Zakumi And Cup Apparel Letting Down Sa Industry
by Judith King (Commentary | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - February 9)
The Congress of South African Trade Unions has expressed outrage that the Zakumi 2010 Fifa World Cup mascot is being made in China, saying that "huge profit will be made by exploiting low-paid Chinese workers while South African workers miss the chance to get new work". more details | go to article

FIFA Probe Of Chinese 'Sweatshop'
by Amukelani Chauke (Article | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - February 3)
Business Times reported that the world football controlling body would investigate how the 10000m² "squalid" factory in Shanghai, China, had landed several international subcontracts. more details | go to article

Proudly (not) South African
by No Author Listed (Article | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - January 30)
A senior ANC member of parliament is the central figure in a scandal involving a Chinese sweatshop making merchandise of Zakumi, the 2010 soccer World Cup's official mascot. more details | go to article

Zakumi: Chinese Workers Earn R23 A Day
by Michael Hamlyn (Article | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - January 29)
Trade union federation Cosatu is up in arms about the fact that light-up models of Zakumi, the Fifa World Cup mascot, are being manufactured in China by workers who are being grossly exploited. more details | go to article

African Sides Won't Bow To Giants
by Bareng-Batho Kortjaas (Preview | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 21)
Exciting Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan is adamant that the time for African teams to cower in the face of “superior” European and South American opposition is over. more details | go to article

Egypt Team Denies Sex Link To Robbery
by No Author Listed (Article | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 21)
A war of words erupted between the Egyptian football team and authorities in South Africa Sunday over the circumstances in which members of the Egyptian team were robbed, following their Confederations Cup win over Italy. more details | go to article

Pharaohs' Dynasty Rising Again
by Carlos Amato (Commentary | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 21)
Spain have become honorary “Freestatistas” this week. If they confront Egypt in the first Confederations Cup semifinal in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, they will enjoy a measure of “home ground” advantage. more details | go to article

Thieves Target Egyptian Players
by No Author Listed (Article | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 19)
Egyptian players returned from their 1-0 victory over Italy at the Confederations Cup in Johannesburg to find cash had been stolen from their hotel rooms. more details | go to article

The Best Of The Americans
by No Author Listed (Preview | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 9)
According to the Times: DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, and Clint Dempsey. more details | go to article

Some Sexy Soccer This Way Comes
by No Author Listed (Commentary | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 7)
It is time to stop the moaning and put aside some of the grumpier concerns and get behind the Confederations Cup. more details | go to article

It's Time To Have A Ball
by Rowan Philip (Preview | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - June 7)
Soccer fever is set to grip South Africa with the arrival from tomorrow of superstars like Kaka, Fernando Torres and Fabio Cannavaro for the start of this week’s Confederations Cup. more details | go to article

Don't Write Off The Yanks
by Mazola Molefe (Preview | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - May 6)
In our soccer series on the Confederations Cup, football writer Mazola Molefe looks at the US, who might not come from a football stronghold, but are now a formidable team. more details | go to article

Bafana Get A Blattering
by Yazeed Kamaldien (Profile/Interview | The Times (Johannesburg, South Africa) - September 16)
Fifa president Sepp Blatter plans to meet national soccer bosses today to speak frankly about his dismay at Bafana Bafana’s dismal performances on the pitch. more details | go to article