary Awards programme places emphasis on developments in the digital arts sphere, and Mashabela focuses her attention there. She looks to explore identity as a construction which is both real and imagined, communicated through objects in physical and virtual realms.

Her selected artists take a variety of approaches to the project of identity construction, with the exhibition serving as a curated view of a crosssection of strategies.

“Though the internet has radically changed us, many of the concerns navigated via digital and lens-based media have existed long before then. I don’t intend the exhibition to examine the internet as something which is external to the world. Rather it will explore the relationship between selfhood and objecthood, in the contemporary context; a relationship often mediated through technology,” says Mashabela.

Mashabela’s research was mainly conducted through artist-run online spaces including Floating Rever-

ies and Bubblegum Club, as well as physical, artist-organised exhibitions and studio visits.

Although the use of digital mediums and interactive art is established, one of the challenges Mashabela found in making her selection was that many technologically adept artists working with digital art as their primary medium had moved into fields such as marketing and tech rather than the visual arts.

In making her final decision Mashabela was supported by the Legacy Panel consisting of four previous award curators Dr Kathryn Smith, Dr Portia Malatjie, Nontobeko Ntombela and Khwezi Gule; with Melissa Goba as the panel convener.

“Though Natalie Paneng and Callan Grecia use different tools they are interested in mediated personal identities, the aesthetic choices we make as we represent ourselves and environments virtually,” states Mashabela.

She adds that Thandiwe Msebenzi takes a more historical approach in the Radical Makaza, a project in tribute to her aunt’s personal history. The project was prototyped on Instagram with Msebenzi using clothes and landscapes along with digital filters to recreate an identity, with an atmosphere of historicity.

“Inga Somdyala’s approach is more abstract than that of other artists, but he also explores material culture and the ability of objects to act as a fundamental part of selfhood, though he is more explicit about his interest in a broader national identity. Somdyala also chooses extremely tactile objects, which reasserts the power of

physicality,” Mashabela adds.

MTN’s Art Collection manager Niel Nortje says: “What excites me about the relationship between the arts and technology is the accessibility it allows the public to interact with the arts, and how our young curators, artists, academics and specialists will be the driving force behind this crucial intervention.”

The four artists selected as finalists for the awards are Cape Town-based artists Inga Somdyala and Thandiwe Msebenzi, Callan Grecia working in George and Natalie Paneng in Johannesburg.

Curator of the UJ Art Gallery Thabo Seshoka says Mashabela’s selection demonstrates her understanding of the medium and curatorial possibilities.

“We are excited about the work these four artists will create for the exhibition in November. This award programme pushes the boundaries of curatorial practice; also about being innovative and courageous,” Seshoka says.

In the next months artists, guided by Mashabela’s vision, will create an artwork for display at the awards.

Pompigne-Mognard added.

Curator Khanya Mashabela

Musician Makhadzi displays her award during a previous Afrima event

She looks to explore identity as a construction which is both real and imagined, communicated through objects in physical and virtual realms

SAFA raises FIFA World Cup hope for Banyana

Jordaan used the trip to the draw to also sell South Africa’s bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Sports Reporter

Following the recent draw for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, where Banyana Banyana were pitted against Italy, Sweden and Argentina in Group G; SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan believes that the team has a chance to make it out of the group stages when the tournament kicks off in July 2023.

“The World Cup has the 32 best teams in the world, and every group is tough. But looking at our group, I think we stand a chance and we have to prepare well now.

We do not have a world champion in our group, so we do stand a chance but it won’t be easy. All African teams, I think, are in extremely strong groups. We hope that one or two African teams get through to the second round. We have been to France and this is our second time at the World Cup, we have to go through to the next round,” he said.

Jordaan used the trip to the draw to also sell South Africa’s bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“As far as bidding is concerned, we are

waiting for FIFA to bring out the requirements for bidding countries. Germany is here and they are bidding around and talking, and I also interacted with different people. So there is a strong feeling that we should be one of those who will be there at the end. It is still a long way to go, we have to get government approval and acceptance of our credentials from FIFA and get full scale of the bidding. But so far it is very encouraging,” he said.

World football governing body FIFA have announced the dates and times for the Women’s World Cup, which is to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand next year.

Banyana Banyana will be based in New Zealand and get their campaign underway against Sweden on 23 July 2023 at 17:00pm (06:00am RSA time) at the Wellington Regional Stadium.

The South African national women’s team will then face South Americans Argentina five days later on 28 July at the Dunedine Stadium at 12:00pm (01:00am RSA time).

Banyana will round off the group stages against Italy on 2 August at 19:00pm (08:00am) at Wellington Stadium.

Safa president Dr Danny Jordaan

Part of the scene from the Ekhaya youth football tournament that was held this week at Ekhaya Park in Hillbrow.