Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter Free State police have arrested a 37-year-old man for allegedly raping his grandmother aged 79 while she was sleeping. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement the elderly woman had to be rushed to hospital due to excessive bleeding following the brutal rape believed to have occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in Thabong, Welkom. The victim told the police that she had been living alone in her house for about a month after the grandson left without saying where he was going. “On Sunday . . . at about 02:30 he arrived…

Staff Reporter Free State police have arrested a 20-year-old foreign national and a 43-year-old local farmer in connection with the killing of a QwaQwa family last week. The two, who were arrested in Harrismith in the early hours of Friday, bring to three the number of people who have been arrested in connection with the brutal murders. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said the pair was arrested at about 1am by members of an integrated team of investigators set up to investigate the family killings which took place at Marakong Village, Namahadi in QwaQwa late last Saturday night into…

Generally, managing agents offer a great service at a very moderate cost to the owners in sectional title buildings. Like any business, they have regular office hours which would usually extend from around 8:00 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon. It seems to me that Cape Town is the exception where Friday afternoon tends to be the time for partying! Unlike many banks and insurance companies, they undertake a lot of after-hours work for their clients, especially general and trustee meetings that start around 5pm and cannot infrequently go on for more than an hour. They normally have…

Staff Reporter The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has obtained a preservation order to secure over R900 000 which was fraudulently transferred into a bank account after an email containing payment instructions was intercepted by criminals. Judge Soma Naidoo granted the order on Thursday in terms of Section 38 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) to preserve R901 852.92 which is part of the R1.5 million paid by Mantsopa Local Municipality into a business account owned by someone called Precious Thulisile Mabuza. According to the AFU which is part of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Ladybrand-based municipality appointed…

Staff Reporter A 21-year-old man is expected to appear in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrates Court on Friday in connection with the killing of five family members in QwaQwa last weekend. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said the man was arrested on Wednesday evening in Mphatlalatsane in the eastern Free State town. “Within the 72 hours threshold given by the acting provincial commissioner for the Free State, Major General Solly Lesia, a breakthrough was made when on Wednesday . . . at about 19:30 a 21-year-old man was arrested,” she said in a statement. Mbambo said an integrated team of investigators…

Staff Reporter Perpetrators of gender-based violence should not be allowed to continue robbing women and children of their freedom and peace because it destroys them emotionally and denies them the ability to grow and contribute meaningfully to the economy. This was said by Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Deputy Minister Sdumo Dlamini when he addressed the 150th anniversary of the birth of struggle icon Charlotte Maxeke held at the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bloemfontein on Thursday. “We must not be kind to those who practise gender-based violence . . .” he said. Dlamini said Maxeke – who was…

Staff Reporter Eight men were arrested on Tuesday evening in Ficksburg after staging a daring robbery at a Post Office in Clocolan a few hours earlier and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Free State police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said surrounding police stations, farmers, the K9 and crime prevention units were activated soon after an employee of the Post Office — whose car was also taken in the robbery — reported the incident. “. . . at about 17:30 police in Clocolan received a complaint of a robbery that had just been committed at a Post Office…

Staff Reporter Renowned Sesotho author Dr Kgotso Pieter Maphalla has died. He was 66. The SABC reported on Monday evening that Maphalla, popularly known as KPD, had suffered a stroke. It said Maphalla published more than 70 Sesotho literary works, most of which have been prescribed for schools and tertiary institutions. The prolific writer received several accolades for his work including lifetime achiever awards. Among others, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of the Free State in 2007. Some of his works have also been analysed for dissertations and doctoral studies. Also according to the SABC, the former…

Staff Reporter A top cop has been assigned to lead the probe into the killing of five family members in a Free State village at the weekend. Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Solly Lesia has appointed Thabo Mofutsanyana district commander Major Jan Tsotsetsi to lead the investigation into the incident that took place in Marakong Village, Namahadi, QwaQwa. The killings are believed to have occurred late Saturday into early hours of Sunday. When the police arrived at the crime scene, they found the body of Moliehi Thoabala, 38, with a gunshot wound to the stomach. The body of her…

Staff Reporter Eskom says a substation in Harrismith has gone up in flames following a cable theft in the area. The theft, according to the national power utility, has resulted in major damage that has led to a loss of supply to Harrismith and 42nd Hill. “As a result of the theft, both breakers at 42nd Hill caught fire,” said Eskom in a statement. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed and transformer tests will also be conducted. “At this stage it is estimated that electricity supply may be restored by tomorrow evening,” added the statement. Cable…