Author: The Free Stater

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…

Staff Reporter At least 13 shops belonging to foreign nationals were broken into last night in different townships around Mangaung as suspected criminal elements took advantage of the shutdown in the city to loot. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement a total of 19 people have been arrested in connection with the disturbances. “As from yesterday evening the police who were deployed around Mangaung worked around the clock to attend to incidences whereby foreign nationals’ shops were looted,” said Makhele. “As of this morning, not less than 13 shops were reported to have been looted. “Since…

Staff Reporter Organisers of the Mangaung shutdown have distanced themselves from the violence which marred Monday’s citywide protests saying it was the work of criminal elements who hijacked a genuine community activity. Mangaung Community Concern representative Temba Zweni says the group did not organise any marches and all the people who took to the streets barricading roads with burning tyres and rubble and beat up people were not part of their planned protest. “Some people just decided they should march, and they started marching,” Zweni told The Free Stater. “That’s why they did not even have a memorandum. We actually…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Community Concern, which organised Monday’s shutdown across Bloemfontein to press for better service delivery and improved opportunities in the city, says it has been invited to a meeting by Premier Sisi Ntombela. The organisation’s representative, Temba Zweni, told The Free Stater on Monday night that Ntombela had reached out to them and will be meeting with her on Tuesday afternoon at her office. “The premier has reached out to us. We are meeting with the premier,” said Zweni, a member of the organisation’s communications team. He however expressed concern that it had to take a total shutdown…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Metro spokesperson Qondile Khedama says the municipality has elevated the issue concerning the ongoing citywide shutdown which has since turned violent to the provincial government for intervention. He told The Free Stater that the municipality is worried with the way the protest by concerned residents over poor service delivery has turned violent with at least one life lost. “We are really worried about the situation in the city right now,” said Khedama. “We have since elevated the matter to COGTA (Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs) in the province and the Office of the Premier because the situation…

Staff Reporter Premier Sisi Ntombela has appealed for calm amid the protests rocking the Free State capital city of Mangaung. Protestors have barricaded roads, forcing some schools and businesses to close fearing violence. Ntombela said as much as residents were well within their rights to to protest, they must do so in a peaceful manner and find amicable ways of dealing with the current impasse. “While we completely appreciate and respect our people’s right to embark on a protest action, we appeal that they do so in a peaceful and orderly manner,” she said. “Nothing can ever justify stoning of…

Staff Reporter A BMW car that was being driven by a Mangaung Metro official has been reduced to ashes as the protests targeted at city authorities turned violent today. According to the police, three males hijacked the vehicle at gunpoint but left the driver unharmed in Heidedal. A few minutes later it was on fire, provincial police spokesperson Sam Makhele said in a statement. The victim, aged 41, has been identified as a manager at Mangaung Metro Solid Waste Management Services. “(The complainant) was driving his white BMW on MacKenzie Street in Heidedal on the way to work when he…

Staff Reporter A 15-year-old boy has been shot dead after a mob allegedly tried to force its way into a warehouse as the shutdown protests in Mangaung turned ugly today. A security guard, aged 57, has been arrested over the shooting and he is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court soon on a charge of murder. According to the police, a group of protestors allegedly tried to attack a warehouse in Dr Belcher Road in Bloemfontein this morning but the security guard at the place tried to stop them from gaining entry. “The security guard, who was alone…

Staff Reporter Low business volumes as a result of the continued economic decline worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced Novus Holdings to close its printing works in Bloemfontein, the biggest in the Free State. Novus Print executive for the northern region Paul de Bruin told The Free Stater in a written response that the poor operating environment had forced the company to put the Volksblad Building which houses the printing press in Bloemfontein on the market and move all operations to Gauteng. “The operating environment in South Africa continues to be plagued by poor economic prospects and market decline…