Author: The Free Stater

By Greg Fink Ford has put more “explore” into the Explorer with the addition of the off-road-oriented Explorer Timberline. The trim, which debuted last year, goes beyond a simple appearance package. The 2022 Ford Explorer Timberline includes hardware upgrades for getting farther off the beaten path. These include dampers cribbed from Ford’s Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility, which work with a set of revised springs and Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 tyres mounted on trim-specific 18-inch wheels to add 0.8 inch to the mid-size SUV’s ground clearance, netting it a total of 8.7 inches. The Blue Oval further fortifies the all-wheel-drive…

We have been in the buyers’ market for over two years now, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the lowest interest rates for more than 40 years have resulted in a good demand across the board. Interest rates are still so low that in most cases it is cheaper to buy than rent, certainly in the short to medium term. What was really interesting was what happened when one large property owner decided to liquidate his Bloemfontein holding of flats and townhouses. Usually when a large number of units come onto the market it depresses the market…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality which includes the Free State provincial capital, Bloemfontein, has been placed under national administration following cabinet approval. A statement issued by cabinet on Thursday said the intervention is in terms of Section 139(7) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, read together with Section 150 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act 56 of 2003). Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape has also been placed under national administration. Both municipalities, according to cabinet, have been experiencing significant financial and service delivery failures for a prolonged period. The Free…

Staff Reporter Four students are expected to appear in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates Court this Thursday morning for alleged involvement in the burning of two buildings at the University of the Free State (UFS)’s QwaQwa campus on Monday night. Eastern Free State police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said in a statement the four suspects have been charged with arson and malicious damage to property. “The first suspect was arrested Monday on the scene,” he said. “His arrest led to the arrest of other three suspects at villages outside the campus. The four suspects aged between 20 and 30 . .…

Universities remain one of the most unequal and untransformed spaces in South Africa. One may argue that the country itself is one of the world’s youngest democracies and faces many of the challenges that new democratic states face. After all, the apartheid regime was “demolished” just over five quinquennials ago. However, one may also argue that after 27 years the country should not be facing the same challenges it was facing at the dawn of democracy. One of the most urgent issues that South Africa is facing is the failure to invest in active youth empowerment in order to enable…

Staff Reporter Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has urged political leaders in Free State municipalities to ensure the local authorities hire qualified officials who can implement projects efficiently and on time in order to avoid returning funds to national treasury due to non-use. “Do you know how painful it is for us when Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG) are returned because you did not utilise them?” said Dlamini-Zuma when she addressed mayoral committee members and municipal managers from across the Free State in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. The minister’s engagement was part of the preparations for the District Development…

Staff Reporter A preliminary report released by the police after two buildings went up in flames at the University of the Free State (UFS) QwaQwa campus on Monday night has suggested the fire could have been deliberately started by students. A statement released by university spokesperson Lacea Loader on Tuesday says the preliminary findings into an urgent investigation conducted by the police and the institution’s protection services unit indicates the two buildings were intentionally set alight. “Since the outbreak of the fire, one person – who is a registered student – has been arrested by SAPS, and a process is…

Staff Reporter Monday’s heavy downpour did nothing to stop the match between the University of Free State’s Shimlas and the Tuks from the University of Pretoria as the hosts literally ran on water and booked their place in the Varsity Cup semi-finals. According to KovsieSport, it took a try in the 79th minute by the replacement Kwezi Dlamini to secure the victory, as the Shimlas claimed their first Tuks win in four years. Even in trying conditions the Shimlas stuck to their running style of play to beat the defending champions 26-15 at Shimla Park at the Bloemfontein campus. It…

Staff Reporter Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has met with the Free State Provincial Executive Council to kickstart the strategic build-up engagements leading to the Distric Development Model Presidential Imbizo set to take place at the Dr Rantai Molemela Stadium in Mangaung on Saturday. A statement released by the provincial government said the presidential imbizo is a strategic platform that provides an opportunity for communities to input on how the government undertakes its responsibility of providing services. “The imbizo seeks to create a cohesive environment wherein communities determine the trajectory and direction of their future. By sharpening…

Staff Reporter South Africa has ended the national state of disaster put in place over two years ago to try and contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Monday evening, stating that while a host of control measures have now been removed, others such as the wearing of masks indoors and the number of people permitted at certain gatherings will remain in place. “Since the requirements for a national state of disaster to be declared in terms of the Disaster Management Act are no longer met, cabinet has decided to terminate the national…