Author: The Free Stater

Faced with a rising number of COVID-19 infections and increasing hospital admission amid a third coronavirus wave, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced stricter lockdown regulations. In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Ramaphosa moved the country to Alert Level 3 in an effort to curb the spike in COVID-19 infections. Among the measures announced tonight is a ban on alcohol sales and new curfews that kick in from tonight when the regulations are gazetted. The sale of alcohol will be permitted from 10am to 6pm Monday to Thursday. Public Holidays are excluded. On-site sale of alcohol is permitted…

This year marks the 45th anniversary of what is famously known as the National Youth Day celebrated on June 16 every year. On this day we remember and honour the generation of youths who in 1976 took the bull by its horns and spearheaded a student uprising in Soweto against the imposition by the apartheid regime of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. Forty-five years is a long time and the mere fact that we still remember and commemorate this day should be a sign to all that power is in the hands of young people to make a difference…

Recent statistics by Statistics South Africa that put youth unemployment at 63.3 percent have reignited the “fees must fall” protests because many parents are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have lost their jobs and are struggling even more to support their children’s education and the growing costs of service delivery. These are all examples of our society’s failure to realise the hopes and dreams of the youth of 1976 who sacrificed their lives so today’s youth would not have to. The news of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange market recovering is also another example of how we have…

Staff Reporter President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm this evening. A statement issued by his office says Ramaphosa will give an update on developments in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The president’s address follows a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council and Cabinet,” read part of the statement. South Africa has recorded a steady increase in daily COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, prompting calls for stricter lockdown restrictions given the slow pace of the vaccination drive. Businesses on the other hand have cautioned that another hard lockdown could force many…

Staff Reporter Dinesh Patel has been granted R10 000 bail by the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court. Patel, the former chief executive officer of Nulane Investments 204 (Pty) Ltd, made his first appearance on Tuesday on charges of procurement fraud and money laundering involving R25 million paid to the company by the Free State Department of Agriculture about 10 years ago. When his co-accused appeared in court last week, he was reportedly not in good health and was given time to recuperate before appearing in court. The state did not oppose bail and Magistrate Mbuyiselo Didi ordered Patel to hand in his…

Staff Reporter Dinesh Patel, a representative of Nulane Investment 204 (Pty) Ltd, is expected to appear at the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Tuesday on charges of procurement fraud involving R25 million paid to the company by the Free State Department of Agriculture about 10 years ago. Investigating Directorate (ID) spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said in a statement on Monday that Patel joins 16 other accused together including several companies that face charges of fraud and money laundering for a multi-million-rand feasibility study that was contracted to Nulane Investments by the provincial government. The study was commissioned to see the possibility of…

Staff Reporter Failure by most people in the Free State to observe non-pharmaceutical measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 could be the reason behind the spike in the number of cases recorded in the province, an official has said. Provincial health department spokesperson Mondli Mvambi told The Free Stater that local health authorities are worried that people have dropped their guard and are no longer following the COVID-19 health protocols, especially at social gatherings. “We believe the reason behind the recent increases is non-adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions,” said Mvambi. Also known as community mitigation strategies, non-pharmaceutical interventions are measures…

Staff Reporter Bloemwater says it may be forced to implement water restrictions to Mangaung Metro early next month after the municipality failed to stick to an agreed payment plan to settle its debt. In a statement released on Friday, the local water board said the agreement it entered into with the municipality on December 9, 2020 was that the municipality would make the payments on set dates in order to help bring down the debt which now stands at over R1.1 billion. “According to the settlement agreement, Mangaung would pay its water debt in instalments and the R1.1 billion owed…

Interest rates are back at levels that I saw when I joined the property industry in 1975 – that’s a long time ago. Since then, rates have been as high as 25.5 percent. While interest rates are likely to rise at some stage in the next couple of years, the rise is likely to be slow and low. By that I mean when interest rate increases come, they are likely to be little by little, maybe only a 0.25 percent rise at a time and only once or twice a year. That still gives you an excellent opportunity to buy…

The prolonged drought that hit most parts of our country not long ago made us realise the importance of having alternative sources of water. It became clear that as a country we cannot rely on surface water only. Considerably, most people who have boreholes in their backyards were considered to be saving on their water bill. Some might have even thought that water from boreholes can only be used in the garden but this is not the case at all. It is important to test underground water in order to determine if it can be consumed by humans and animals.…