The Betway Premiership is heading toward a dramatic photo finish as league debutants Orbit College find themselves holding the keys to the South African football kingdom. In a classic David versus Gol...
The 16 Premier Soccer League teams in the Betway Premiership are edging closer to the end of a gruelling 10-month season as they prepare for their final two matchday league fixtures.
Mamelodi Sundown...
The remarkable rise of flanker Vincent Tshituka from a child refugee to the Springboks Test team will be completed on Saturday when he faces Italy in Pretoria.
The remarkable rise of flanker Vincent Tshituka from a child refugee to the Springboks Test team will be completed on Saturday when he faces Italy in Pretoria.
He fled to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo with his family in 2002 to avoid politically-induced violence.
Later, while studying at the University of Johannesburg, he fell in love with rugby. It was an unusual choice given he came from a country where football is the dominant sport.
Tshituka caught the eye of scouts from the Johannesburg-based Lions, one of the four major rugby franchises in South Africa, and quickly established himself in the matchday 23.
In 2022 he moved to another of the 'big four', the Sharks in Durban, and became part of a Springbok-stacked pack.
But to be eligible for the Springboks he had to become a South African citizen, which the 26-year-old achieved recently.
He debuted for South Africa against the Barbarians last weekend and scored two tries in a 54-7 triumph. However, it was an exhibition match, so no caps were awarded.
But the clash with Italy is an official Test and no Springbok will be prouder than Tshituka when he runs on to the Loftus Versfeld pitch.
"Playing for the Springboks in a Test is the greatest sporting honour available to me. I have dreamt for many years of wearing the green and gold," he told reporters.
"Fleeing Congo was a traumatic experience, particularly for my wonderful parents. After arriving in South Africa, my father would go to rubbish dumps, find items of value, and sell them to feed us.
"There was little money, but we survived because our parents displayed incredible love for their children. We owe them so much.
'DISADVANTAGE'
"I did not go to a rugby-playing school, which was a disadvantage. But at university I made up for lost time and it is hard to describe exactly how I feel before facing the Italians.
"The more difficult your background, the more you appreciate the opportunities life presents. Saturday is going to be an extraordinary special day for me and my family," he added.
Tshituka is one of only three Springboks in the matchday 23 who were not part of the 2019 or 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning teams.
The others are scrum-half Morne van den Berg and tighthead prop Wilco Louw as South Africa start a 13-Test schedule that ends in Wales in late November.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has shown respect toward Italy by fielding a team lackking only two regular first choices - injured flankers Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Captain Kolisi also missed the Barbarians match and outside centre Jesse Kriel debuts as a Test captain.
"Everyone expects us to beat Italy, but they were really competitive in the first two rounds of the 2025 Six Nations Championship," said Erasmus.
"Thereafter, they struggled with their player depth as they do not have such a large pool of players. They will be ready for us, though, and we dare not underestimate them."
Italy coach and former Argentina fly-half Gonzalo Quesada has made 10 changes to the team that started a narrow loss to Ireland last March in their final 2025 Six Nations outing.
Despite the defeat, the Azzurri dodged the wooden spoon for the second straight season having earlier beaten Wales in Rome.
Top-ranked South Africa are nine places above Italy and have scored an average of 55 points in winning seven previous home matches between the countries.
No where is the gap between the teams more evident than experience. Twelve of the Springboks matchday 23 boast more than 50 caps while Italy have just four half-centurions.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
There was a collective sigh of relief within the gathered crowd in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring when the name of Eight On Eighteen was read out by Graeme Hawkins as being among the 18 runners for the R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Trainer Justin Snaith was always cagey about whether his star colt would take his place in the line-up, given that he would carry top weight for a three-year-old of 57kg – the highest since Abashiri lumped 59kg into 13th place behind The Conglomerate in 2016.
But Snaith and owners Nick Jonsson and Johann Rupert have taken the plunge and Eight On Eighteen will make history should he win and become the first three-year-old in history to win the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met and the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July in the same year.
Eight On Eighteen is also likely to start one of the shortest priced favourites in the 129-year history of the race and his chances were further enhanced when he was drawn 11 in the 18-horse field.
James Crawford has two runners in the race, last year’s winner Oriental Charm who drew pole position, and Pomodoro’s Jet who drew eight. It would be an emotional win for James Crawford, who recently took over his father’s string with Brett now plying his trade in Hong Kong.
See It Again races in the same Nick Jonsson silks as Eight On Eighteen and has his third attempt after finishing second to Winchester Mansion two years back and an unlucky fifth last year behind Oriental Charm. He pulled a wide draw of 15.
Stuart Ferrie sends out his first July runner in the hard-knocking Gladatorian. A fast-finishing third behind Dave The King and Oriental Charm in the Gold Challenge, he also drew a wide gate of 16.
Dean Kannemeyer knows what it takes to train a July winner, successful with Dynasty, Eyeofthetiger and Power King, and The Real Prince drew gate five.
Royal Victory will have his supporters but Nathan Kotzen’s charge drew deep at 17. However, he is a winner of the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr1 Champion Challenge at Turffontein and finished third in the July last year behind Oriental Charm.
Fabian Habib has his first July runner in Confederate. Relatively lightly raced, the gelding has won four of his nine starts but has never finished further back than second. He won the Gr1 SA Classic, beating subsequent Gr1 Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack, and will be ridden by two-time South African and current New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy who has made the trip to ride in the race. He drew gate 14.
Mike de Kock has a stellar record in this race and has joined forces with his son Mathew. They have their first July runner together in the three-year-old and recent Gr3 Jubilee Stakes winner Immediate Edge. He carries bottom weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg and has won four of his six starts to date. He drew alongside Eight On Eighteen in gate 10.
Snaith has two other runners in the race, namely Okavango and the one-time winner Native Ruler. Okavango will be ridden by Andrew Fortune and drew 13 while Tristan Godden will have to navigate Native Ruler from gate 18.
Alec Laird and jockey Calvin Habib pin their hopes on Gr1 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch who drew favourably in four.
Andre Nel was first up to do the draw for Selukwe and came out with gate six. Serino Moodley will be doing the honours on Selukwe.
Alan Greef will fly the colours for the Eastern Cape with his star performer My Best Shot who has a midfield draw of nine.
Local owner Sid Moodley has his first July runner in Madison Valley and he drew gate two for his trainer Frank Robinson.
Rainbow Lorikeet is the only filly in the race and Candice Bass Robinson’s runner drew well in seven and will have Deigo de Gouveia aboard.
The Northern Cape Indoor Soccer League will compete in China in October this year.
It is the only indoor soccer league in the province. The league was established six years ago and has witnessed significant growth, with an increasing demand for team participation.
Chairperson of the league, Kgatliso Manake says the league is committed to youth development.
“We want to see this league growing, currently we have six teams. We want to have more teams. There is a much more demand for indoor soccer in the Northern Cape province. So far, I am extremely happy of how things have been unfolding. The league has grown in leaps and bounds, players from diverse backgrounds playing in the league and there is room for improvement.”
Orbit College sealed their spot in the Betway Premiership after claiming a 1-0 victory over Cape Town City FC on Wednesday at a packed Olympia Stadium in Rustenburg. The Mswenko Boys netted a second-half strike through Letsei Koapeng, a strike that ultimately relegated CT City to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and broke their hearts. Originating from the heart of North West province in Rustenburg, the Orbit Football Club, known as the “Mswenko Boys”, with a smooth operation of over 8 years under the management of Head Coach Pogisho Makhoye, the team has reached an effortless peak to get where they are at this present moment. The team has a remarkable league record, having competed in the second division of the South African Footb a l l Association (SAFA) from 2015 to 2023, consistently ranking among the top scorers. “Being part of the PSL has always been a goal for the team, so we had to work very hard and be extremely strategic to achieve it. The team is very excited.” Coach Pogisho Makhoye comments confidently. Orbit College FC made a historical move when they scored 1-0 against Cape Town City FC on their home grounds in Rustenburg, not only that, but they also notably got promoted from the ABC Motsepe Premiership to the big Premiership in a sequence of just two seasons. “The NFD is very challenging, but it has positively assisted in shaping the team,” Makhoye adds.All the players of the Orbit College FC are of fully fledged age, and the recruitment system is going to remain fixed. “We won’t be getting any new or additional players as of yet, the players will be promoted within the team.” Makhoye emphasizes. The Orbit College FC has put the North West province back on the map after almost a decade of no motion and has secured a sponsorship of R1 million from the North West Provincial Government (Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation) for the team’s development and operations for the season.A final, resonant quote that sums up the feeling, “We are ready for the Premier League, in fact, we have been ready,” Makhoye concludes.
Kaizer Chiefs have fallen short of their proud standards over the past two seasons, and as they prepare to mount a stronger challenge in the 2025/26 campaign, the need for a fresh, unified push from the start is critical.
Securing one of the most sought-after free agents on the market right now could be just the spark they need to begin that journey.
Under the leadership of Tunisian head coach Nasreddine Nabi, who is entering his second season at the helm, the Glamour Boys will continue their rebuilding mission. Nabi has been entrusted with the task of restoring pride and silverware to one of South Africa’s most iconic clubs.
While Chiefs endured another difficult league season — once again falling short of a top-half finish for the second season in a row, the biggest concern was the lack of visible clear progress throughout the season.
But with that said, the Tunisian did guide the team to a long-awaited triumph in the Nedbank Cup, beating rivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the final. That victory not only ended a near decade-long trophy drought but also served as a morale booster across the club.
The cup success was a crucial first step — one that brought much-needed belief back into the camp. But the real measure of progress will come in the new season, where consistency in the league remains the biggest challenge.
Having moved on from several underperforming squad members, Chiefs appear ready to embrace a new direction. But at the same time, one of the nation’s most talented players, Percy Tau, remains without a club, and signing him could be the most significant move the Soweto giants make in their rebuild.
Tau’s addition would not only bring flair and firepower on the pitch, but his presence could also serve as a valuable example for the younger players.
Though previous signings like former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Gaston Sirino have yet to fully deliver, the inclusion of someone with Tau’s pedigree—an established winner who’s excelled at the highest levels — could inject the quality and belief the team desperately needs.
Beyond what he offers in terms of goals, Tau's calm demeanor and vast experience could prove invaluable to Nabi, who navigated through a rollercoaster debut season.
Much of that instability stemmed from high expectations and a reliance on young, developing players. A seasoned campaigner like the Lion of Judah, as he is affectionately known, could ease that burden and offer on-field leadership during tough moments.
The 31-year-old forward has been without a club since his contract expired with Qatari side Qatar SC. Before that, he collected multiple CAF Champions League and Egyptian Premier League titles with Al Ahly.
There are also reports linking him with a possible return to Sundowns, with Pirates also in the mix. However, a move to Chiefs could prove far more beneficial to both the player and the club.
Amakhosi haven’t always been known for spending big, but the reality they currently face is that to compete with South Africa’s elite clubs, they must match their quality on the pitch.
If Tau is brought in and stays fit, he could comfortably deliver a double-digit goal return—one that could help Chiefs rediscover their path back into the top five.
“MR PB!!” That was how South African superstar Prudence Sekgodiso reacted after running her fastest ever 800m time in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Tuesday night.
The 23-year-old middle-distance athlete clocked a stunning time of 1 minute 57.16 seconds (1:57.16) to clinch victory at the Golden Spike meeting.
That eclipsed her previous personal best of 1:57.26 that she posted in Morocco last year, and it is also the second-quickest effort in 2025, behind the world lead of 1:56.64 by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma.
Having endured a few uncharacteristic defeats in recent weeks, Sekgodiso bounced back to remind her rivals that she is building up to September’s world championships in Tokyo in fine fashion as she inches closer and closer to Caster Semenya’s amazing SA record of 1:54.25.
With two pacemakers taking the field through a reasonably quick time on the first lap, Sekgodiso kept her cool in third place as she waited for the right moment to strike.
The current 800m world indoor champion pounced when the second pacemaker stepped off the track around the 650m mark, striding away from Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew on the home straight to claim a superb triumph, with her training partner Oratile Nowe of Botswana finishing fast to grab second position in 1:57.49.
Sekgodiso screamed in delight after looking up at the stadium clock and realising that she had set a new PB, which was also a new meeting record – beating the previous mark of 1:57.72, set by Mozambique legend Maria Mutola in 2004.
SA ultra-distance star Gerda Steyn was among the well wishers on Sekgodiso’s Instagram post, stating “Amazing!!!!!”
Sekgodiso added that her next competition will be the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon on July 5.
Meanwhile, there was another South African in top form in Ostrava in the shape of javelin-thrower Douw Smit.
The SA champion took a surprise lead early on in the competition with a new personal best distance of 84.12m, beating his previous mark of 83.29m.
But Potchefstroom’s Smit had to settle for second place in the end, with India’s 2024 Olympic silver medallist and current world champion Neeraj Chopra taking the honours with an 85.29m throw.
Smit, though, will be delighted to have beaten Grenada superstar Anderson Peters, who finished third in 83.23m.
“What a night! 4 throws over 80m and a new PB of 84.12m! Huge thanks to @zlatatretra for the invite, unforgettable evening! Baie dankie coach @chrisdb007_ en @potchtrackclub,” Smit posted on his Instagram account.
Two other South African athletes in action at the Mestsky Stadium were in the 1,500m event, although they ran in different races.
New SA record-holder Tshepo Tshite had to settle for ninth spot in 3:34.14 – well short of his national mark of 3:31.35 that he set at the Paris Diamond League last week, while Luan Munnik also came ninth in the other 1,500m race in 3:36.89.
Wimbledon organisers are planning to honour two-time champion Andy Murray with a statue at the All England Club.
Murray, who ended a 77-year wait for a British winner of the men's singles title in 2013 before winning again in 2016, retired after the Paris Olympics last year.
Wimbledon hope the statue will be revealed in 2027 during the championship's 150th anniversary.
"We are looking to have a statue of Andy Murray here (Wimbledon) and we're working closely with him and his team," All England Club chair Debbie Jevans told the ainslie + ainslie Performance People podcast.
"The ambition is that we would unveil that at the 150th anniversary of our first Championship, which was 1877.
"He's got to rightly be very involved in that and him and his team will be."
A bronze statue of Fred Perry, the last British men's champion before Murray, was erected at Wimbledon in 1984 to mark the 50th anniversary of his first singles championship.
Tennis greats John McEnroe and Billie Jean King are among those that have previously called for Murray to be honoured in similar fashion at Wimbledon.
