By: Neo Ntsele Lieutenant General Solly Lesia, the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State, and Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, the Provincial Head of the Hawks, have expressed their approval of the sentencing of 31-year-old Lebohang Mokatedi and his company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd, by the Bloemfontein Regional Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026. They praised the investigative team, which included the

Tshemedi Lucas Mkhwane By: Neo Ntsele Tshemedi Lucas Mkhwane has been appointed acting Municipal Manager of Mohokare Local Municipality. He takes over from the former acting municipal manager, Mopedi Mohale. Gogta has appointed Mkhwane to a three-month term to support the struggling Mohokare Municipality. He is highly recommended due to his educational achievements and experience in local governance. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration from th

Dr Eugene Buthelezi Opinion article by Dr Eugene Buthelezi, Department of Economics and Finance, University of the Free State South Africa has crossed a painful fuel-price threshold. Petrol 95 unleaded now costs R30.25 a litre inland and R29.38 at the coast, over R1 500 to fill a 50-litre tank. In March, petrol was about R20.30. In seven months, the price has risen by nearly half. Demands for government action are understandable, but another broad fuel-levy cut would be

By: Neo Ntsele A 43-year-old woman is set to appear soon before the Koffiefontein Magistrates’ Court on an attempted murder charge. This follows allegations that she stabbed a 45-year-old woman multiple times with a knife after an argument at a tavern in Koffiefontein. It is reported that on Sunday, 11 October 2026, the victim, Magdeline Mokoaledi, was sitting with two friends at a popular drinking establishment on Ntsane Street, Ditlhake Location, Koffiefontein, when the sus

By: Neo Ntsele Police in Welkom, Free State, are investigating an alleged business robbery and attempted murder. This comes after about 10 suspects stole an undisclosed sum of money from a local wholesaler in Welkom. Reports suggest that on Saturday, 10 October 2026, around 12:20, a group of unidentified men entered the wholesale on Muizen Street, Welkom, armed with rifles and wearing balaclavas. They ordered customers to lie down. The suspects allegedly went to the counter,

Glory Kamthunzi By: Neo Ntsele For many architecture students, securing an international award represents the peak of years of research, design, and creative endeavours. Visitors to the Cape Institute for Architecture Gallery in Cape Town now have the opportunity to experience this work firsthand. The project that earned Glory Kamthunzi, a graduate from the University of the Free State, the esteemed RIBA President's Silver Medal is currently showcased as part of the RIBA Pres

By: Neo Ntsele The Sasolburg police are probing a culpable homicide case after a head-on crash between a Volkswagen Caravelle school transport vehicle and a Mercedes-Benz truck on the R59 Road between Sasolburg and Vaalpark. It is reported that on Thursday, 08 October 2026, at around 15:15, the police received a culpable homicide complaint. Upon reaching the scene, the police found that a Volkswagen Caravelle, travelling from Vaalpark to Sasolburg, had collided head-on with a

By: Neo Ntsele The Bethlehem police are investigating a murder case following the death of a three-year-old girl, allegedly caused by her 21-year-old mother. The incident is reported to have taken place (last night) on 6 October 2026, in a backroom shack at the suspect’s home in Voggelfontein, near Bethlehem, where the child was allegedly strangled. Police were called to the scene and arrested the suspect upon arrival. She was then taken for additional medical treatment and a

Free State EXCO By: Neo Ntsele On Tuesday, 06 October 2026, the Executive Council (EXCO) of the Free State Provincial Government visited the Batlokoa Ba Mokgalong Traditional Community, led by Kgosikgolo Nkgahle Tsotetsi, in Vrede, Thabo Mofutsanyana District. The visit to the traditional authority occurred two days before President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to officially oversee the Free State Industrialisation Launch in Phuthaditjhaba, QwaQwa, on Friday, 9 October 2026. During

Person of Interest: Mpho Patrick Molefi By: Neo Ntsele The Tweespruit Detective Service is asking the community for help in finding Mpho Patrick Molefi (pictured), a person of interest who could assist the police in an investigation concerning an assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Mpho Patrick Molefi is encouraged to reach out to Detective Sergeant BW Moroka at 082 466 7899 to aid in the investigation. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mpho Patrick

Itumeleng Senne By: Neo Ntsele Authorities in Boithuso, near Botshabelo, are seeking the public's help to reconnect 32-year-old Itumeleng Senne with her family. Reports suggest that Itumeleng Senne arrived in Botshabelo last week. A concerned community member brought her to the police station after noticing her disorientation. Preliminary investigations by local police indicate that Itumeleng Senne is from Welkom and lacks contact information for any family members. Anyone wh

Namame Tshabalala By: Staff Reporter The Namahadi Detective Service is requesting the community's help in finding Mpho Namame Tshabalala (pictured), who could assist the police with a murder investigation. It is reported that Koena Mohomane, a male individual, was fatally stabbed near a tavern in Mangaung Village, Qwaqwa, on the night of Saturday, 26 September 2026. The person of interest is asked to contact Detective Warrant Officer Nhlapo at 078 116 1241 to aid in the inves

President Cyril Ramaphosa By: Neo Ntsele President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has urged immediate and intensified efforts to tackle gender-based violence and femicide, labelling the violence against women in the country as inhumane and intolerable. In his address to the nation on Tuesday evening, Ramaphosa recognised the anger, fear, and frustration voiced by women nationwide, emphasising that society can no longer ignore violence against women. He specifically urged men

Person of Interest By: Neo Ntsele The Bethlehem Family, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit seeks a person of interest to assist with investigations regarding a rape case. It is reported that on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at around 15:00, the victim was on her way to a shop to repair her cellphone when she was approached by an unknown African male. The individual allegedly obstructed her path and inquired about her destination. She mentioned she was headed to a

By: Neo Ntsele A 41-year-old mother is set to appear in the Rouxville Magistrate’s Court soon after being arrested for child neglect. Police have also opened an inquest docket following the tragic death of her 4-year-old son. It is claimed that the suspect left her residence at Rosemary Uitkoms in Rouxville on Saturday, 26 September 2026, to engage in a drinking spree, leaving the 4-year-old boy under the supervision of another minor. When she departed, the child was reported

By: Neo Ntsele The Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) detectives from the Hawks in Welkom are looking for Mothoezane Xaba, from Daza Hostel, whose photo is attached, as a person of interest who might aid in the investigation of an armed cash-in-transit robbery that took place on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, in Sasolburg. Reports indicate that security guards were performing their routine cash collection duties at retailers in Sasolburg when an unknown suspect confron

Dr Nontombi Velelo Opinion article by Dr Nontombi Velelo, Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of the Free State September 24 is previously known as Shaka Day and was observed primarily in KwaZulu-Natal to commemorate the Zulu King Shaka. It was in the mid-1990s that the post-apartheid government decided to change what was known as Shaka Day to Heritage Day to foster, embrace, and honour diverse traditions, beliefs, and identities. This was a period when t

Free State Premier, MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae By: Neo Ntsele The Free State Department of Economic Development and Tourism, in partnership with Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and SEDFA, organised a successful Free State MSME Compliance and Support Indaba at Bloemfontein's Mangaung City Hall on 22 September 2026. The event gathered over 1,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in one venue. The aim was to enhance business support, improve compliance, prepare enterpr

By: Neo Ntsele Police are on the lookout for two suspects after an incident involving two 21-year-old students occurred in the Memorial Road area near the cemetery in Bloemfontein on 21 September 2026. The incident was reported at Park Road Police Station, and a case of attempted sexual offence and robbery with a non-firearm weapon has been filed. The two victims were walking in the Uitsig area when they were robbed of their personal items. The female victim was allegedly dra

Event Poster By: Neo Ntsele The Matla Tourism Youth Organisation is set to proudly host its 6th annual Lucas Majozi commemoration event on the notable date of 2 October 2026. This event is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a heartfelt tribute honouring the remarkable life and legacy of Lucas Majozi, a heroic soldier born in Zastron. Majozi is admired for his unwavering dedication and sacrifice during the challenging times of the Second World War, when he fought bra