Cape Town (S. Africa), Apr. 22: South African off-spinner Johan Botha has said that he is not playing in the second edition of the Indian Premier League here because of his faulty bowling action.

"There were two or three teams interested in my services, but they could not offer me a contract because of this issue," Sports 24 quoted Botha, as saying.

Johannesburg - South Africans began voting Wednesday in the country's fourth general elections since the end of apartheid, following which controversial African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma is expected to become president.

A little over 23 million people are registered to vote in elections to the 400-seat National Assembly and nine provincial legislatures, 2.4 million more than in the 2004 elections.

The emergence of a new party, the Congress of the People (COPE), from a split in the ANC last year has made these the most exciting since the first euphoric multi-racial elections in 1994.

Bogota - At least eight miners died and four others were injured in the collapse of a gold mine in northwest Colombia, officials said Tuesday.

Victor Tamayo, governor of Choco province, said the mine was located in a remote, jungle region about four hours from the nearest city.

In a separate incident in the same province, the Attorney General's office confiscated 24 dredges used in illegal gold-mining operations without permits that caused environmental degradation.

Durban, Apr 21: Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 11 runs in a rain truncated Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday.

Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Brendon McCullum won the toss and elected to field first.

Kings XI, which had earlier lost its opening match to Delhi Daredevils, got a poor start when both opener Karan Goel lost his wickets early.

Irfan Pathan, who was promoted up in the order, hit some beautiful shots. He scored 32 runs off 17 balls.

Johannesburg - Feathers were flying between popular South African chicken restaurant chain, Nando's, and the ruling African National Congress (ANC) on the eve of the country's fourth democratic general elections Tuesday.

The Youth League of the ANC has vowed "militant action" against Nandos for satirizing its controversial leader, Julius Malema, in a television and radio advertisements.

Nando's, known for its spicy "peri-peri" chicken, has a long history of poking fun at politicians through its ads.

Johannesburg  - South Africa's ruling African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma said Tuesday he was gunning for a whopping majority in Wednesday's elections, despite competition from a new party of ANC dissidents.

"All we are looking for is an overwhelming majority," Zuma told reporters on the eve of the country's fourth national and provincial elections since the end of apartheid.