Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter Eunice High School in Bloemfontein and Tebang Primary School in Phuthaditjhaba have been forced to close after some learners and staff tested positive for COVID-19. A statement released by provincial education department spokesperson Howard Ndaba on Thursday said two kitchen staff, five boarders and a teacher had tested positive for the acute respiratory disease over the past week. “Eunice High School will be closed from Friday, 21 May to Monday 31 May . . . as a precautionary measure,” read part of the statement. The school will offer online teaching and learning over that period. Boarders will be…

The current property market is interesting in that it is a tale of two markets. Those properties that are under R1.5 million where the market is very active and prices are still trending upwards and the top of the range properties over R3 million where demand is slow and the prices are dropping. Whatever market you are in, when you decide to sell you need to get your price right. To do this you need professional advice. Estate agents have access to information on recent sales of similar properties in your area and these statistics are the basis on which…

Staff Reporter Premier Sisi Ntombela has met with the family of the late Jevano Liam Siegel, the teenager who was killed on Monday amid service delivery protests which engulfed Mangaung. Siegel, a pupil at Heide Primary School in Heidedal, was allegedly killed when a security guard fired a shot to disperse a mob that was attempting to loot a warehouse. A statement released by the premier’s spokesperson Sello Pietersen said Ntombela conveyed her condolences to the grieving family and said Jevano’s unwarranted death was a terrible tragedy which could have been avoided. “In the meeting with the family, Premier Ntombela…

Staff Reporter The head of department (HOD) for Police, Roads and Transport in the Free State, Sipho Mtakati, has been put on precautionary suspension for a period of 60 days. Premier Sisi Ntombela announced in a statement released on Thursday that Mosa Tlali will stand in as the acting HOD over the two-month period. Her spokesperson Sello Pietersen told The Free Stater by telephone that the suspension is to make way for an internal investigation into the construction of some major roads which remain unfinished. “His suspension is to allow for an internal investigation into the incomplete main roads in…

Staff Reporter The Free State High Court sitting in Welkom has sentenced Itumeleng Godfrey Sani to life imprisonment for killing his girlfriend about two years ago. Acting Judge Collin Nekosie sentenced Sani, 46, for killing Maria Mokhoumathe, 43, on November 1, 2019. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said in a statement the deceased left with the accused on the day of the incident for a sleepover at Sani’s home and that was the last time she was seen alive by her two daughters. He said later that night, the eldest daughter received a call from her mother’s cellular…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Community Concern (MCC), the group that organised the Mangaung shutdown this week, says it is happy with the plan that they have put together with other stakeholders for the turnaround of metropolitan municipality and hopes the communities will embrace it. MCC member Temba Zweni however warned in an interview with The Free Stater on Thursday that communities have the final say on whether the agreement and memorandum of understanding signed by the organisation together with the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the municipality comprehensively covers their concerns. “The shutdown has been suspended…

Staff Reporter The Free State provincial government has set up a special task force to monitor the implementation of an agreement drawn up to address service delivery and other issues that brought the city to a total standstill during a two-day shutdown this week. This was announced by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC Thembeni Nxangisa during a media briefing following marathon meetings with protest organisers, Mangaung Community Concern (MCC), the Office of the Premier and Mangaung Metro. “The task team is going to meet every week on Tuesdays to review progress and report back to communities,” said Nxangisa.…

Staff Reporter Josephine Nkomo scored a magnificent unbeaten 70 but, unfortunately, her captain’s innings was not enough to save Zimbabwe Women from going down to a 32-run defeat at the hands of South Africa Emerging Women in the first one-day match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday. After winning the toss and putting the tourists in to bat first, the hosts opened their bowling with Nomvelo Sibanda and Esther Mbofana against Andrie Steyn, the skipper, and Tazmin Brits. The South African side lost their first wicket with 37 on the board when Brits was bowled by Tasmeen Granger…

Staff Reporter About 70 people have appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court after they were arrested for violence-related crimes during a two-day shutdown which brought the Free State provincial capital to a complete standstill. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement that police deployed in Mangaung to manage disruptive actions made additional arrests in the past 24 hours. He said this was after the looting of shops belonging to foreign nationals with some seriously damaged. “The total number of people who were arrested since the shutdown started on Sunday evening stands at 70, and we anticipate more…

Staff Reporter The two-day shutdown which brought all business activities across Mangaung to a standstill has been called off. The decision to suspend the shutdown follows a meeting held by the Free State provincial government led by Premier Sisi Ntombela and the organisers of the protest this afternoon. A statement issued by the premier’s spokesperson, Sello Pietersen, said the meeting had agreed to suspend the shutdown and allow businesses to resume operations while a binding agreement is drawn up for immediate implementation. “We agree that issues raised by the leaders of our community are genuine and must be looked into…