Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter The Free State has entered the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic following a continued rise in daily figures over the past few weeks, with the major private hospitals in the province running out of space for admissions for those infected. “We are in the third wave of the outbreak and have today seen a shocking rise of infections to 427 new cases with 60 yet to be allocated to appropriate districts,” provincial health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi told The Free Stater on Thursday. According to Mvambi, Mangaung has 200 new cases over the last 24 hours while Lejweleputswa…

Staff Reporter The ANC on Wednesday night moved swiftly to dismiss a letter written by suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule to party president Cyril Ramaphosa notifying him of his own suspension, saying he has no powers to do so. In the leaked letter, Magashule purportedly wrote to Ramaphosa saying he was suspending him in connection with the sealed CR17 bank statements. However, ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said the party was aware of Magashule’s letter to the president but warned that decisions made by party structures cannot be reversed by individuals. “The decisions of the National Executive Committee and National Working…

Staff Reporter ANC secretary general Ace Magashule has been suspended from the party after failing to step aside within 30 days in line with a decision passed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) at the end of March against leaders facing corruption and other serious charges. The suspension means Magashule, who faces corruption charges in a failed asbestos audit and removal project in the Free State, may not be involved in any party activities until his case has been finalised. A letter dated May 3, 2021 and signed by ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte and addressed to Magashule states…

Staff Reporter South Africa urgently needs more specialised personnel if the country is to win the war against corruption, according to experts. Head of the investigating directorate at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Advocate Hermione Cronje, told a webinar on corruption hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) on Tuesday that those involved in corruption are becoming more sophisticated and difficult to trace. She said it is therefore important for the country to determine the nature of specialisation required in order to properly address the kind of corruption that is starting to look like it is endemic in…

After a decade of disappointment, Pep Guardiola is back in a Champions League final and just one game away from delivering on his task to make Manchester City champions of Europe for the first time. In the battle between two clubs with seemingly endless resources but no Champions League titles to their name, City kept their cool to beat Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate as the French champions paid for losing their heads in both legs of the semi-final tie. Riyad Mahrez, born and raised in Paris, scored twice to secure a 2-0 win for City in Tuesday’s second leg…

The ANC National Working Committee has ordered the immediate suspension of the ruling party’s secretary general Ace Magashule and other members facing criminal charges. The ANC announced the outcome of its National Working Committee meeting on Tuesday following their marathon meeting on Monday after some of the affected parties had apparently made appeals to senior leaders to stall the suspensions. Among the key people affected by the decision are Magashule, former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede, KwaZulu-Natal deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu and several others. ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said on Tuesday that the National Working Committee has reaffirmed the decision…

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says it cannot rule out the possibility that the B.1.617 variant first detected in India might already be in South Africa. Acting director of the NICD, Professor Adrian Puren, says when they look at all the other variants in circulation, it may well be inevitable that other variants will reach local shores because of travel. “It is possible that the B.1.617 variant first detected in India has reached our shores because of travel,” he said. “It is really critical for us to have a track and trace and quarantine process activated in order…

After being absent from the music landscape for a very long time, Nathan Sephapho is back with a brand new single titled Jerusalema E Mocha. The Kroonstad-born artist who is based in Thaba Nchu is not a stranger in music circles as he was one half of the music duo Caprivi Camp which performed all over the Free State province. Jerusalema E Mocha is a fusion of gospel and hip hop. Speaking about his single, Nathan said the song is about turning a new leaf on life, a new beginning and transitioning from the old to a new life. “The…

The rental market changes over time, generally in an upwards direction but occasionally down. In the residential market, because of the interference by government acts, the tendency has been to change to two months’ notice. But for commercial, there are less controls and leases tend to be three-five years with options to renew. Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, all types of rentals have been in demand though student accommodation is battling a bit. Landlords who take into account the market when their lease is up for renewal or their property goes empty don’t have a problem getting a new tenant if…

Staff Reporter Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) has donated R3 million towards the funding of student bursaries at the University of the Free State (UFS). In a statement, the company said it hopes the funding will go a long way in assisting UFS students that require financial aid. It said the COVID-19 pandemic had worsened the well-being and security of students in accessing adequate funding to complete their studies. “The UFS serves more than 40 000 students on three campuses across seven faculties and through partnerships with CCBSA, these students will thrive and further create a pathway for student success…