Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter Thuso Ramaema, a former top official in the Free State government, has succumbed to COVID-19. He passed away today at a Bloemfontein hospital where he was battling the respiratory disease since his admission on June 8. At the time of his retirement from public service in February this year, Ramaema was the deputy director in the Office of the Premier, responsible for policy, planning and governance. “Ramaema was an astute, meticulous public servant, and was selfless in the execution of his duties,” Premier Sisi Ntombela said in a statement released by her office. “We are poorer without his…

The High Court in Johannesburg has heard that the terms of embattled ANC secretary general Ace Magashule’s suspension are an infringement on his constitutional rights. This is according to his legal representative Advocate Dali Mpofu, who is arguing for the court to find the suspension imposed on Magashule by the ANC as invalid, unlawful and unconstitutional. Mpofu said the terms limit Magashule’s rights to participate in political activity as provided for in the country’s constitution. Magashule is not allowed to speak on behalf of or on matters involving the ANC and he is also not allowed to address party members…

Staff Reporter A 46-year-old man has been arrested after leading police in Thabong, Welkom, to an open field where the body of Bokamoso Shabe, the eight-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted from school on Monday, had been dumped. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement this evening that the search for the child came to an end on Thursday afternoon when the police were led to the body by the suspect following an interrogation. “Today . . . the team came across a gruesome scene where her body was found,” said Makhele. “This after a visit to…

Staff Reporter The Free State province says it vaccinated at least 4 282 personnel in the education sector on the first day of a vaccination campaign for teachers and non-teaching staff. The province has set itself an ambitious target of 10 days to complete the vaccination instead of the 14 days set for the rest of the country. Provincial health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said in a statement jointly released by Free State departments of health and education that vaccinations started in all the five districts yesterday. He said all eligible persons are expected to present themselves at vaccination sites to…

Staff Reporter The Free State has secured enough COVID-19 vaccines for teachers and non-teaching staff in all the five districts of the province, Health MEC Montseng Tsiu has said. She said this in an interview with The Free Stater as she allayed fears of the vaccine running out before all teachers in the province are vaccinated. This after a minor stampede at Gonyane Primary School in Phahameng, Bloemfontein, where the provincial vaccination roll-out was launched on Wednesday. “We have had a huge turnout here today but I would like assure everyone that no one will be turned away because the…

Staff Reporter Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe says the programme to vaccinate teachers and non-teaching staff against COVID-19 which kicked off in the province today as well as other parts of the country should help make schools safer and allow for a return to normal schooling in the near future. He said the pandemic has caused major disruptions as learners have to go to school on specific days to allow for social distancing while in some cases schools are forced to close in the event of a major outbreak of the disease. Makgoe said this when he spoke to…

Staff Reporter The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has dismissed an appeal by EFF leader Julius Malema against a ruling of the Eastern Cape High Court which set aside an application in which he wanted a statement made by former party member Thembinkosi Rawula declared defamatory. Malema also wanted the High Court to stop Rawula from publishing any further defamatory statements and to order him to pay R1 million in damages. The matter dates back to April 5, 2019 when Rawula – who served on the EFF’s highest decision-making body, the Central Command Team (CCT) – posted a statement on…

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Staff Reporter Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe and Health MEC Montseng Tsiu will officially launch the provincial vaccination drive for teachers and non-teaching staff this Wednesday. “Vaccines are a vital tool in our fight against COVID-19,” said Makgoe in a statement. “It’s crucial that we avoid any further disruptions in the school calendar as learners are already suffering serious losses from the previous year,” he added. The MEC is urging all teachers and non-teaching staff to be vaccinated saying it would help make schools safer and get back to some semblance of normality. The official roll-out programme will take…

Staff Reporter Police in Thabong, Welkom, are urgently seeking community assistance in tracing an eight-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted from school on Monday by people who are now demanding R50 000 from her family. Preliminary investigations indicate that Bokamoso Shabe was abducted from Mantshebo Primary School in Jerusalem Park by an unknown woman at around 13:30 and has not been seen again. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement the girl’s family has been receiving calls from people demanding cash for her safe return. “The grandmother of the child was contacted at 15:00 by an unknown…