Author: The Free Stater

Free State police have launched a massive manhunt after a group of about 20 men who allegedly overpowered security guards at the main Virginia Sewage Plant and made off with copper cable worth over R2-million. Police spokesperson for the area, Captain Stephen Thakeng, said the men, some of whom were armed, overpowered three security guards and fired shots during the attack which occurred at about 04:30 on Tuesday. “About 20 unknown . . . men with Lesotho accent overpowered them and fired two shots,” said Thakeng in a statement. And as if to clean up their act, the men are…

Ace Magashule says the ongoing asbestos corruption case in the Free State High Court will not deter him from contesting for key positions at the ANC conference in December because he feels the state is deliberately delaying the case in order to keep him out of the running. Magashule, who is currently suspended from his position as the party’s secretary-general, said this while addressing journalists on Friday after the pre-trial conference for the R255-million asbestos corruption case was postponed to September 23. “Court or no court, I was elected by the branches of the ANC, and once nominated, I will…

Criminals have reportedly hit a substation supplying parts of the Bloemfontein city centre twice in as many days and damaged critical equipment, leaving parts of the area without electricity. Centlec spokesperson Lele Mamatu says the daring criminals forced their entry into the substation on each occasion and caused extensive damage to the equipment. “On Friday . . . evening the thugs forced entry in one of our substations, Volskas substation in Bloemfontein CBD,” said Mamatu in a statement. “Today (Saturday) at around 09:00 in the morning, we experienced another forced entry at the same substation. “This is despite efforts made…

Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and his co-accused are back at the Free State High Court this Friday morning for a pre-trial conference for the asbestos audit corruption case. The trial is set to start in September. Magashule is jointly charged with 10 other people and five companies in the R255-million corruption case. He is facing several charges of corruption and fraud, alternatively theft and money laundering. The other accused include: Free State Human Settlements Department officials Nthimotse Mokhesi (head of the department) and Mahlomola John Matlakala (supply chain management director); Johannesburg businessman and owner of Blackhead Consulting (Pty), Pheagane…

Inflation is hitting many parts of the world, especially the USA, and is likely to result in increases in interest rates. In response to these developments, the SA Reserve Bank increased the repo rate by 50 basis points towards the end of May to 4.75 percent. This saw the prime lending rate by commercial banks jump to 8.25 percent. Market analysts say this is the largest increase since 2016, fuelled by spiking global inflation. I don’t expect the interest rate to rise fast but the increases could happen at regular intervals over an extended period of time. Petrol and food…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane from the office of the Public Protector with immediate effect. Mkhwebane is facing an impeachment nquiry which seeks to establish whether there are grounds for her removal from office. A statement issued on Thursday by the president’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the suspension is accordance with section 194 (3)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. According to the statement, Section 194(3) (a) of the Constitution provides that the president may suspend the public protector “at any time after the start of proceedings by a committee of the National Assembly…

A 30-year-old man from Phuthaditjhaba, eastern Free State, is on the run after he allegedly killed his mother before chopping up her body and packing some of the pieces into a plastic bag. His father however arrived at their Riverside home while he was busy packing his mother’s remains into the plastic bag in the garage. The father also fell victim to the son who viciously attacked him with a knife and had to be rushed to hospital where he is fighting for his life. Police spokesperson for the area, Captain Phumelelo Dhlamini, said in a statement the woman who…

Two police sergeants attached to the Mangaung Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) have been arrested for corruption, extortion, theft and defeating the ends of justice. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said in a statement the alleged rogue officers were arrested by members of the Free State Anti-Corruption Unit this Wednesday. He said the arrests relate to a March 2022 sexual assault case which Mangaung FCS was investigating. “It is alleged that the duo forced the female victim to extort cash from the male suspect, 38, with promises that the sexual assault matter against him would…

Free State police have launched a manhunt for unknown men who robbed a 53-year-old woman at gunpoint of an undisclosed amount of cash which belonged to members of a savings club, also known as a stokvel. Lejweleputswa district police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng says the incident happened at about 18:30 on Tuesday while the woman, who is the treasurer of the savings club, was sitting with her friends in the car garage at her home in Winburg. He said the Sesotho-speaking robbers also took two cellphones and a safe. “Three unknown . . . men entered (the yard) and one…

The Department of Justice and Correctional Services says two of the most wanted persons behind the infamous state capture in South Africa, Rajesh and Atul Gupta, have been arrested in Dubai. The department’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said in a statement released Monday evening that they had received information from law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that the two fugitives had been arrested. “Discussions between various law enforcement agencies in the UAE and South Africa on the way forward are ongoing,” said Phiri. “The South African government will continue to co-operate with the UAE,” he added. Earlier, News24…