Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter An 18-year-old learner from Lephola Secondary School in Thabong, Welkom, has succumbed to COVID-19-related complications. Education MEC Tate Makgoe announced on his Twitter account on Wednesday that the school will be closed until Monday to allow for decontamination. The provincial department’s spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, confirmed by telephone that almost half of the deceased learner’s class had tested positive for the acute respiratory disease. “It’s a class of 24 and 10 other students have tested positive for COVID-19,” said Ndaba. “Two other learners from another class have also tested positive. It’s quite a dire situation,” he added. Free State…

Staff Reporter The suspended head of department (HOD) for Police, Roads and Transport in the Free State, Sipho Mtakati, has approached the Labour Court in a bid to have his suspension set aside and return to work. His legal representatives, Matlho Attorneys, wrote to Premier Sisi Ntombela last Friday saying the suspension was defective as there was still a pending case between the two parties. The law firm then proceeded to ask Ntombela to withdraw the suspension by 12 noon on the same day and allow Mtakati to resume his duties with immediate effect, failure of which they would approach…

Staff Reporter A Free State municipality will be ordered to reinstate the executive mayor it booted out more than a month ago or else the council will be dissolved, The Free Stater can exclusively reveal. Setsoto Local Municipality – which runs the towns of Ficksburg, Senekal, Clocolan and Marquard – has been without a mayor since the incumbent, Komane Koalane, was controversially removed from the post through a vote of no confidence on April 14. The municipality, infamous for water shortages and poor service delivery, has also been running without its head of administration after municipal manager Tshepiso Ramakarane was…

Staff Reporter Former economic development MEC Mxolisi Dukwana has bounced back as convenor of the ANC Free State’s Interim Provincial Committee (IPC). The IPC’s appointment comes after the ANC Free State Provincial Executive Committee was dissolved following a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that nullified the party’s provincial conference held in 2018 saying it was unlawful and unconstitutional. In a judgment delivered on March 31, the SCA said the conference held from 18-19 May 2018 was in violation of a court order which instructed the party to conclude Branch General Meetings, among others, before convening the provincial conference. It…

Staff Reporter A member of the Mangaung Community Concern (MCC) which organised last week’s shutdown of the Free State capital has dismissed an audio clip doing the rounds on social media about a protest supposedly happening this Tuesday, saying it’s an old recording. Temba Zweni, who is mentioned in the audio, told The Free Stater by telephone on Monday evening that he was aware of the audio but dismissed it as outdated. “That audio clip is old,” he said. “I am aware of that clip that has gone viral on social media but it’s outdated. “That person said those things…

Staff Reporter The Free State High Court has invalidated a tender awarded to a local company by the Matjhabeng Local Municipality to administer outdoor advertising in Welkom and surrounding towns in the province’s goldfields area. The municipality itself had approached the court seeking an order declaring the contract it had entered with Media News (Pty) Ltd on May 18, 2018 as unlawful, null and void. Under the service delivery agreement, the company was to be responsible for the administration, control, monitoring and development of outdoor advertising on behalf of Matjhabeng. Media News was also tasked with the implementation of the…

Sports Reporter The opening pair of captain Andrie Steyn and Tazmin Brits scored unbeaten fifties to hand South Africa Emerging Women a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe Women in the fourth one-day match at Queens Sports Club on Monday. After winning the toss this time round, the hosts elected to bat for the first time in this series. Their fortunes, however, did not change as they endured a terrible start to their innings, losing Modester Mupachikwa (3) and Pellagia Mujaji (0) to two consecutive deliveries in the second over bowled by Michaela Andrews. Chiedza Dhururu and Christabel Chatonzwa then lifted…

Africa has come a long way in shaking off the image of a continent that is consistently dependent on and trailing the rest of the world for investment, development, direction and validation. We are diversifying our economies to move away from economic dependence on the global north, and actively searching for African solutions to African problems. Moreover, while Africa remains an attractive investment destination, it is now more sought after for its people than for its physical assets. It is often said that Africa ought to learn from the west – but not much is said about what there is…

It is once again the month of May and there are many preparations that have been made for the celebration of Africa Day. I do not believe in or subscribe to the logic of having a specified day or month to celebrate Africa. But importantly, the present state of the socio-political and economic landscape of Africa leaves nothing to celebrate. It still baffles me that there is notable hype surrounding this so-called Africa Day celebration, especially considering the state of decay on the continent. I am aware I sound rather negative, but this is how I feel about the continent…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Metro councillors have voted to put city manager Tankiso Mea on precautionary suspension during a special sitting held virtually this evening. Speaker Mxolisi Siyonzana announced at the end of the vote that 61 councillors voted in favour of the motion to suspend the city manager while 29 voted against it. There was one abstention. The head of department for local economic development at the municipality, Teboho Maine, will act in his position. The suspension is meant to pave the way for an investigation against Mea which was initially approved by the council on March 18. The voting…