Friday Morning Edition

Good morning all,

This Edition is sponsored by Little Stint Self-Catering.

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My View

UN feeling the pinch of US cutbacks? 

Zuma triggers the end-game?

D-Day for the Guptas.

FIFA wants total control.

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Latest Local News

Draft IDP 2017 – 2022 tabled in Council

Executive Mayor, Ald Naik today tabled the Draft Integrated Development Plan(IDP) for the next five years 2017-2022 at a Council meeting and requested approval to utilise the document as the basis for further consultation with the 27 Wards during the second round of public participation before final adoption in May 2017.

Knysna & Partners Newsletter 31 March 2017

A huge round of applause to those who performed in the Tshisa Talent show last weekend.

DECA Garden route tour

New music group “DECA” will be touring the Garden route from the 8th to the 14th of April. Their fresh, modern and charming interpretation of crowd favourites is the key ingredient behind their instant success. 

Exclusive offer for you – save 15% on venue hire!

Sitting here at my desk I look up from my screen and still can’t believe how lucky I am to work in one of the most beautiful places in South Africa. After almost 10 years at Herolds Bay Resort, the spectacular views of the Indian Ocean from our venue still take my breath away!

Redberry Farm Easter Egg Maze Hunt

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Belangstelling in sake-aflos groei Oudtshoorn Courant

OUDTSHOORN NUUSFLITS – Inskrywings vir die Klein-Karoo sake-aflos is besig om goed in te stroom. Die sake-aflos vind op Donderdag 20 April om …

Behuisingsplan vir Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn Courant

OUDTSHOORN NUUSFLITS – Behuisingstekorte in Oudtshoorn en oplossings daarvoor is deur die Oudtshoorn-munisipaliteit gedokumenteer in wat …

Former Oudtshoorn municipal manager to be sentenced over R2m fraud News24

Cape Town – A former Oudtshoorn municipal manager found guilty of fraud amounting to more than R2m will be sentenced in the Oudtshoorn …

Oudtshoorn municipality bosses suffer double whammy at hands of Hawks Times LIVE

Frikkie van Staden‚ 51‚ who was responsible for road maintenance in Oudtshoorn‚ is accused of sub-contracting to his own company‚ which was …

Local animal breed makes history Knysna-Plett Herald

SEDGEFIELD NEWS – Two small-scale farmers near Karatara, Richard and Emjay Rosmir, have been in the spotlight recently with great interest …

Allsound Eye on Crime Knysna-Plett Herald

KNYSNA NEWS – SECURITY TIPS. A number of break-ins are being reported at guesthouses. Please remind visitors not to sleep with open balcony …

Knysna water: Council prepares for worst Citizen

Plans are in place for mitigation measures and should Greater Knysna run out of water, tanks will be sent to different areas to allow people to collect …

Dan Patlansky shows cancelled Knysna-Plett Herald

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS – Rock guitarist Dan Patlansky’s local events scheduled for April 3 in Plettenberg Bay and April 4 in Knysna have been …

Cansa Relay for Life gets a perfect 10 George Herald

GEORGE NEWS – Parking in the vicinity of Carpe Diem school was at a premium on Saturday 25 March as thousands of Georgians poured into the …

Wanderlust keeps artist going George Herald

WILDERNESS NEWS – Brad Gray, the well-traveled and well-known artist who lived in Wilderness for 10 years, has for the past four years lived and …

Justice not affected by burst pipe George Herald

GEORGE NEWS – A water pipe that burst at the George Magistrate’s Court on Monday last … ‘We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news’.

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Latest Local Sports News

SA teams hold All-Africa Junior reigns

HARARE, Zimbabwe (30 March 2017) – A pair of 67s from Luca Filippi and Kajal Mistry at Royal Harare Golf Club put the two South African teams in an undeniably strong position on moving day at the 2017 All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Zimbabwe.

CMASA Africa Inter Club Challenge at Fancourt

Special offer for the Southern Cape clubs, which excludes the accommodation portion, but includes everything else.

GR300 – Enter and Win Your Accommodation

All Systems Go for SA Senior Open

The stage is now set for the best ever assembled field for a South African Senior Tour event to battle it out at Plettenberg Bay Country Club. 

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Latest Photos World Surf League

Bianca Buitendag of South Africa finished equal 13th at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro after placing second in Heat 4 of Round Two at the Main …

Bosman wen Knysna Heads-halfmarathon Mossel Bay Advertiser

SUID-KAAP NUUS – Lloyd Bosman (Nedbank SWD-atletiekklub) het Sondagoggend die gewilde Knysna Heads-halfmarathon (21,1 km) op Knysna …

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International News

Click here for the latest International News

UN to cut back DRC peacekeeping force: draft resolution

New York – The United Nations Security Council will vote on Friday to cut the number of troops and police in its peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo by around seven percent.

Britain downplays Brexit security row

Britain is officially on its way out of the European Union, after invoking Article 50 on Wednesday. Watch. WATCH. What To Read Next.

ISIS claims responsibility for Baghdad attack

Baghdad – The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an overnight suicide attack in Baghdad that left 17 people dead and 48 wounded.

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National News

Click here for the latest National News

Zuma flexes his executive muscle in Cabinet reshuffle

This is a big reshuffle and it appears that President Jacob Zuma has taken action against some of the people who’ve been critical of him.

Nxesi replaces Mbalula as sport minister

Cape Town – Thembelani “Thulas” Nxesi has been moved from Minister of Public Works to Minister of Sport and Recreation in a Cabinet reshuffle announced by President Jacob Zuma in the early hours of Friday morning.

Zille’s fate hangs in the balance

The impending action against Western Cape Premier Helen Zille is a battle for the same support base that supports Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane – a battle that could split the party.

Public Protector asks Parliament for R1 billion budget

File. Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane during a meeting at the Mpumalanga legislature on March 02, 2017 in Nelspruit. Photo: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Sandile Ndlovu.

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Business News

Click here for the latest Business News

Guptas’ banking D-day looms

As rumours swirled about the potential firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, the courtroom in which his declaratory order was heard was stuffed with advocates and press.

Reserve Bank keeps rates steady on political risk to rand

Rock steady: Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago at the Bank’s head office in Pretoria. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA. Political risks to the rand dominated the narrative on Thursday as the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee opted to keep interest …

Brits positive about future despite #Brexit

London – More Britons are feeling positive about their finances than at any time on record, according to an influential survey. Around 68 percent of Britons feel good about their personal situation, two points higher than on the eve of the Brexit vote …

Is Your Business Able To Communicate In A World That Is Instant?

The younger generation, as both employees and customers, is changing the way businesses communicate internally and to their target audiences.

Cash injection for drought stricken W Cape farmers

Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde, says one of the biggest threats facing the economy is the impact of extreme weather conditions.

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Sports News

Click here for the latest Sports News

Fifa seeks full control of World Cup events

World football’s ruling body Fifa will get rid of local World Cup organising committees and take full control of the organising of tournaments starting in 2026, according to Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura.

Stormers use youngster in changes for Cheetahs

Stormers coach Robbie Fleck will throw rookie flank Cobus Wiese into battle against the Cheetahs on Saturday after naming him in the starting XV for the Super Rugby meeting.

Baxter set for talks over Bafana return

Cape Town – SuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter is due to meet with the South African Football Association to discuss a possible return to the Bafana Bafana helm.

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Press Releases

SAMA 23 List of Entries Revealed

The South African Music Awards (SAMA’s) is delighted to announce that the number of entries for this year’s ceremony has increased substantially in comparison to last year.

Harvest season brings South Africa’s unique terroir to the fore

It is harvest season in South Africa. At the Southern tip of the continent, winemakers across a 500 km stretch of fertile soil are picking their grapes,  the first step in an almost ceremonial exercise that ends with wine bearing the South African flag heading to all four corners of the globe.

Paul Cluver Wines knocks the socks off top British Masters of Wine

The Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2015 and Seven Flags Chardonnay 2015 have both been rated as Outstanding by three of Britain’s Masters of Wine (MW). 

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Regular Columns & Opinion Pieces

Cartoon – The Plot Against the Prez

Hyundai entering a new era of “active safety” when cars will “respond to danger”

The next five years will bring a revolution in car safety as a wave of mass-market models that can predict and automatically respond to danger arrive in showrooms, says Mike Song, head of Hyundai in Africa and the Middle East. 

ATS rally pair ready to light up Lichtenberg in first of cross country series

It is going to be a very busy year for the ATS Racing crew of and it has been confirmed that they will contest the South African Cross Country Series

Kia’s new Sportage is an all-round versatile package

The fourth generation of Kia’s compact SUV, the new Sportage, shows just how far the Korean manufacturer has come in recent years, and since their best-selling Crossover arrived in South Africa in 2010.

Nissan’s NP200 gets a cool makeover

It’s not for nothing that the Nissan 1400 bakkie which came to the end of its production life in 2008 was known as the “Champion of Africa”.  

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Until next time…

Bruce

Friday Morning Edition

SA teams hold All-Africa Junior reigns

HARARE, Zimbabwe (30 March 2017) – A pair of 67s from Luca Filippi and Kajal Mistry at Royal Harare Golf Club put the two South African teams in an undeniably strong position on moving day at the 2017 All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Zimbabwe.

SA Boys and Girls Teams at All-Africa Junior Golf Championship; credit GolfRSA
From left to right: Luca Filippi (Western Province), Garrick Higgo (Boland), Kaleigh Telfer, Symone Henriques and Kajal Mistry (Gauteng), Christo Lamprecht (Southern Cape) and Jayden Schaper (Ekurhuleni)

Filippi from Western Province helped to stretch South Africa’s advantage over the host nation for third successive day in the Boys Competition, while Mistry bettered her own course record to give help her team to an insurmountable lead over Zimbabwe in the Girls Competition.

Boys Competition

Filippi had a lone birdie at the par-5 third, but the Milnerton golfer racked in gains at 13, 15, 16 and 18 to finish at five under. Reigning Sanlam SA Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht from Southern Cape added an even-par 72 and Ekurhuleni’s Jayden Schaper contributed a second successive 73. SA’s top ranked Garrick Higgo from Boland rallied after an expensive second round 78 with a 73 that handed the side a total of four under 212.

The well-timed push not only kept the SA team’s title defence on track, but it stretched their two shot overnight lead over Zimbabwe to 15 shots and bettered their chances to secure a spot to the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup

“We had another mixed bag, but there were more positives than negatives to take away from today’s third round,” said team manager Eden Thompson.

“Garrick hit the ball great, but the putter stayed cold and he was four over through the first six holes. He turned it on over the back nine and is extremely happy with how he is hitting the ball at the moment. Fingers crossed that the putter comes to the party in the final round.

“Jayden rolled the ball particularly well on what are now fast greens, running just over 11 on today’s stimp, but he just could not get a ball to drop and slowly chipped away at par. An incorrect pin sheet dictated Jayden’s approach to the 17th and cost him a shot from what was a perfect tee shot. The pin sheet indicated that the flag was back right when it was actually back left. He was blocked out by a tree to the back left flag and finished bogey-bogey.

“Christo was two over after uncharacteristic double bogey on the par-5 sixth. He drove the green at eight and two putted for birdie to turn one over. A poor drive at 17 blocked off from the green and a bogey spoiled what was otherwise a very solid back nine.

“Luca was text book and his placement off the tee set him up for another good round. The difference between yesterday and today was putts that dropped. A birdie finish saw Luca sign for the low round of the day and it tied the low round for the tournament with Zimbabwe’s Justin Kersten. 

“We now have a more comfortable lead, but as I said to the team this morning, they still have to show why they are ranked the best Junior team in Africa.”

Girls Competition

Mistry bettered the course record by one shot with a three-under-par 69 in the first round and went two shots lower on moving day. The 16-year-old Randpark golfer notched gains at 11 and 13 before reeling in four birdies in a row from the 15th hole. She spoiled an otherwise flawless card with a bogey at the fourth.

“Unfortunately I had a three-putt bogey on my back nine, but otherwise I hit the ball really well to set myself up for birdie chances,” Mistry said. “My team-mates also did really well. Kaleigh pulled it back from seven for a 75 and Symone chipped in seven and signed for a 70 that gave us a third round total of seven-under-par 137.

“As a team, we are doing nicely and we lead by 52 shots from Zimbabwe. We’d like to sign off with a sub-par total, though, so there is still some work to be done.”

Boys Team Leaderboard – Round 3

642 South Africa 211 219 212

657 Zimbabwe 212 221 224

689 Reunion Island 228 232 229

695 Uganda 229 229 237

703 Morocco 229 241 233

732 Zambia 238 253 241

741 Kenya 240 248 253

753 Mauritius 252 251 250

757 Tunisia 235 255 267

762 Namibia 258 256 248; Malawi 246 257 259

874 Botswana 268 296 310

Boys Individual Leaderboard – Round 3 (top 10)

208 Luca Filippi RSA 70 71 67

216 Jayden Schaper RSA 70 73 73

217 David Amm ZIM 73 73 71

218 Christo Lamprecht RSA 71 75 72

222 Justin Kersten ZIM 67 77 78; Garrick Higgo RSA 71 78 73

224 Alexandre Lasalarte REU 74 77 73

225 Nyamukondiwa Tafadzwa ZIM 79 71 75

227 David Kamulinda UGA 69 78 80

228 Antoine Sale REU 76 74 78

Girls Team Leaderboard – Round 3

430 South Africa 144 149 137

483 Zimbabwe 159 163 161

511 Kenya 170 178 163

611 Zambia 196 219 196

Girls Individual Leaderboard – Round 3

213 Kajal Mistry RSA 69 77 67

217 Simone Henriques RSA 75 72 70

229 Kaleigh Telfer RSA 75 79 75

242 Danielle Bekker ZIM 77 82 83

244 Kellie Gachanga KEN 78 89 77

250 Emily Jones ZIM 82 81 87

251 Margaret Nyamukondiwa ZIM 87 86 78

267 Ashley Ouma KEN 92 89 86

288 Loice Akinyi KEN 93 99 96

300 Martha Matyola ZAM 98 105 97

313 Miness Siami ZAM 98 115 100

316 Rachel Namusiya ZAM 103 114 199

SA teams hold All-Africa Junior reigns

SA teams hold All-Africa Junior reigns

HARARE, Zimbabwe (30 March 2017) – A pair of 67s from Luca Filippi and Kajal Mistry at Royal Harare Golf Club put the two South African teams in an undeniably strong position on moving day at the 2017 All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Zimbabwe.

SA Boys and Girls Teams at All-Africa Junior Golf Championship; credit GolfRSA
From left to right: Luca Filippi (Western Province), Garrick Higgo (Boland), Kaleigh Telfer, Symone Henriques and Kajal Mistry (Gauteng), Christo Lamprecht (Southern Cape) and Jayden Schaper (Ekurhuleni)

Filippi from Western Province helped to stretch South Africa’s advantage over the host nation for third successive day in the Boys Competition, while Mistry bettered her own course record to give help her team to an insurmountable lead over Zimbabwe in the Girls Competition.

Boys Competition

Filippi had a lone birdie at the par-5 third, but the Milnerton golfer racked in gains at 13, 15, 16 and 18 to finish at five under. Reigning Sanlam SA Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht from Southern Cape added an even-par 72 and Ekurhuleni’s Jayden Schaper contributed a second successive 73. SA’s top ranked Garrick Higgo from Boland rallied after an expensive second round 78 with a 73 that handed the side a total of four under 212.

The well-timed push not only kept the SA team’s title defence on track, but it stretched their two shot overnight lead over Zimbabwe to 15 shots and bettered their chances to secure a spot to the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup

“We had another mixed bag, but there were more positives than negatives to take away from today’s third round,” said team manager Eden Thompson.

“Garrick hit the ball great, but the putter stayed cold and he was four over through the first six holes. He turned it on over the back nine and is extremely happy with how he is hitting the ball at the moment. Fingers crossed that the putter comes to the party in the final round.

“Jayden rolled the ball particularly well on what are now fast greens, running just over 11 on today’s stimp, but he just could not get a ball to drop and slowly chipped away at par. An incorrect pin sheet dictated Jayden’s approach to the 17th and cost him a shot from what was a perfect tee shot. The pin sheet indicated that the flag was back right when it was actually back left. He was blocked out by a tree to the back left flag and finished bogey-bogey.

“Christo was two over after uncharacteristic double bogey on the par-5 sixth. He drove the green at eight and two putted for birdie to turn one over. A poor drive at 17 blocked off from the green and a bogey spoiled what was otherwise a very solid back nine.

“Luca was text book and his placement off the tee set him up for another good round. The difference between yesterday and today was putts that dropped. A birdie finish saw Luca sign for the low round of the day and it tied the low round for the tournament with Zimbabwe’s Justin Kersten. 

“We now have a more comfortable lead, but as I said to the team this morning, they still have to show why they are ranked the best Junior team in Africa.”

Girls Competition

Mistry bettered the course record by one shot with a three-under-par 69 in the first round and went two shots lower on moving day. The 16-year-old Randpark golfer notched gains at 11 and 13 before reeling in four birdies in a row from the 15th hole. She spoiled an otherwise flawless card with a bogey at the fourth.

“Unfortunately I had a three-putt bogey on my back nine, but otherwise I hit the ball really well to set myself up for birdie chances,” Mistry said. “My team-mates also did really well. Kaleigh pulled it back from seven for a 75 and Symone chipped in seven and signed for a 70 that gave us a third round total of seven-under-par 137.

“As a team, we are doing nicely and we lead by 52 shots from Zimbabwe. We’d like to sign off with a sub-par total, though, so there is still some work to be done.”

Boys Team Leaderboard – Round 3

642 South Africa 211 219 212

657 Zimbabwe 212 221 224

689 Reunion Island 228 232 229

695 Uganda 229 229 237

703 Morocco 229 241 233

732 Zambia 238 253 241

741 Kenya 240 248 253

753 Mauritius 252 251 250

757 Tunisia 235 255 267

762 Namibia 258 256 248; Malawi 246 257 259

874 Botswana 268 296 310

Boys Individual Leaderboard – Round 3 (top 10)

208 Luca Filippi RSA 70 71 67

216 Jayden Schaper RSA 70 73 73

217 David Amm ZIM 73 73 71

218 Christo Lamprecht RSA 71 75 72

222 Justin Kersten ZIM 67 77 78; Garrick Higgo RSA 71 78 73

224 Alexandre Lasalarte REU 74 77 73

225 Nyamukondiwa Tafadzwa ZIM 79 71 75

227 David Kamulinda UGA 69 78 80

228 Antoine Sale REU 76 74 78

Girls Team Leaderboard – Round 3

430 South Africa 144 149 137

483 Zimbabwe 159 163 161

511 Kenya 170 178 163

611 Zambia 196 219 196

Girls Individual Leaderboard – Round 3

213 Kajal Mistry RSA 69 77 67

217 Simone Henriques RSA 75 72 70

229 Kaleigh Telfer RSA 75 79 75

242 Danielle Bekker ZIM 77 82 83

244 Kellie Gachanga KEN 78 89 77

250 Emily Jones ZIM 82 81 87

251 Margaret Nyamukondiwa ZIM 87 86 78

267 Ashley Ouma KEN 92 89 86

288 Loice Akinyi KEN 93 99 96

300 Martha Matyola ZAM 98 105 97

313 Miness Siami ZAM 98 115 100

316 Rachel Namusiya ZAM 103 114 199

SA teams hold All-Africa Junior reigns

SAMA 23 List of Entries Revealed

The South African Music Awards (SAMA’s) is delighted to announce that the number of entries for this year’s ceremony has increased substantially in comparison to last year. We received over 700 entries, while in 2016 the number stood at about 470.

The overwhelming response is indicative of a burgeoning music industry and is a vote of confidence in the most prestigious music award ceremony in the land.

In our pursuit of transparency and openness, the office of the SAMA’s has resolved to share all the names of the entrants with the public.

The music industry submitted entries over a three-month period starting from 01 November 2016 until 31 January 2017. After a stringent vetting process that involved officials from the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) and record company representatives, these potential nominees have been handed over to panels of independent experts drawn from radio, TV, newspapers, blogs and the recording industry for the judging process to begin. In April the SAMA’s will reveal the five nominees in each category as voted for by the panel of judges and verified by independent auditors.

Remarks RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi: “We at the SAMA’s pride ourselves of a rich heritage that spans over two decades of rewarding excellence in local music. The fact that our numbers keep growing is encouraging and we see it as the industry acknowledging our credibility.

“We have decided that this year, for the first time ever, we would reveal the entire list of artists who have entered the SAMA’s so that fans, followers and lovers of music would be privy as to who has entered to avoid surprises when we announce the final nomination list in the next few weeks.

RiSA remains committed to an ethical, fair, transparent and open selection process which has been the hallmark of its operation in the past years. Below is a summary of the number of entries in some of the categories.

Best Collaboration is the most competitive category with 106 entries.

The Best Produced Album is a battleground with 72 entries from genres as varied as dance, gospel, gqom, rap, jazz and R&B. The Best Engineered garnered 46.

In genre specific categories, the Best Dance Album leads with 27 entries and is followed closely by Best Rap Album boasting 25 entrants.  The Best Jazz Album has 15 projects eligible for a nomination.

The Best Maskandi Album which has drawn 13 entries has the genre’s most successful talents battling it out for a nod, the same can be said of the Best Traditional Music Album category with its 15 entries.

With 14 entrants, the Best Contemporary Faith Music Album pits some gospel heavyweights against two previous Idols SA winners and a former TV soapie star.

The Traditional Faith Music Album also earned 14 entries.
The Best Alternative Music Album ensures stiff competition with 18 entries.

In the Best Kwaito Album we have seen a slight increase from last year, with a total entries of 6 albums.  This hopefully will continue to increase year on year from henceforth.

Remix of the year stands at 16 entries. DVD recordings remain popular with 11 entries in the Best Live Audio Visual Recording.

The newly introduced Best African Artist category attracted 6 entries from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Botswana.

“These big numbers ensure a healthy competition. Our judges have their work cut out for them and we are confident that the final nominee list will be testament to the best of the best in each category and also reflect what the SAMAs are about. Best of luck to everyone,” concludes Sibisi.

*For a complete list of entries please visit http://ift.tt/1m9zGA0

The South African Music Awards (SAMA) in their 23rd year are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). 

The date for the nominations announcement will be finalised soon.

SAMA 23 List of Entries Revealed

SAMA 23 List of Entries Revealed

The South African Music Awards (SAMA’s) is delighted to announce that the number of entries for this year’s ceremony has increased substantially in comparison to last year. We received over 700 entries, while in 2016 the number stood at about 470.

The overwhelming response is indicative of a burgeoning music industry and is a vote of confidence in the most prestigious music award ceremony in the land.

In our pursuit of transparency and openness, the office of the SAMA’s has resolved to share all the names of the entrants with the public.

The music industry submitted entries over a three-month period starting from 01 November 2016 until 31 January 2017. After a stringent vetting process that involved officials from the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) and record company representatives, these potential nominees have been handed over to panels of independent experts drawn from radio, TV, newspapers, blogs and the recording industry for the judging process to begin. In April the SAMA’s will reveal the five nominees in each category as voted for by the panel of judges and verified by independent auditors.

Remarks RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi: “We at the SAMA’s pride ourselves of a rich heritage that spans over two decades of rewarding excellence in local music. The fact that our numbers keep growing is encouraging and we see it as the industry acknowledging our credibility.

“We have decided that this year, for the first time ever, we would reveal the entire list of artists who have entered the SAMA’s so that fans, followers and lovers of music would be privy as to who has entered to avoid surprises when we announce the final nomination list in the next few weeks.

RiSA remains committed to an ethical, fair, transparent and open selection process which has been the hallmark of its operation in the past years. Below is a summary of the number of entries in some of the categories.

Best Collaboration is the most competitive category with 106 entries.

The Best Produced Album is a battleground with 72 entries from genres as varied as dance, gospel, gqom, rap, jazz and R&B. The Best Engineered garnered 46.

In genre specific categories, the Best Dance Album leads with 27 entries and is followed closely by Best Rap Album boasting 25 entrants.  The Best Jazz Album has 15 projects eligible for a nomination.

The Best Maskandi Album which has drawn 13 entries has the genre’s most successful talents battling it out for a nod, the same can be said of the Best Traditional Music Album category with its 15 entries.

With 14 entrants, the Best Contemporary Faith Music Album pits some gospel heavyweights against two previous Idols SA winners and a former TV soapie star.

The Traditional Faith Music Album also earned 14 entries.
The Best Alternative Music Album ensures stiff competition with 18 entries.

In the Best Kwaito Album we have seen a slight increase from last year, with a total entries of 6 albums.  This hopefully will continue to increase year on year from henceforth.

Remix of the year stands at 16 entries. DVD recordings remain popular with 11 entries in the Best Live Audio Visual Recording.

The newly introduced Best African Artist category attracted 6 entries from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Botswana.

“These big numbers ensure a healthy competition. Our judges have their work cut out for them and we are confident that the final nominee list will be testament to the best of the best in each category and also reflect what the SAMAs are about. Best of luck to everyone,” concludes Sibisi.

*For a complete list of entries please visit http://ift.tt/1m9zGA0

The South African Music Awards (SAMA) in their 23rd year are organised by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). 

The date for the nominations announcement will be finalised soon.

SAMA 23 List of Entries Revealed

Cartoon – The Plot Against the Prez

Cartoon – The Plot Against the Prez

Hyundai entering a new era of “active safety” when cars will “respond to danger”

The next five years will bring a revolution in car safety as a wave of mass-market models that can predict and automatically respond to danger arrive in showrooms, says Mike Song, head of Hyundai in Africa and the Middle East.

Brian Joss – Today’s new cars already rate highly for protecting drivers and passengers in a collision – what is called ‘passive safety. Song, the Korean carmaker’s head of operations in the region, says we are now entering a new era of “active safety”, as carmakers race to offer the best possible collision avoidance technology in forthcoming models.

Safety first: Mike Song, head of Hyundai in Africa and the Middle East. Picture: Quickpic

“There has never seen so much competition to build the safest car. When you think of the basic crash protection equipment – seatbelts, head restraints, crumple zones, airbags and so on – these things arrived very gradually over decades. We are now seeing this level of innovation in the space of five or six years, and new features are moving from the luxury segment into mass-market cars incredibly fast.”

Current models already include active safety features such as anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) to reduce the risk of the car skidding or spinning in an emergency. They help drivers keep the car under control, but still rely on the driver to respond.

“Many accidents happen because drivers are too slow to react, and that is true even for good, careful drivers,” says Song. “By the time we see the danger, we don’t have time to brake or turn the steering wheel, and we do not instinctively understand the way the car behaves when we brake or swerve.”

Carmakers want to overcome this human factor. At Hyundai alone, the most recent new models – the new-generation i30 in Europe and Azera in Korea – combine a package of innovations as “Hyundai Smart Sense”, which includes Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Detection, Driver Attention Alert, Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Around View Monitor.

Many of the building blocks of Hyundai Smart Sense come from the company’s research and development program for driverless vehicles.

“In its most simple terms, by combining a front-mounted sensor with the ABS and cruise control systems, the car can detect danger and apply the brakes automatically, either stopping or slowing down,” says Song. “Side-mounted sensors can detect when the car is wandering across a white line or there is car next to you, and tell the power steering to keep you in your lane.

Because of how we can connect all these systems, and the processing power now available, the car can see and respond to danger much faster than a human.”

Being able to offer this level of safety is an important selling point, with independent tests such as the NCAP (new car assessment programs) giving consumers a benchmark for comparing their options and making an informed decision.

The United States introduced the first NCAP crash tests in the late 1970s, and most high-income countries had introduced similar assessments by the end of the 1990s. The past decade has seen programs for a growing number of developing economies, with testing either in place or being planned for most major car markets.

“NCAP testing constantly pushes us to build safer cars, to make each new generation safer than the last, and tells buyers whether we succeed or fail,” says Song. “For a new model to achieve a five-star safety rating, is a source of pride and helps increase sales. A low rating would not only be an embarrassment, but would also make many customers walk away.”

The benefits of giving consumers clear, independent safety data be seen by comparing EuroNCAP results from 1997, the year that EU countries introduced their version of the program, and the most recent results.

In 1997, several top-selling small cars achieved only two stars out of a possible four for the level of protection for adult occupants. One popular model scored just one star. In 2016, every car tested achieved three stars or more against today’s far more detailed assessment.

Most cars now achieve either four or five stars. That fifth star – introduced during a major revision of the test program in 2009 – is only available for cars with robust crash avoidance technology, and continued revisions make a five-star rating harder to achieve. EuroNCAP began testing driver assistance features in 2013, particularly autonomous emergency braking, and incorporated it into the rating system at the end of 2014.

Updates planned for the years to 2020 will increase the number of situations in which AEB functions.

“When our engineers develop a new model, one of their targets is to achieve high NCAP scores,” says Song. “We want five stars, and a growing number of customers will make a decision based on whether we achieve that. Then to keep those stars, we need to make sure every new model is better than the car it replaces, because the assessment is always being updated to take new technology into account.

“In five years’ time, a car that doesn’t respond to danger won’t be considered completely safe anymore. To meet that expectation, we need to be bringing the best available technology into the market now.”

Hyundai entering a new era of “active safety” when cars will “respond to danger”

ATS rally pair ready to light up Lichtenberg in first of cross country series

It is going to be a very busy year for the ATS Racing crew of and it has been confirmed that they will contest the South African Cross Country Series

Brian Joss – (SACCS) – which kicks off with the Lichtenberg 400, today, Friday, March 31.

The pair, fresh from a second place overall on the opening round of the National Rally Championship, will compete in off-road racing in a Class S Ford Ranger and continue their partnership which has started to so well in their Fiesta rally car. They will be the only crew in the country contesting both championships.

Gearing up: Driver Richard Leeke and navigator Henry Kohne: busy year ahead. Picture: Motorpress

Leeke, who turned 21 earlier this month, has taken to driving the 200 kW truck like a duck to water if their shake-down testing is anything to go by.

“It is very different from anything else I’ve raced before,” admitted Leeke, who came up through the ranks of karting, Legend racing and the junior classes of rallying. “With all that power and torque from a four-litre straight six and four-wheel-drive, it is tremendous fun in the rough and the suspension can really soak up some big hits.

“But Henry and I won’t get carried away and our immediate goal is to learn and observe, and get to know our new working environment. There are six rounds to the series and our longer-term goal is to complete every kilometre of every event and be in a position to have a full go at the championship in year or two.”

Proceedings get underway in the often-dusty North West province town at 2pm today with a 50 kilometre dash to determine grid positions, and the race gets underway at 8.30am on Saturday, April 1.

Race headquarters, the start/finish and designated service park with all be located at the Lichtenburg show ground on the outskirts of Lichtenburg, with public entry to the areas and spectator points along the route free of charge. 

ATS rally pair ready to light up Lichtenberg in first of cross country series

Kia’s new Sportage is an all-round versatile package

The fourth generation of Kia’s compact SUV, the new Sportage, shows just how far the Korean manufacturer has come in recent years, and since their best-selling Crossover arrived in South Africa in 2010.

Brian Joss – There are four derivatives in the range: the 2 litre Ignite; the 2 CRDi EX; the 2.4 GDI SX AWD; the 2 litre CRDi SX AWD  and the range-topping Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT line AWD, the test car. 

The 1.6 turbocharged GDi (Gasoline Direct injection) is packed with technological features.  So we’ll deal with those first. There is a new wireless charger for smartphones: the system shows the phone’s charging condition on the instrument cluster, and features a safety system to prevent overheating while in use; there are two USB charging points, one in the front and one in the rear. High spec models have a 7-inch colour touchscreen with integrated satellite navigation and a rear-view parking camera. The Smart Power tailgate opens automatically when the key fob is near. Be careful the tailgate doesn’t hit you in the chin when it opens; the Smart Welcome function lights up the interior as well as the door handle lamps and unfolds the door mirrors.

The Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT line AWD: shows just how far Kia has come since 2010. Picture: Motorpress

The Kia Sportage made its debut in September 2015 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.  Since it was launched seven years ago it has collected several design awards and Kia said that between 2010 and 2015 more than 1.6 million Sportages were sold worldwide.

Kia’s designers, led by its design studio in Frankfurt, with input from its studios in Korea and California have “created a sense of sporty and powerful energy from every angle”. The biggest change is that Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger-nose’ grille and the car’s headlamps, now positioned higher, are separate on the new model and the wider grille -adds more volume to the lower half of the Sportage’s face. The GT Line models feature new ‘ice-cube’

LED fog lamps and aluminium-effect skid plates.  Another feature is Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Lane Change Assist (LCA), which monitors cars up to 70 metres away, an electronic parking brake that comes on automatically when you switch off and keyless starting.

Inside, it has been completely redesigned and in keeping with new look there is range of new and updated engines and transmissions.

The Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT Line is powered by a turbocharged GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine, which develops 130 kW of power at 5 500 r/min, and

265 Nm of 4 500 r/min. The engine is mated to Kia’s new seven-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission). The gear changes are smooth and quick and I couldn’t detect any signs of turbo lag. 

In my opinion the flagship shouts quality: the finishes are excellent (except perhaps on the dashboard) without any obviously cheap plastic bits and bobs. At the last check it carried a price tag of R600 000 , which may sound a lot for a “small SUV” , but you do get a lot of bang for your buck.

Build quality was good; there were no rattles or squeaks, even over some of the gravel patches on the test route. There is more than enough oomph to overtake safely when necessary, or sail up hills with ease.

We drove to Fish Hoek on Heritage Day to visit friends. Big mistake. It seemed as if the whole of Cape Town had the same idea: the traffic was bumper to bumper along the those narrow, winding streets. But the Sportage took it in its stride, and the efficient air con was a boon, while the sound system helped to soothe the stress of being stuck in the jam. 

Visibility from the driving seat is good too. Home via Boyes Drive and the Kia Sportage stuck to the curves like Velcro. And it sucked up the bumps on the road. In all it provided a comfortable ride. There was little body roll and at no time did I feel that the Sportage was losing it on the bends. The electric motor-driven power steering system has been upgraded and the Kia just goes where you point it. There’s little or no noise intrusion in to the cabin and you can have a conversation with the rear seat passengers without having to raise your voice unduly.

The  Kia Sportage is 40 mm longer but is the same width and height as the older model. Which means there is plenty of room at the rear for adults. It can seat three with ease.  And the back seats can recline. In the front, there is more legroom for the driver and passenger, too. The seats, back and front, have been redesigned and as a result are supremely comfortable. And your bum won’t get numb on a long trip.

The boot has a capacity of 503 litres. It’s easy to load and there is a storage area underneath where you can also stow the parcel shelf. The dashboard has been divided into two areas: display and control. The ‘display’ zone delivers information to the driver through the instrument binnacle and the entertainment system in the centre of the dashboard. The touchscreen is easy to use and the figures are easy to read. All the controls are ergonomically situated. The fuel tank has increased from 58 litres to 62 litres. The 1.6 is reasonably economical. I recorded figures of just over 9litres/100km, and that was travelling at the legal limit and with a light foot, in a town and country cycle. Kia says the Sportage can go from

0 to 100 km/h: 9.1 seconds and it has a maximum speed of 201 km/h.

The fourth generation Sportage models sold in South Africa have been built in Žilina, Slovakia.

Safety hasn’t been left out of the equation: it scored a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash performance tests. Six airbags are standard, airbags for the driver and front seat passenger, first row side airbags, and first and second row curtain airbags. Isofix child-seat tether and anchor points are fitted as standard to the second row of seats.  to safely secure younger passengers. There is a  Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)  system , Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and electric motor-driven power steering and both systems come into play as soon as the Sportage’s many sensors detect a loss of traction. 

I enjoyed driving the Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT Line. It ticks all the right

boxes: it’s practical, it can be used for the daily commute and on a long trip. Plenty of room for everyone and it’s economical too. Above all it’s comfortable and a pleasure to drive. I couldn’t find much to fault it.

There’s a long-standing joke that Kia stands for King in Asia. It could soon change to King in Africa which wouldn’t be too far from the truth.

All Sportage models come with a 5-year / unlimited km warranty, 5-year / unlimited km roadside assistance as well as a 5-year / 90 000km service plan.

Kia’s new Sportage is an all-round versatile package

Nissan’s NP200 gets a cool makeover

It’s not for nothing that the Nissan 1400 bakkie which came to the end of its production life in 2008 was known as the “Champion of Africa”. 

Brian Joss – The champ was a familiar sight on our roads for almost 37 years. You could see them happily lugging building material, furniture or plumbing supplies, and at the beach piled with surfboards. There are still a few in Cape Town, some the worse for wear on the outside, or well cared for. The Nissan 1400 made its appearance in South Africa in 1971: it started life as the Datsun 1200, grew in to the Datsun 1400 in 1980 and by 1990 it was known as the Nissan 1400. It was real workhorse, that sadly was consigned to the scrap heap of history. But it still holds a special place in the hearts of those who knew its true worth. The Nissan 1400 made its debut in South Africa in 1971. The original Datsun 1200 evolved into the Datsun 1400 in 1980 and became known as the Nissan 1400 in 1990.

The Nissan NP200 Ice 1.5 dCi: more a workhorse than a lifestyle vehicle. Picture: Motorpress

When I arrived in Cape Town about 25 years ago I was given one to use in the gas business we bought. By the time I got it, it was third-hand, still in excellent condition, perhaps a bit battered, and when fully loaded with gas bottles from 48kg down to 9kg it plied the Peninsula’s roads with no hassle.

It sailed up Kloof Nek and took the twisty streets of the leafy suburbs in its stride. It was nimble even in heavy traffic, it was also easy to park in the smallest of spaces.

Over the years there have been various reincarnations of the champ. The latest is the Nissan NP200 Ice 1.5 dCi fitted with a turbodiesel engine, which delivers 63 kW and 200 Nm. Back in the champ’s day a turbo charged engine was probably just a twinkle in an engineer’s eye.

According to Nissan, the NP200 uses only 5.3 litre/100km in a combined cycle. The needle on the fuel gauge hardly moved at all so my figures were not too far off on a route that included town and country.  And with a light foot you could probably get a bit more than 900 kilometres out of the 50 litre tank.  The Ice is a half-ton bakkie and the test car was a Bright Silver with Ice decals dotted here and there. I counted seven, I think, and the NP200 did attract a few interested looks.

Inside is where some major changes have taken place. The special edition Ice features eco combination leather upholstery and rubber carpets; good quality interior trim; and an entertainment system, read a standard JVC frontloader.

Still it does the job and the sound isn’t too bad. There is also hands-free Bluetooth connectivity, audio streaming and a USB connection. One thing though, that I thought was an anachronism were the manual window winders.

Remember them? My muscles were getting muscles on muscles. You also have to adjust the side mirrors manually. The seating position for the driver is a “one size fits all”. You can’t adjust the seat for height and the steering wheel is fixed too. If you’re bigger than average it will be a tight squeeze as I noted when the press fleet manager came to collect the Ice. The aircon proved to be quite efficient too, which was a boon when the temp hit 32 one day. It kept us cool. The slick five-speed manual transmission is a pleasure to use.  You don’t need to change gears all the time to keep up with the traffic flow and it’s happy at about 2 000rpm and really happy at the 4 000rpm mark.  And the NP 200 pulls well, unladen, with one passenger. It should do as well with a full payload, just like its cousin, the Champion of Africa. Surprisingly for a bakkie the ride is comfortable and not unduly jarring, I thought.

The rubberised load bay, which has a tonneau cover, is 1.8 m long with an

800 kg payload. There is also an extra 300 litres of storage space behind the seats and you can stuff in a few shopping bags. One thing, though, the tailgate is really heavy as I found when I opened it. There is also a full-size spare wheel.  Other neat touches custom-designed 15″ alloy wheels; the special aluminium nudge bar; an aluminium sports bar, useful if you want to fit a mountain bike stand or clip on a few surfboards. There are also rear steps fitted below the back bumper. The Ice also features dark tinted safety film and there are factory-fitted daytime running lights. Two airbags and ABS brakes are part of the safety package.

I’ve always thought a bakkie is a bakkie, no matter how you dress it up. The Nissan NP200 Ice 1.5 dCi is no exception. And although, to use Nissan’s words, the Ice is cool, it is really more suitable as a workhorse than a lifestyle vehicle, even though with the right fittings you can load up a mountain bike or a few surfboards. At a quick glance the Ice appears to be low maintenance. So if you’re looking for a bakkie with a bit of coolth for your small to medium-size business the Ice fits the bill. It carries a price tag of R236 900 which is verging on the expensive side for a few cosmetic upgrades.

Service and maintenance plans are optional.

Nissan’s NP200 gets a cool makeover