Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter At least 10 000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by wildfires that have ravaged the Free State farming towns of Boshoff, Bultfontein, Christiana, Dealesville, Hertzogville and Hoopstad over the past four days. Local farmer Tewie Nel was severely injured after he was trapped in the raging fires which started on Sunday and have been spreading rapidly due to the windy and dry weather conditions in the area. Unconfirmed reports however allege the fires were started on Monday during a service delivery protest over water. Several buildings have been razed to the ground and scores of livestock and…

Staff Reporter A man believed to have sexually groomed his minor stepdaughter over a period of time before eventually raping her on two occasions is applying for bail at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court. The suspect, who is from Nigeria and cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the child, is also believed to be in the country illegally. The mother of the victim is a South African national. In a written response to questions from The Free Stater, Free State police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said the offences date back four years when the accused started touching…

Staff Reporter National power utility Eskom has warned customers not to buy prepaid electricity vouchers from ghost vendors as it is illegal and could result in them being heavily fined or facing prosecution. A statement released by the company’s Free State spokesperson Stefanie Jansen van Rensburg says buying from illegal vendors is seen as bypassing the meter and therefore tantamount to electricity theft. “Electricity theft is still growing, and it is not only limited to illegal connections and meter tampering,” read part of the statement. “Eskom also has to fight the scourge of illegal prepaid electricity vouchers,” it said. Eskom’s…

Staff Reporter Police have widened investigations into the sale of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs on the black market with a view to establish the source as well as the buyers believed to be supporting the illicit trade. Free State provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele told The Free Stater by telephone that investigations by local police have been escalated to the national office as it has been found that the problem is not only limited to the province. He said this on Monday following the arrest of seven people found in possession of a large quantity of the life-saving drugs over…

Staff Reporter A 29-year-old mother of five from a township in Qwaqwa has allegedly poisoned herself and all her children after a fall-out with her husband, Free State police say. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement the woman, from Phamong Village ha Jesu O Teng in Tseki, had left her marital home and returned to her parents’ place with the kids. The woman and the children were found lying on the floor by the woman’s mother around 3pm yesterday and emergency services were immediately summoned. “An ambulance was called and the mother and two kids aged…

Staff Reporter Free State police have arrested a 33-year-old businessman from Senekal in connection with a case of public violence which occurred early this month at the Senekal Magistrates Court. The incident which took place on October 6 when a group of farmers clashed with the police at the court. The farmers had thronged the court to see the two men accused of murdering a farm manager, Brendon Horner, as they made their first appearances in court. The situation turned ugly when some of the farmers forced their way into court after it adjourned, demanding that the accused, Sekwetje Isaiah…

Staff Reporter Police are on high alert as a clash between the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and minority rights group AfriForum looms in Senekal today. Both camps are expected to descend on the small Free State farming town to protest – but for different reasons – during the court appearance of two men accused of murder. Sekwetje Isaiah Mahlamba, 32, and 44-year-old Sekola Piet Matlaletsa, both residents of Takalatse in Fateng-Tse-Ntsho township in Paul Roux, are due to appear before the Senekal Magistrates Court on charges of murdering farm manager Brendin Horner earlier this month. The duo’s first court appearance…

I have been asked to explain the difference between a sectional title and a full title property and which could be a better option to buy. We are very lucky in South Africa to have an exceptionally good land registration system at the Deeds Office. Every single piece of land in the country has been surveyed in great detail — down to .5 centimetres — and is accurately mapped. Each piece of ground is registered at the Deeds Office and has what is called a title deed which gives a diagram of the site and any restrictions on the property.…

Staff Reporter Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela and the MEC for Health, Montseng Tsiu, have tested positive for COVID-19. The director-general of the provincial government, Kopung Ralikontsane, has also returned a positive coronavirus result. A statement released by the Office of the Premier said Ntombela would continue to carry out her work responsibilities while in isolation until she has fully recovered, or advised otherwise by healthcare professionals. The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thembeni Nxangisa, will act as the MEC for Health until Tsiu, who is receiving medical attention, has fully recovered. Thuso Ramaema, the provincial government’s deputy…

The Hawks have made a breakthrough in the case involving the murder of Bloemfontein police officer Constable Ofentse Odirile Katlego Mokgadinyane, who was gunned down this week. The 31-year-old police officer was stationed as part of the Crime Intelligence unit at the Park Road station in Bloemfontein. He was killed at his Bloemspruit home when two alleged gun-toting suspects forced open his back door, gained entrance and shot him dead. Warrant Officer Lynda Steyn, a spokesperson for the Hawks in the Free State, said three suspects between the ages of 22 and 29 were arrested after they were found with…