Premier Mxolisi Dukwana has paid tribute to the late Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe who died in a car crash that also claimed the life of his security officer in the early hours of this Sunday.

The accident happened after the car in which they were travelling in from Johannesburg rammed into three stray cows on the N1 highway near Winburg, about 113kn northwest of Bloemfontein.

Dukwana said Makgoe had dedicated his life to uplifting the marginalised.

“Makgoe, throughout his life, believed in the vision of a better life for all,” the premier said.

“He was driven by the quest for the total eradication of poverty and underdevelopment, especially through his deployment as MEC for Education, where he catapulted the province to top status as the best performing for consecutive years.

“He now departs, leaving a department that remains on the top echelons of the education sector in the country.”

Makgoe has been serving as the Free State’s MEC for Education since May 2009.

Under his watch, the province has attained the highest matric pass rate in the country for the past four consecutive years.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed its condolences on the tragic passing on of Makgoe and his aide.

“He will be remembered for his fine sense of humour, as a vigorous participant in debates of the Legislature and his respect for the decorum of the House,” DA Free State Roy Jankielsohn said.

“His last debate in the Legislature was on Friday during the debate on the SOPA where he spoke with pride on the matric results in the Free State.

“The Free State Executive Committee will be poorer for the loss of his institutional knowledge and many years of experience.”

The ANC Youth League’s Fezile Dabi region has also paid tribute to the late Makgoe.

“Comrade Tate, as he was famously known, was not only an MEC of Basic Education but a comrade, mentor and an inspirer from our region,” the party’s regional leadership said in a statement.

“He dedicated all his life to working diligently for the African National Congress, he has been an epitome of what real member of the ANC needs to be like till the end: the clean record, no scandal, many terms in office, the hard work towards elections in this province, the wonderful work in the Department of Education . . .”

Born Pule Herbert Isak Makgoe on 12 May 1963 in Tumahole, Parys, Free State province, he was a respected member of the ANC who served the provincial government in the following portfolios:

• Member of the Free State Legislature (1994-2023)
• Free State MEC for Finance (1994-1996)
• Free State MEC for Tourism and Environmental Affairs (1997-1999)
• Free State MEC for Agriculture (1999-2003)
• Chair of Chairs in the Free State Legislature (2001-2004)
• Free State MEC for Public Safety, Security and Liaison (2004-2005)
• Free State MEC for Finance (2005-2009)
• Free State MEC for Education (2009- 2023)

The premier said arrangements for the late Makgoe’s funeral will be announced in due course. – The Free Stater

Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe has died in a road crash after his car hit two cows on the N1 highway near Winburg in the early hours of this Sunday.

He was 59.

His bodyguard also perished in the crash, while their driver survived and is being treated for moderate injuries.

Premier Mxolisi Dukwana’s spokesperson Sello Dithebe confirmed the tragic news.

“We are still in shock but the premier will share more details on the untimely passing of Makgoe at a media briefing scheduled to take place at his home in Bloemfontein this morning,” Dithebe told The Free Stater.

Makgoe has been serving as the Free State’s MEC for Education since May 2009.

Under his watch, the province has attained the highest matric pass rate in the country for four consecutive years.  – Staff Reporter

The ANC national leadership has endorsed Mxolisi Dukwana as the party’s preferred candidate for the position of premier of the Free State province.

He is now all set to take over from Sisi Ntombela, who was forced to step down this week after suffering a massive political setback.

After interviewing three candidates to fill up the post on Tuesday, the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) settled for Dukwana – recently elected the party’s chairperson in the Free State – as the most suitable for the job.

The other two in consideration for the top office were Ketso Makume and Dibolelo Mahlatsi, the party’s provincial deputy chairperson and deputy secretary respectively.

“Based on these interviews, the national officials are of the view that all three candidates are of a very high calibre and have the potential to play meaningful roles as deployees in a number of spheres of government,” ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said in correspondence to ANC Free State provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng seen by The Free Stater.

“In the current conjuncture, given his experience and the challenges faced by the Free State, the national officials are of the view that Comrade Mxolisi Dukwana is the preferred ANC candidate for the position of premier of the Free State.”

Dukwana is expected to be elected and sworn in as premier at a special sitting of the provincial legislature on Thursday.

Ntombela’s decision to quit did not come as a surprise.

Her future has been hanging in the balance since she lost to Dukwana in the race for the ANC Free State chairperson’s position last month.

Ntombela became the sixth premier of the Free State after she took over from Ace Magashule in 2018. – Staff Reporter

Free State police are investigating a case of common assault after a group of white men allegedly attacked two black teens at the Maselspoort Resort outside Bloemfontein on Christmas Day.

A video of the apparently racially motivated confrontation has gone viral on social media.

In the video, a white man is seen slapping a 13-year-old boy, who is then thrown back into the pool when he tries to get up.

The man then appears to try to choke another boy, aged 18.

Attempts to break up the confrontation fail and the situation escalates when another man pulls the younger teen’s hair.

A scuffle then ensues with one man pushing one of the boys into the pool and seemingly trying to keep his head under water.

The video ends when a man drags the older teen by the head in the pool.

It is alleged that the white men tried to prevent the black teens from using the swimming pool at the resort.

Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said police were called out on Christmas Day at 3pm to “a fighting incident taking place at a holiday resort in Bloemfontein”.

“On arrival members found the groups already dispersed and were approached by a parent of one of the victims who alleged that his two teenage boys, aged 18 and 13, were assaulted by a group of white males over the usage of a swimming pool,” said Makhele.

“Glen police are investigating a case of common assault, and the docket will be taken to court for decision.

“The suspects, who are all white males as seen on the video circulating, were warned to appear in court on a date to be set by the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.”

Free State provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane said the incident would receive the “proper attention” from the investigating team.

“We condemn the behaviour as reflected in the video,” Motswenyane added.

Premier Sisi Ntombela said she was disgusted by the video.

“I have instructed the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Makalo Mohale, to deal with the matter with the urgency it deserves and engage law enforcement agencies. Racism and such barbaric actions have no place in our province,” she said.

Mohale said he would meet with the management of the Maselspoort Resort and speak to the victims to gather the facts of the incident.

In a statement issued by the MEC’s office, he condemned the “senseless act of racism”, adding that this unwanted behaviour should never be entertained and the incident would be treated with urgency.

“Thus far, the incident has been identified as one element that remains a threat to the revival of the tourism sector. Therefore, we urge our communities to report any incident of racism to law enforcement agencies and continue to play a role in assisting the police to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book,” Mohale said. – News24

The Free State High Court has dismissed an application brought by three of the accused in the R25-million Nulane Investment corruption case.

Dinesh Patel and Ronica Ragavan, together with Island Investments 180 (Pty) Ltd, filed a special entry application arguing that the information presented by the state was too little for them to adequately prepare for trial.

The trial is set for January 23 to March 3 next year.

Initially, the accused unsuccessfully brought an application to compel the state to furnish them with further and clear particulars in order to prepare for their criminal trial.

A special entry application is initiated when the accused feel court proceedings may potentially infringe on the rights to a fair trial.

The other accused in the matter include former Free State head of department for rural development, Mbana Peter Thabethe; former head of the Free State agriculture department, Limakatso Moorosi, alongside the same department’s former chief finance officer Seipati Dhlamini; Nulane Investments 204 (Pty) Ltd owner Iqbal Meer Sharma and Nulane Investments.

The eight face charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering.

The former government officials face a further charge of contravening the Public Finance Management Act.

It is the state’s case that the accused acted in concert to divert funds earmarked for rural development in the Free State.

A total of R24.9-million was paid between November 2011 and April 2012 by the Free State Department of Agriculture to Nulane Investments to conduct a feasibility study for the Free State province’s flagship project, Mohoma Mobung.

This was on the basis that Nulane had unique skills to perform the work.

However, no significant work was done and the funds were allegedly diverted to Islandsite Investments. – Staff Reporter