South African cricket legend AB de Villiers was bowled over at Augusta National on Wednesday thanks to his golfing pal Christiaan Bezuidenhout
<a href="https://supersport.com/watch/home" target="blank"></a>
<a href="https://supersport.com/golf/content/f528442f-3f92-47a6-97e2-e4d4d6ca85f1/masters-tee-times/" target="blank">Tee Times </a> | <a href="https://supersport.com/golf/content/c6566856-a641-4838-a18f-5657e0952aa4/augusta-national-course-guide/" target="blank">  Course Guide</a>
De Villiers served as caddie for 57th-ranked Bezuidenout in the Par-Three Contest, played on the eve of the 89th Masters, and tested his luck with a sand wedge.
"I hit a nice little sand wedge in there, found the green, spun back to the front fringe area. I'm pretty happy," De Villiers said. "I was completely numb. Could hardly breathe. I'm happy with the result.
"Absolute privilege," he added. "Glad to be here. I've been watching this event since I was three-years old. It's great to be here with my mate and walk the golf course."
The Par-Three Contest gives players a relaxing afternoon before the intensity of the year's first major begins.
"It was great to have one of my friends here as well to caddie for me," said Bezuidenhout, who is preparing for his fourth Masters appearance.
"We've probably known each other 10, 12 years. We've played a lot of golf together. We played a lot of pro-ams together back in South Africa."
Bezuidenhout admits he wouldn't want the same chance on a cricket pitch with De Villiers and company.
"I'm really scared of a cricket ball," Bezuidenhout said. "I've never played cricket with him. I've played a lot of golf with him."
Bezuidenhout tried to explain De Villiers to reporters in terms Americans might understand, comparing him to retired NFL legend Tom Brady.
"He's probably not as famous in America, but around the world he's very famous. He's like the Tom Brady of cricket," Bezuidenhout said.
De Villiers, considered by cricket fans as one of the finest and most explosive batsmen of his generation, interjected: "I'm right here, guys. I'm standing right here."
De Villiers spent 14 years on South Africa's national team, captaining them in all three formats of the game, and his pal added details on his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 competition.
"He has been in the IPL for a long time," Bezuidenhout said. "He's a good cricketing legend all around the world. I'm honoured to call him a friend as well."
De Villiers noted he was at Augusta National in 2022 to see Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked defending champion, capture his first major title.
"It was pretty special," he said. "It's more special with him (Bezuidenhout) around. I'll be following him around and hopefully be there on Sunday. We'll see."
Bezuidenhout's best Masters finish was level 38th in 2020 in his debut.
"Just trying to put myself in a position on the weekend," he said.
CAPE TOWN - Former Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, has found a new political home. 
De Villiers has officially been welcomed to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party by its deputy president, John Hlophe, at a ceremony on the former judge’s farm in Paarl, from where De Villiers also hails. 
A one-time mayoral candidate and member of the Western Cape provincial legislature in Patricia de Lille's Good Party, De Villiers was booted from the party in March last year after a sexual misconduct complaint by a member.
He was also charged in the Malmesbury Regional Court.
Along with several other new recruits, and dressed in party clothing, De Villiers made this rugby analogy as he was welcomed to Jacob Zuma's party. 
"As soon as a coach announces the Springbok team, that's not the biggest moment. The biggest moment is for them to go out there, and for them to win the game. And what we've received here today, is an endorsement and trust that we will go out there and do our best in life and death."
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The Dafabet Warriors improved their chances of securing a playoff slot with a 33-run (DLS) victory over the DP World Lions in their CSA One-Day Challenge encounter at Dafabet St George's Park on Sunday
<a href="https://supersport.com/cricket/match/cb866b1c-6f6d-4b6e-9ced-408fa7dc1a77" target="blank"></a>
called correctly at the toss and elected to bat first
Connor Esterhuizen and Mitchell van Buuren put on a good show to steer the visitors to 279/5 in 50 overs
They galloped to 124/1 before rain curtailed proceedings
the hosts had done enough to clinch the tie
Jordan Hermann took off like a house on fire
The opener was particularly severe on Codi Yusuf
who struggled to pin down a line and length that could trouble him
Hermann scored an impressive 40 off 33 deliveries to give the Warriors the advantage
The home side reached 50 runs in under six overs
the Lions required almost 13 overs to get there
The left-hander was undone for a well-played 40 off 33 balls
Hermann's start allowed Matthew de Villiers to calm his nerves and settle into a rhythm
The 23-year-old looked like a seasoned professional once he got going
He was on the cusp of a maiden half-century when the heavens opened up
De Villiers was unbeaten on 49 off 60 deliveries
De Villiers was in the company of Matthew Breetzke (30*) at the time of the interruption
They had shared an unbroken 60-run second-wicket partnership
De Villiers was part of a 64-run opening stand with Hermann
Connor Esterhuizen and Mitchell van Buuren experienced deja vu
they scored half-centuries in a losing cause against the NWU Dragons
While their twin half-centuries steered the visitors to respectability
Esterhuizen arrived at the crease after 23.2 overs
The Lions were on 107/3 and needed someone to play an outstanding knock and bat through the innings
The 23-year-old did so with a wonderful unbeaten 87 off 80 balls
This is Esterhuizen's new career-best List A score
The half-century is Esterhuizen's third in List A cricket and second of the season
He faced 60 deliveries to reach the milestone
He cantered to his new highest 50-over score in the company of Delano Potgieter (22*)
with whom he shared an unbroken 53-run sixth-wicket partnership
Mitchell van Buuren scored a well-played 56 off 69 deliveries
This is his third half-century this season
He clubbed 50 and 54 runs against the NWU Dragons and the Knights
His innings ended after he failed to make clean contact with a slower-ball bouncer from Alfred Mothoa
Van Buuren was part of two consecutive partnerships that reset the Lions' radar by adding a combined 113 runs to the total
The first one was a 56-run third-wicket stand he shared with Zubayr Hamza
The Lions' experienced duo of Hamza (39) and Hendricks (25) got starts but couldn't convert them to big figures
The Warriors were successful thanks to the good start with the ball they got from Beyers Swanepoel and CJ King
The pair saw to it that the Lions did not have a quick start
Their effort was complemented by Patrick Kruger and Alfred Mothoa
who also did a good job at keeping a lid on things
Patrick Kruger was the pick of the bowlers for the Warriors with two wickets for 38 runs in nine overs
and Jason Raubenheimer contributed with a wicket each
The occasion of Ruben van Heerden’s landmark 50th game for the DHL Stormers will also be a special occasion for the promising Paul de Villiers as the openside flank makes his first start in the match against Connacht
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The Stormers are at close to full strength for the 15th round Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at DHL Stadium on Saturday afternoon (4pm)
where just Manie Libbok is missing from the Stormers’ array of star players
50th DHL Stormers match for Ruben van Heerden on Saturday 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iamastormer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iamastormer</a> <a href="https://t.co/E3Cbe9Hv7u">pic.twitter.com/E3Cbe9Hv7u</a>
The home team aren’t quite as well off at forward given that Springbok tighthead Frans Malherbe is not there and neither is fellow tighthead Neethling Fouche
who is serving a suspension following a lamentably poor and questionable URC disciplinary decision a few weeks ago
Ben-Jason Dixon is also out after undergoing surgery recently
where he and Dan du Plessis will be at 12 and 13 respectively in the match programme but will probably effectively line up for many plays with Du Plessis as the inside centre and Willemse positioned outside him
Willemse returned to action for the Stormers after a long injury layoff on the recent overseas tour
and started at fullback against Ulster last time out because Warrick Gelant was injured
With Gelant back in the selection mix this week Stormers director of rugby John Dobson would have had little hesitation in moving Willemse into the midfield so that both star X-factor players could be accommodated
Sacha Feinberg gets his third successive opportunity at flyhalf in this first home game for the Stormers since the derby against the Vodacom Bulls at the start of February and even without Libbok there is a lot exciting potential packed into the Stormers back division
With Suleiman Hartzenberg not doing well at outside centre when he played there against Ulster
where he was excelling before a hand injury knocked him back a few months ago
should also have been an easy one for Dobson to make
Particularly with Willemse boasting so much experience in the midfield
who was initially thought to be unavailable because of illness
returns to the starting team for Leolin Zas
who made one particularly glaring defensive error against Ulster
in the last months of his time at the Stormers before he returns to England
When Libbok is fit there is the potential for us to see Libbok at 10
Feinberg-Mngomezulu at 12 and Willemse at 13 so it will be interesting to watch Willemse in this game
who was unable to play on tour because of injury
is back at scrumhalf where he will hope to build on his good performance against the Bulls at Loftus last time out
although they are missing those that have already been mentioned
have also been bolstered at the start of a home run that will feature four successive games at DHL Stadium
with JD Schickerling back in the selection mix and making his return from the bench
while Salmaan Moerat is back in the second row as captain after missing the Ulster game
Regular openside flank and talisman Deon Fourie is playing this game off the bench too
hence De Villiers wearing the No6 for the first time
with another young looseforward Louw Nel making his return from injury as part of a six-two split between forwards and backs
Sazi Sandi starts in the No3 jersey in the absence of Fouche and Malherbe while young Vernon Matongo
a former Durban North schoolboy who Dobson has high hopes for
There is no Joseph Dweba in the match day squad this week
with fellow Bok Andre-Hugo Venter wearing the No2 jersey and the impressive JJ Kotze backing him up
Jean de Villiers believes that opposition teams should look towards the Springboks as to how they could potentially counteract the excellence of the Bomb Squad
For the final three matches of the recent Six Nations
France looked at South Africa for inspiration as they went with a split of seven forwards and one back against Italy
Rassie Erasmus&#8217; men were the first team to try that tactic
when they did so against the All Blacks in a Rugby World Cup warm-up in 2023
No other side had attempted it until the <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/team/france">French</a> used it in the second part of the <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/tournament/six-nations">Six Nations</a> campaign and it proved to be mightily effective
&#8216;Le Bomb Squad&#8217; impacted the game to great effect
leaving opponents to question how they could compete with it going forward
De Villiers thinks there is something that could work, however, and ironically reckons that the <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/team/south-africa">Boks</a> hold the key with how they played against France two-and-a-half years ago
“You&#8217;ve got to fight power with power
[Or] think back to 2022 in November when South Africa played France in Marseille
the way that the Boks decided to not kick it back from a long kick and run back from deep to make the forwards work,” he said on the Boks Office podcast
“I think that&#8217;s how you defuse that.”
While France went with a 6-2 on that occasion and will now effectively replace their entire pack in the second period with a 7-1
it is the idea of making the forwards run those long distances to tire them out quicker
France expect opponents to punt the ball back when using their long kicking game but
by attempting to counter-attack and going through a few phases
De Villiers and fellow Springboks legend Schalk Burger think it could pay dividends as the game goes on
you truck it back and you make those biggies in the middle work
make tackles,” Burger said before De Villiers added: “You still have a fresh pack to come on but I think that will certainly help to an extent.”
<a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/scott-robertson-issues-clear-message-to-springboks-and-france-over-controversial-bomb-squad-as-all-blacks-boss-makes-interesting-admission">Scott Robertson issues ‘clear’ message to Springboks and France over controversial ‘Bomb Squad’ as All Blacks boss makes interesting admission</a>
it was what England did in their victory over France in the second round of the Six Nations as Marcus Smith often looked to run the ball back from long French kicks
those athletes that they&#8217;ve got currently
that suits them because they&#8217;re power athletes,” Burger said
“I think you want to keep ball in play against the French side
put different pressure on them through your contested kicking game
force them to work back 50 metres and then make one or two of those dead carries
“Eventually space is going to open up for you but the fact that they&#8217;ve got a fresh pack coming off the bench
it will be fascinating to see if both countries go 7-1 split against each other
“Their biggest gift is those body types at the breakdown
they&#8217;ve got the ability to take the pace out of it
seven second ruck – there&#8217;s a turnover or you&#8217;ve got to get to your kicking shape.”
Should France control the tempo of the game
De Villiers admits that they will be very difficult for any side to stop
even if you slow it down against them when they&#8217;ve got the ball – you think [Emmanuel] Meafou
[Peato] Mauvaka – they can run into the wall and get some momentum
They can generate quick ball from that again because it&#8217;s impossible to slow it down all the time,” the ex-Springboks skipper added
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/france-v-scotland-five-takeaways-as-barbaric-le-bomb-squad-guide-fabien-galthies-side-to-six-nations-glory">France v Scotland: Five takeaways as ‘barbaric’ Le Bomb Squad guide Fabien Galthie’s side to Six Nations glory</a>
Nick Mallett and Steven Kitshoff has reacted to Matt Williams' latest remarks
Schalk Burger believes that RG Snyman will be pivotal for Leinster
Schalk Burger has weighed on Damian Willemse's possible move while Robbie Fleck calls for the Stormers to copy Leinster
Planet Rugby takes a look at all the winners of the prestigious SA Rugby Player of the Year accolade since the award's inception in 1992
Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning
Eskom has appointed veteran South African IT leader <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/len-de-villiers-33592025/?originalSubdomain=za" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Len de Villiers</a> as its chief information and technology officer on a three-year contract
The highly regarded De Villiers, who has previously served as CIO at Telkom, Absa and Nedbank, has more than 40 years of experience in IT management and – according to a statement by <a href="https://www.eskom.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eskom</a> – is considered one of South Africa’s top CIOs
“He has extensive experience in the financial services industry and [in leading] complex technology change projects and is expected to assist our business in embracing the pace of digitalisation
the use of artificial intelligence and increased levels [of focus] in areas [like] cybersecurity,” Eskom said
In his many IT leadership roles over the years
De Villiers has served as group CIO of Nedbank (2003-2008)
group CIO of Telkom (2013-2018) and group CIO of the JSE (2018-2021)
He has also mentored many IT leaders in South African business
News of De Villiers’ appointment comes as Eskom CEO <a href="https://techcentral.co.za/tag/dan-marokane/">Dan Marokane</a> moves to fill a number of vacancies at the state-owned electricity utility
Marokane announced four senior leadership appointments on Thursday
The new executive hires are aimed at “further addressing the current business challenges and futureproofing the organisation through the delivery of strategic initiatives to enable growth and long-term sustainability”
“Eskom recognised that it needed to bring in some new skills at the executive level to guide its teams in the business so it can execute strategic initiatives in a competitive market faster
more efficiently and in areas which are new to the utility,” Marokane said
Get breaking news from TechCentral on WhatsApp. <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaABUwFFXUubh0N8JT36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up here</a>
<a href="https://techcentral.co.za/interview-len-de-villiers-on-being-a-cio/200218/">Interview: Len de Villiers on being a CIO</a>
Matthew de Villiers scored a memorable double-century in the drawn CSA 4-Day Series encounter between the Dafabet Warriors and the Knights at Dafabet St George's Park on Sunday
<a href="https://supersport.com/cricket/match/53cdb3b5-8ad4-4014-9389-e3b55939f356"></a>
won the toss and asked the Warriors to bat first
Johan van Dyk led the Knights with the ball as they restricted the hosts to 171 runs
The visitors replied with 191 runs that were powered by an Aaron Phangiso half-century
De Villiers stepped up in the third innings with an impressive double century to lead the hosts to 349-5d
The Knights scored 166-4 in the final innings
De Villiers spent three sessions in the middle on the third day and was cramping as the match drew closer to stumps as he shepherded the Warriors to safety
He needed a handful of deliveries on the fourth day to complete the milestone
201 runs is now his career-best first-class score
The 24-year-old has needed a mere six matches to climb that summit
He came into the match with three half-centuries under his belt and a high score of 94
The home side was in a pickle and in need of a substantial partnership when De Villiers arrived at the crease
The No 3 batter shared four partnerships with Jiveshan Pillay
The highest of the four was the 220-run third-wicket stand with King
who was making his red-ball debut for the Warriors showed good temperament as he supported De Villiers
The 22-year-old played well for his 64 from 132 deliveries
This is King's second first-class half-century
The No 4 batter faced 110 balls to reach the milestone
De Villiers wasn't the only standout performer for the Warriors
Beyers Swanepoel put on a clinic on how to operate the new ball
The 26-year-old ran through the Knights' top six
He finished that innings with six wickets for 30 runs in 21 overs
Swanepoel recorded match figures that read: eight wickets for 63 runs in 38 overs
recorded new career-best bowling figures in a match
Johan van Dyk was the most successful bowler for the Knights
Tian van Vuuren also took four wickets across two innings
Aaron Phangiso and Patrick Botha were outstanding with the bat for the visitors
Botha and Cloete's 126-run fourth-wicket partnership saved the match for the Knights
The duo stonewalled the Warriors' bowling attack effectively
it was too little too late to clinch victory
Saudi Arabia, Asia (16 January 2025) &#8211; Best known for his famous win and performance at the 2009 Dakar Rally, South African legend, Giniel de Villiers has <a href="https://www.goodthingsguy.com/sport/giniel-de-villiers-gears-up-for-final-dakar-rally-in-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bowed out of the popular motorsport race</a>
After more than two decades of extraordinary dedication and unmatched consistency
De Villiers has concluded a remarkable part of his career
From his debut in 2003 to his final race in 2025
he has made history and inspired generations of South African motorsport fans
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DExL62Pxx83/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dakar Rally</a> confirmed his recent withdrawal from this year&#8217;s edition of the race for the first time in 22 years due to his co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz suffering a concussion
medical staff deemed it unsafe for him to continue
This unfortunate turn of events also confirmed De Villiers&#8217; retirement
“This is a sad end to my last Dakar with the team, but I’m just glad that Dirk is okay. Thanks, my friend, for nearly 14 Dakars together. Get well soon,” confirmed De Villiers on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DEt8GP3i1qt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>
held a record of 286 consecutive stage starts (with 18 wins) and secured countless other achievements in South African Motorsport
<a href="https://web.facebook.com/motorsportsouthafrica/posts/1154358469390226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motorsport South Africa</a> and many of his supportive fans have saluted him as a true legend in the exhilarating off-road endurance event
“Giniel de Villiers will forever remain a Dakar Legend
and a source of pride for South Africa,” proudly remarks Motorsport South Africa
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South Africa (19 December 2024) &#8211; South African motorsport legend and Red Bull athlete Giniel de Villiers is gearing up for his final appearance in the Dakar Rally
marking the last stop of an illustrious career spanning 22 consecutive participations
The Dakar Rally 2025 promises to be an unforgettable chapter as de Villiers prepares to take on one of the toughest routes in the event’s history
known as the world’s most gruelling off-road endurance race
challenges competitors with extreme terrain
and thousands of kilometres across deserts
de Villiers described the Dakar as a monumental test of endurance and teamwork
 “The race itself is a huge challenge and a huge adventure
You have to deal with the unexpected as it comes along
The main thing is to never give up and to always soldier on,” he says
“It’s going to be a tough race from what I’ve seen
including a stage of more than 900 kilometres and a marathon stage
we’ll face the dunes of the Empty Quarter,&#8221; he explains
&#8220;My goal is to work closely with the team
ensuring everyone pulls in the right direction
Preparation for the Dakar is an intricate process that requires year-round commitment
“We fine-tune our race cars to get the last bit of performance out of them
and all the hard work we’ve put in will hopefully pay off during the race,” de Villiers explains
“I don’t like to plan too far ahead because things change very quickly
De Villiers’ advice to aspiring rally drivers reflects his own relentless drive and determination:
“There’s been an influx of young talent in the last few years
Giniel de Villiers’ legacy is one of perseverance
he leaves behind a trail of inspiration for future generations of rally drivers
Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy
Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues
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Springboks legends Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers have detailed ex-teammate Butch James&#8217; nightmarish December holiday outside of Cape Town
The trio of 2007 Rugby World Cup winners planned their festive vacation with their families together
While the journey to the destination is not too much of a schlep for <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/tag/schalk-burger">Burger</a> and <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/tag/jean-de-villiers">De Villiers</a>, who are based in the province, it was for Durban-based James and matters alone got worse for the former <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/team/south-africa">Springboks</a> playmaker with nothing seemingly going his way
On the latest episode of the Boks Office podcast, De Villiers and Burger revealed the details of <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/tag/butch-james">James</a>&#8216; journey to the holiday destination which started with the house that the fly-half had rented burning down before he left
&#8220;He must have had the worst luck ever on this holiday,&#8221; De Villiers begun as he retold the events that unfolded
&#8220;They [James and his family] booked a spot in Ysterfontein it must have been six months ago
It came to the end of November and they get a phone call
&#8220;They managed to get another house to rent
So Butch&#8217;s wife and kids flew down and he drove down [to bring all the bikes etc.]&#8221;
That was just the start of the problems for the former Bath fly-half who ran into car troubles while en route to the Western Cape
&#8220;So he is driving down in the car and gets to Colesburg which is let&#8217;s say halfway and his car breaks down,&#8221; de Villiers added
<a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-stars-return-home-finally-confirmed-as-stormers-fill-scrum-half-void">Springboks star’s ‘return home’ finally confirmed as Stormers fill scrum-half void</a>
adding: &#8220;It was comprehensive that&#8217;s all I know.&#8221;
De Villiers then said: &#8220;He joined the AA
&#8216;you are driving the truck later&#8217;
&#8220;Because he didn&#8217;t get any sleep the previous night because he had to pick up someone else.&#8221;
Butchie goes in to buy some things and the driver asks can you buy some &#8216;reg maakers&#8217; [a fixer]
De Villiers continued: &#8220;So Butch gets him some and he takes it in the car
&#8220;It keeps you awake,&#8221; the driver replied
&#8220;So Butch says &#8216;give me two!&#8217;
&#8220;He takes two and about 30 minutes later the driver tells Butch &#8216;OK
now it&#8217;s time for you to drive&#8217;
He gets behind the steering wheel and drives for EIGHT HOURS
Butch drives the truck for eight hours.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/rugby-transfers-bulls-lure-springboks-pair-home-but-lose-willie-le-roux-while-three-clubs-chase-stormers-star">Bulls lure Springboks pair home but lose Willie le Roux while three clubs chase Stormers star</a>
&#8220;With his Range Rover on the back,&#8221; Burger added
he said that he has never been so like [wired]
he had like five Red Bulls as well and eventually he made it here,&#8221; De Villiers said
&#8220;But yeah then it was good but I feel so bad for him.&#8221;
Burger further revealed how James got back home saying that he thinks it was a rather costly holiday for the ex-Springbok
&#8220;He did release the fury when he got into Ysterfontein
He properly let go,&#8221; the former flanker said
I think it was quite an expensive holiday for Butchie.&#8221;
Saracens have been slammed for sending a weakened team to France in the Champions Cup last-16
Schalk Burger and Robbie Fleck delve into South Africa's issues in the Champions Cup and what can be done to change it
Yesterday, Eskom group chief executive Dan Marokane announced the first four of seven new executive appointments “to further address the current business challenges and future-proof the organisation through the delivery of strategic initiatives to enable growth and long-term sustainability”.
The power utility says it is aligning its executive execution capability and capacity to focus its skilled people in the best structure, where they can deliver value the fastest.
Eskom says De Villiers, formerly chief information officer of Telkom, has over 40 years of experience in the information technology industry and is considered one of the top chief information officers in South Africa.
The power utility notes he has extensive experience in the financial services industry and complex technology change projects, and is expected to assist the business in embracing the pace of digitalisation, the use of artificial intelligence and increased levels in areas of cyber security.
Faith Burn will serve as CIO of Eskom and will report to De Villiers.
“Eskom recognised that it needed to bring in some new skills at the executive level to guide its teams in the business, so it can execute strategic initiatives in a competitive market faster, more efficiently, and in areas which are new to the utility,” says Marokane.
“In just five months, we have closed critical positions at Eskom. I have been impressed with the volume and calibre of applicants who were willing to be associated with our brand. Our new executives had a choice of who they could work for. They chose Eskom.
“We must now more than ever remain focused on delivery and changing the way we do things, not how we are structured, to the benefit of our customers who will increasingly have a choice of energy provider as the market reforms take place. It is our intention to remain a critical player in South Africa’s evolving future energy market, and we will move at pace to recover lost ground.” 
The firm also appointed Portia Mngomezulu as group executive of corporate services, Nontokozo Hadebe as group executive of strategy and sustainability, as well as Roman Crookes as group executive of group capital.
SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will need all the help they can get if they want to cause a huge upset against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday
and one player has been grabbing his opportunity with both hands over the last month
Former Junior Springbok captain Paul de Villiers has played off the bench in the Stormers&#8217; last five outings in all competitions
and the experience he has gained has given him plenty of confidence
&#8220;I had a lekker build-up going into the URC and Stormers rugby,&#8221; said the 22-year-old flank
but I am just trying to adapt and get better with every game and try my best to stay in that matchday 23.&#8221;
De Villiers is also learning from the best in the business when it comes to poaching the ball at breakdowns
&#8220;I&#8217;m in a very privileged position to have guys ahead of me that I can look up to,&#8221; he said
&#8220;I&#8217;ve got guys like Deon [Fourie] and Dave Ewers here and I&#8217;m talking about absolute fetchers
&#8220;I am watching them on and off the field &#8211; what they do and how they prepare
I will go with a video or two just to get some advice
but I do watch how Deon and Dave operate and I just soak up everything
Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani said De Villiers has been ticking the boxes over the last few weeks
&#8220;There has always been a plan,&#8221; said the coach
We played a few young guys who we thought had the potential to play
so the plan is really coming together for us
&#8220;It&#8217;s nice to see Paul coming in and being impactful in such big games and we are probably going to wake up in a couple of months and realise that Paul has got 15 or 20 Stormers caps and that is what we want
&#8220;Paul has been really good and we are quite happy with his progress
he is really smart around the field and he chases hard and never stops
&#8220;We are quite happy with his development and he is just going to get better.&#8221;
Hlungwani added: &#8220;We are playing a strong team
but we are coming into this game giving ourselves the best opportunity to get what we want
&#8220;We are going to give our all and try as hard as we can
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to stay in the fight and hopefully we will get the result we want
&#8220;As much as we understand that we are playing against a tough team
we are not fearful of the battle or the mountain that awaits us.&#8221;
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Matthew de Villiers was in imperious form as he tore down the Knights' bowling attack to steer the Dafabet Warriors to 340-4 at stumps on the third day of their CSA 4-Day Series encounter at Dafabet St George's Park on Saturday
The match was stopped early due to bad light
The Warriors had created a 320-run lead over the Knights
The Warriors had De Villiers (194*) and Patrick Kruger (17*) at the crease
De Villiers's unbeaten ton came in 218 deliveries and it featured 27 fours
The 25-year-old came into the match boasting a career-best score of 94 and three half-centuries from five First-Class contests
&nbsp;He faces 126 balls on his way to a maiden First-Class century
De Villiers shared an outstanding 220-run third-wicket partnership with JP King
The 22-year-old was the perfect foil to De Villiers's fluent knock
He scored a patient 64 from 132 during their time together in the middle
This is King' second First-Class half-century
The No 4 batter faced 110 deliveries to reach the milestone
He lost his wicket after scoring 43 runs in his first dig
The Warriors were on 56-2 and needed a substantial partnership when De Villiers and King got together
That stand was followed by a 42-run partnership between De Villiers and Sinethemba Qeshile (16)
He was in the midst of an unbroken 22-run fifth-wicket stand with Patrick Kruger when the innings were curtailed
Four of the seven bowlers Dane Piedt employed were successful for the Knights
Piedt and Dian Forrester finished the day with a wicket each
Piedt had the best economy rate after conceding 56 runs in 16 overs
De Villiers's incredible knock cast a long shadow over Aaron Phangiso's valiant half-century for the Knights in the morning session
The seasoned campaigner came close to registering a new career-best first-class score with his 74 from 169
He fell three runs shy of equaling his best score in red-ball cricket
Phangiso's knock was instrumental in helping the Knights establish a slim 20-run lead
The 41-year-old's innings was curtailed by Beyers Swanepoel
who has been outstanding with the ball for the Warriors
Swanepoel finished the innings with a brilliant 6-30 in 21 overs
King finished with three wickets for 46 runs in 19.4 overs
Jean de Villiers insists that the Springboks defence requires a vast improvement and has raised concerns about the defence under their new coach
South Africa’s rearguard has been regarded as the best in the world over the past few years
helping them to success Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023
That was marshalled by <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/tag/Jacques-Nienaber">Jacques Nienaber</a> for those two tournaments
but the 51-year-old departed to Leinster following the conclusion of the World Cup last year
Ex-Harlequins defence guru Jerry Flannery has since taken over, but the <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/team/south-africa">Boks</a> shipped four tries against Argentina in the 29-28 defeat
De Villiers also used the Ireland series and the game against the <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/team/new-zealand">All Blacks</a> in Johannesburg as examples of the Springboks’ deficiencies
“The bigger concern is that there was loads of missed tackles which we’re not used to from the Boks
The system as well I’m putting a question mark around,” De Villiers said on the Boks Office podcast
and maybe even going back to the Ireland games
how we got beaten in the outside channels at times
around the ruck – the second pillar kind of area
Those are the two areas of the field where we got exposed last weekend drastically
the individual missed tackles; that leads to four tries being conceded in 20 minutes
certainly from an individual tackling point of view
at times you could very much see it was not as in sync as we’re used to in terms of our line speed defensively.”
<a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-greats-weigh-into-manie-libbok-debate-as-jean-de-villiers-reveals-the-reality-of-fly-halfs-kicking-woes">Springboks greats weigh into Manie Libbok debate as Jean de Villiers reveals the ‘reality’ of fly-half’s kicking woes</a>
Although that wall was unbreachable during the 18-12 triumph over New Zealand in Cape Town
they have evidently not always got it right under Flannery
Former Boks back-row Schalk Burger believes that the new coach has altered their structure slightly
despite keeping the key aspects of their rush defence
“I think it’s there but we’re not completely linked up
You’ll see the line speed going but we’re not as in sync
I think we had one speed and that’s just flat out go and get them
It doesn’t matter how far back the ball is
it doesn’t matter how narrow we are,” Burger said
“We’re still quite narrow at times but now it’s almost like we go up and somewhere there’s a call where we press and use the touchline as our safety net.”
De Villiers spotted a pattern in last weekend’s defeat to Argentina
which hinted at a slight change in the Springboks’ defensive system
“I think a lot of the calls would come from the outside
You actually saw Jesse a couple of times where he had his hands out and the communication probably being to hold more until you’re numbered up and then you can press again,” he added
“I think once you get it right and you have got the ability to adapt to the situation then you can be really effective
The fact that we’re changing the team and personnel so much
“You cast your mind back to the World Cup final
I can remember that one time when Pieter-Steph du Toit was caught on the left wing
smashed Jordie Barrett and the opportunity was lost
“It will be interesting to see where the Boks go from here and whether they revert back to that.”
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.planetrugby.com/news/michael-cheika-reveals-why-he-believes-rassie-erasmus-is-the-best-coach-in-the-world">Michael Cheika reveals why he believes Rassie Erasmus is the best coach in the world</a>