Author: The Free Stater

Staff Reporter Only 50 people will be allowed at the official opening of the Free State Legislature next Tuesday in line with the COVID-19 protocols for indoor gatherings. This was said by the speaker of the provincial legislature, Zanele Sifuba, when she addressed a media briefing on Thursday to give an update on the preparations for the State of the Province Address (SOPA) to be delivered by Premier Sisi Ntombela. “Only 50 people including our preparatory team will attend the SOPA in line with the COVID-19 regulations,” she said. Sifuba said 17 Members of the Legislature will be in the…

Staff Reporter The number of people without jobs in the Free State dropped by 24 000 during the official count for the fourth quarter of 2020, but unemployment remains high, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said. In its latest report on the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released on Tuesday, Stats SA said the official unemployment rate for the province now stands at 33.4 percent following a 2.1 percentage point drop from the third quarter figure of 35.5 percent. But despite the drop, the Free State remains one of the provinces with the highest rates of unemployment in the country…

Staff Reporter Education MEC Tate Makgoe says the Free State matric class of 2020 has emerged the best in the country because they completed most of the work for the final year while in Grade 11. Makgoe told The Free Stater during a media briefing at a special event to announce the provincial results for the National Senior Certificate that he felt it important to adequately prepare the learners while in Grade 11 in order to minimise the pressure of work in the final year. “We had a crusade in 2019,” said Makgoe. “We made sure that we supported the…

Staff Reporter Mangaung Metro Municipality is warning residents there could be disruptive storms on Tuesday afternoon which could result in flooding in some parts of the city. This follows an earlier cautionary statement issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) in which it forecast heavy storms from about 2pm to 11pm. The SAWS has called the cautionary statement an “Impact-Based Warning Level 2 for Disruptive Rain”. “Localised flash-flooding can be expected in low-lying areas, roads and informal settlements,” Managung said in a statement issued by municipal spokesperson Qondile Khedama. “This could also result in difficult driving conditions due to…

Staff Reporter The Free State has retained its top spot as South Africa’s best performing province in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations after achieving an 85.1 percent pass rate for the 2020 academic year. Announcing the results from Pretoria on Monday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the overall pass rate for the country had however dropped to 76.2 percent. “I was expecting a bloodbath,” said Motshekga, who described 2020 as a strenuous academic year. “The overall pass rate including the progressed learners is at 76.2 percent, a drop of 5.1 (percentage points) from last year.” “I am grateful…

Staff Reporter The state capture commission has asked the Constitutional Court to sentence former president Jacob Zuma to two years in prison for contempt of court. This after Zuma failed to turn up at the commission last week despite a summons and an order from the ConCourt to do so. In an urgent application to the ConCourt on Monday, the commission’s secretary, Professor Itumeleng Mosala, said Zuma has committed several contemptuous acts, namely failing to turn up when summoned to, failing to file affidavits as per the ConCourt’s order, and “scurrilous statements” made against the highest court in the land…

Staff Reporter Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe is expected to announce the provincial results for the 2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations on Tuesday morning. His delivery will follow the announcement of the national results by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday evening. Provincial education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said this year’s announcement will take a hybrid approach comprising six events across the province. “In an effort to comply with the current alert Level 3 regulations stipulating that no more than 50 percent of a venue’s capacity may be occupied at a gathering, only a limited number of guests…

Staff Reporter ANC secretary general Ace Magashule says he is ready for his day in court because he has nothing to fear. He said this when he arrived at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday for the continuation of the Free State asbestos corruption case. “I am ready for my day in court. Isn’t you said that I must have my day in court…?” Magashule said as he calmly responded to questions from journalists gathered at the entrance to the court. The former Free State premier says he is not bothered by the charges against him as the case is…

Staff Reporter Free State police have confirmed they have opened a case against the organisers of a gathering by supporters of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule for breaching COVID-19 regulations. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele told The Free Stater by telephone that the organisers of the event will be charged for breaking the Disaster Management Act. “Yes indeed a case has been opened against the organisers of that event,” he said. Makhele said police could not disperse the crowd during Magashule’s appearance at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday as they found it risky as it could result in…

Staff Reporter The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has bemoaned the stringent controls at the Free State asbestos corruption case set to continue at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court this morning. The controls, according to court officials, are aimed at ensuring social distancing in line with the COVID-19 protocols. “I believe there are challenges with regard to access to the court building and the courtroom,” says NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema. “Apparently, the magistrate has issued an instruction that only five media houses are allowed into the court building. “I don’t know what criteria was used. In fact, I believe that the courts…