Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter There was a drop of 6.1 percent in murder cases and an increase of 8.4 percent in sexual offences in the Free State between April 2019 and March 2020, the latest crime statistics show. The figures which were released by Police Minister Bheki Cele this Friday indicate 939 people were killed in the province during that period compared to the previous year when 1 000 were murdered. That means about three people were murdered in the province per day last year as well as in the previous one. “We know that we are not where we need to…

Staff Reporter Free State health authorities are battling to contain labour unrest after nurses at two of the province’s major healthcare institutions went on strike this week demanding safer working conditions as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc. Healthcare workers at Pelonomi Hospital’s maternity section and the Free State Psychiatric Complex downed tools on Thursday saying their lives were in danger after their colleague had succumbed to the coronavirus with several of them infected. The striking workers claimed the provincial health department was taking long to address their concerns. Nurses at the Pelonomi maternity unit wanted to be tested for COVID-19…

Staff Reporter The Free State High Court has granted the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) an order to preserve an amount of R64 900 that was allegedly paid to members of the South African Police Service as a bribe to make a criminal case disappear. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), under which the AFU operates, said the matter dates back to April 23 when police received information that Teboho Benjamin Lushaba, a member of the mayoral committee in Matjhabeng Local Municipality, was in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Police then went to Lushaba’s residence at 2010 Location in Thabong and searched…

Staff Reporter Premier Sisi Ntombela has warned the Free State provincial government will closely monitor the use of public funds to ensure transparency and accountability particularly on expenditure related to COVID-19. She sounded the warning on Thursday when she presented her department’s supplementary budget during a virtual sitting of the provincial Legislature. “Financial wastage and mismanagement are costly,” Ntombela said. She said her office welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent proclamation giving power to the Special Investigations Unit to probe allegations of misuse of COVID-19 funds in government. “This we cannot afford, as every cent unaccounted for robs our people of…

Staff Reporter The national police department is investigating the awarding of a contract to renovate Park Road police station in Bloemfontein three years ago but work has since ground to a halt. Free State Police, Roads and Transport MEC Sam Mashinini said this on Wednesday, in response to an inquiry from Democratic Alliance (DA) legislator Leona Kleynhans who wanted to know why no work was being done on site. Describing it as the “greatest scandal” she had ever witnessed, Kleynhans wanted to know why three different contractors had come and gone since the project was started in 2017. “We are…

Staff Reporter Learners on the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) should continue going to their respective schools to collect their daily rations during the month-long break, the Free State Department of Education has said. Head of department Tsoarelo Malakoane said in a statement that schools will continue preparing meals throughout the school break which has been ordered to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. “We will prepare meals for the learners even when schools are closed,” he said on Wednesday. Malakoane urged parents to ensure their children collect their food so that it does not go to waste. “We…

Staff Reporter The Free State health department has warned people not to respond to job advertisements posted on social media as it does not use such platforms to advertise vacancies. Provincial health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi told The Free Stater that he has been inundated by people calling to inquire about job adverts which, unfortunately, do not originate from his department. “I have received about 15 WhatsApp messages and maybe 40 calls from different people today,” he said on Tuesday. “The criminals are taking advantage of the high unemployment rate in the province which has only been worsened by the COVID-19…

Staff Reporter A man who is facing a charge of killing his wife with the help of his brother and a friend is expected to apply for bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court tomorrow. Kopano Tjobo, 41, his brother Tshukudiso Tjobo, 34, and friend Thapelo Monnane, 39, have been charged with the murder of Sefora Tjobo, 41, early this month. Police confirmed in a statement that the two brothers are Lesotho citizens. Kopano claims that Sefora left the house on July 2, at about 8am. He says he became suspicious of his wife’s whereabouts after he found a letter that…

Staff Reporter The Free State Department of Economic, Small Business, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) says it is in the process of developing an economic recovery plan to rescue the province from the current downslide. MEC Makalo Mohale said in his supplementary budget vote speech Tuesday that the recovery plan will, among other things, force government departments to give a significant stake of major projects to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). “The department is in the process of developing an economic recovery plan underpinned by focus on value chains in strategic sectors of the economy,” he said. “. .…

Staff Reporter The Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says it will use conditional grants to roll out several projects and programmes to support farmers and make their operations more viable. Agriculture MEC William Bulwane told the provincial Legislature during a virtual sitting Tuesday that despite significant cuts to their initial allocation, the department planned to implement over 30 projects. He said for the 2020/21 financial year, the province initially received about R176.2 million under the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) but this has since been revised to just under R143.4 million following some reprioritisation to address COVID-19…