Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter A Free State transport and logistics company will not recover a single cent after it used its own money to fix a local road it says was in a bad state. Goldfields Logistics (Pty) Ltd took the provincial Department of Police, Roads and Transport to court claiming a reimbursement amounting to R234 594.65 for repairs that it says it effected on the R59 road between Bothaville and Parys in the province. In the claim instituted at the Free State High Court, the company said it had, among other things, spent R22 750.10 on paying casual labourers hired between…

Staff Reporter A Free State municipality has been ordered to apologise to a former employee for the prejudice he suffered after it failed to register him as a member of a provident fund. The Public Protector issued the directive to the Masilonyana Local Municipality – which runs Brandfort and other surrounding towns – following an investigation into allegations of improper conduct and maladministration by the local government authority. The probe relates to a complaint lodged by Israel Mogoaladi, who was employed as a driver by the council as a driver/messenger in the office of the municipal manager with effect from…

A brilliant spell from Ayabonga Khaka has helped South Africa escape with a hard-fought 32-run victory over a gallant Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Dunedin on Saturday. Khaka’s match-winning four for 32 included a spell of three wickets in nine balls as she put the clamps on Bangladesh’s batting line-up and ensured her side were able to defend a modest total of 207. Openers Shamima Sultana (28) and Sharmin Akhter (34) had given Bangladesh a perfect start as they reached 69 without loss, but Khaka’s timely intervention reduced the score to 72 for three with wickets…

The buzz around enormous body-on-frame luxury SUVs has reached a fever pitch. As lavish and accommodating as ever, these massive driving implements continue to advance in high-tech usefulness, with new and updated entries from Jeep and Lexus bolstering the segment’s ranks. Someone at General Motors even had the idea to give the V treatment to the Cadillac Escalade, supercharged V-8 and all. To that lot we’ll add the 2022 Lincoln Navigator, which has been polished with thoughtful touches and new hands-free driving capability as part of a mid-cycle refresh. The ability to transport people and stuff with glitzy curb appeal…

Staff Reporter The installation of a new internal water reticulation system in Botshabelo’s Section R has been put on hold after the Free State High Court ordered the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to review the awarding of the multi-million-rand contract. Trouble started after one of the companies that had submitted a tender for the project, Down-Touch Investments (Pty) Ltd, was disqualified from bidding for not meeting the project’s minimum requirements. These were identified as a failure to provide an original bank rating certificate and that the curriculum vitae of the company’s personnel were not certified. The municipality’s bid adjudication committee proceeded…

Buyers are not always experienced and should therefore rely on their estate agent to guide them through the process. It is however important that the buyer understands that they are buying what they see. A previously owned house, like a second-hand car, will seldom be perfect and will have a few years of use, wear and tear on its clock. Buyers must understand that they are buying a second-hand house and not a new one. New houses come with an expectation that the builder is responsible for the first three months after moving in for minor repairs like loose tiles,…

On 24 February 2022, the world woke up to the news of Russia announcing its “special military operation” to “demilitarise” and “deNazify” Ukraine. This announcement was followed by a sophisticated, all-out attack by land and air. As Russia began its invasion, the rest of the world watched in anguish, contemplating the unavoidable international political and economic implications. There are competing views as to why Russia invaded Ukraine. Some argue that the attacks were based on Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, while others link the invasion to the Minsk agreements. The Minsk agreements are two treaties signed in 2014 and 2015…

The recent news has been dominated by so many things that an important signal has been drowned out by the noise. That small signal is the announcement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) that typhoid has been identified in parts of South Africa, so the prudent approach is to boil the water coming from taps. While this is an important development, it needs to be placed into context. For starters, the NICD is a credible institution, so anything they say must be taken seriously. This issue brings three important factors into clear focus. Let us unpack each of…

Staff Reporter The Free State’s popular arts and music event, the Mangaung African Cultural Festival (Macufe), is back after being put on hold for the past two years as the province battled to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Sisi Ntombela announced the return of the festival on Monday as she delivered her State of the Province Address. “We are excited that our international festival, Macufe, will return this year after it was stopped in 2020 after the outbreak of COVID19,” she said. Macufe, established by the provincial government in 1997, is one of the largest festivals in Africa. It showcases…

Staff Reporter Former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s son appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday facing tax fraud charges relating to personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts worth R7.4 million that his business was awarded. The state is alleging that the 39-year-old Tshepiso Gift Magashule unlawfully, with an intent to defraud the South African Revenue Services (SARS), misrepresented his company Motheko Projects (Pty) Ltd’s trade activities in submission of VAT returns. He is being charged together with his company and accountant Makhosi Johannes Tshabalala, aged 32. “It is alleged that between April 2020 and February 2021, Tshabalala submitted, on…