The Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport intends to fight crime in the province through the launch of the Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy to create safer communities.
The national framework was endorsed by Cabinet in 2022, developed by civil society for police services as a direct response to the National Development Plan 2030.
The department says it wants to have a shared responsibility with communities and stakeholders in reclaiming a safe environment.
The strategy aims to curb some of the heinous crimes in society which appeared to be on the rise like gender-based violence and kidnappings.
Last year, the province experienced a high number of reported gender-based violence cases.
MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula says the plan intends to shift the country from reactive policing to proactive preventative work.
“The shadow of home invasions, armed robberies, drug abuse and organised crime collectively undermines the safety and development of policies of our communities. But all the more disruptive is gender base violence and femicide. Too many women and children are living in fear in their homes enduring violence at the hands of those close to them. Each report of abuse, each loss of life is a direct blow to the fabric of our democracy. Not only do these crimes destroy lives, but they also tear families apart. Communities are made weaker and Free State is deprived of its future. We say no province may be seen as progressive if its women and children and vulnerable groups are not safe.”
Mbalula says the strategy is anchored on six key pillars.
“The strategy provides the Free State with an opportunity to integrate government and community responses, build capacity through partnerships between SAPS, municipalities, justice and civil society, target hot spots and empower communities to procreate their own safety. The strategy is built on six pillars or strategic action. Namely effective criminal justice, prevention and intervention, victim support, efficient and integrated service provision safety through environmental design and an active public community partnership which speak directly to the needs of the province.”
The Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy framework is designed to address the root causes of crime and violence through multi-sectoral collaboration.
*This article was first published by SABC News
Rose Mnisi, the 39-year-old hospital cleaner arrested for alleged possession of human tissue, has been released on bail.
Mnisi reappeared before the Mashishing District Court this week, where she was granted bail of R10,000. Her case was postponed to 4 November 2025.
She was arrested earlier this month after police followed up on information that a woman was selling placentas. Officers intercepted her along Voortrekker Street in Lydenburg, where she was found carrying a plastic bag containing human tissue.
At the time, police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli confirmed that Mnisi was charged with the illegal possession of human tissue.
The case continues.
Last week, IOL reported that the Mpumalanga Department of Health has suspended the 39-year-old employee from Lydenburg Hospital, after she was arrested for being found in possession of human placentas.
According to the provincial department, the woman was apprehended by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Extension 2, Mashishing, on Wednesday last week.
The department moved to clarify earlier reports about the case.
“The department would also like to correct information published in the media about the incident that the human tissue referred to is actually placentas, obtained from women who give birth,” the provincial authorities said.
Mpumalanga Health MEC Sasekani Manzini commended the police's swift action and stressed that a departmental probe was under way.
“The MEC for Health, Ms. Sasekani Manzini has applauded the SAPS for the arrest. She is hopeful that the internal investigation by the department will bring to light what actually transpired."
Manzini warned that any other individuals implicated would face disciplinary and criminal action.
“She further says any other person or employees who will be found to have taken part in this incident will be charged accordingly,” the department added.
*This article was first published by IOL News
By Matshidiso Selebeleng
In the dusty streets of what is now called Winnie Mandela Town, House 802 rises as both a monument and a memory — a silent witness to the injustices of the past.
It was here that the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, revered as the “Mother of the Nation,” endured eight years of banishment under apartheid, from 1977 to 1985.
On 28 January 1977, she was served with her third banning order by the apartheid Minister of Justice and forced into exile in the small Free State town of Brandfort — about 60 kilometres north of Bloemfontein.
What was once a place of isolation has today been transformed into a powerful site of remembrance.
The Free State Department of Sport, Arts and Culture refurbished the crumbling house and turned it into a museum that tells the story of her years in exile. Today, the house, once on the brink of collapse, stands firm as a community landmark.
For security guard Lebogang Moloisane, watching over the museum is more than a job — it is a link to his childhood memories.
“I am part of her history, and it brings me joy to ensure everything here stays intact,” he said, pointing to an old photograph in which he appears as a young boy. “I still remember going to one of the soup kitchens she served at. Back then, it didn’t mean much because I was so young, but today it makes me happy and proud.”
He also recalls the trauma of 1987, when the township’s clinic was set alight, allegedly in retaliation for car bombings in Johannesburg. That clinic, which once stood within the museum precinct, remains a scar in the community’s memory.
The restoration of House number 802 cost more than R700,000. While the project was clouded by corruption allegations that led to arrests, the house was ultimately completed and opened to the public.
According to departmental spokesperson Tankiso Zola, the museum’s restoration marks just the beginning.
“The restoration process has been completed, including the exhibition content. What remains outstanding is the rebuilding of the clinic that was bombed during Mama Winnie Mandela’s banishment. The national department is in the process of appointing a service provider for that work,” he explained.
The Winnie Mandela House Museum is now open for visitors on weekdays from 09:00 to 15:00, with weekend visits available by arrangement.
For the people of Brandfort, the museum is not just about history — it is about pride, memory, and a legacy that continues to live on in their community.
Anti-Corruption organisation, Public Interest SA says the Whistleblowers Awards on the 27th of next month seeks to break the silence on corruption in the country.
The awards will take place at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.
Security will be beefed up at the venue.
Chairperson of Public Interest SA Tebogo Khaas says remaining silent amid wrongdoing just leads to even more corruption.
“We live in a society where we believe that we have to wrestle back our freedoms, we have to wrestle back our liberties. Because the more we speak out, the more we come out of our dungeons, the less space those who are criminals will have to actually make sure that we can execute it. Because if you all speak up, all who stand up behind those who speak out, it becomes difficult for people to hide. In fact, look at what General Mkhwanazi has done. If he hadn’t spoken out, we just don’t know what could have happened to him or any other people who were otherwise able to share the light on what’s happening in the police system.”
*This article was first published by SABC News
The National Liquor Traders Council (NLTC) says a sustainable solution is needed to address the rise in substance abuse among youth, which does not include banning alcohol advertising.
The remarks follow concerns raised by the Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who highlighted that substance abuse not only harms young lives but also contributes to unemployment and crime.
Critics believe that alcohol advertising plays a significant role in promoting alcohol consumption among young people.
NLTC convenor, Lucky Ntimane, says banning alcohol advertising is a short-sighted approach to the issue.
“We are also saying that he highlighted the issue around unemployment, that yes, indeed, as much as the alcohol abuse and also drug abuse will contribute to unemployment, but if you ban the advertisement of alcohol, we are also perpetuating unemployment in our country, where the economy is growing at less than one percent on an annual basis, where 37 percent of black people in the country are unemployed, where three million graduates in our country are unemployed. So we need to find a sustainable way in which we will address our issues, but also maintain or even sustain the issue of job creation in our country.”
This follows the tabling of the Liquor Amendment Bill in Parliament, which seeks to ban the advertisement, promotion and product placement of alcohol across all media platforms.
The Bill also calls for the state to actively counter the normalisation of alcohol use and curb alcohol-related harm by reducing the visibility and consumption of liquor.
*This article was first published by SABC News
The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG), together with the Society of Obstetric Medicine South Africa (SOOMSA) and the South African Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (SASUOG), has dismissed recent claims suggesting a connection between paracetamol use during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
In a joint statement issued by the Alkemi Collective on behalf of these organisations, they confirmed that “there is no evidence that taking paracetamol in pregnancy at recommended therapeutic doses causes autism in children.”
The statement comes in response to media reports and studies that raised concerns about a possible link between prenatal paracetamol exposure and ASD.
While some early observational studies indicated a small association, these were criticised for being vulnerable to confounding factors such as genetics, family environment, and unreliable self-reporting.
More robust research, including sibling-controlled analyses and large population studies, notably a Swedish study, found that once shared familial factors were accounted for, the association between paracetamol and ASD disappeared. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses further support the conclusion that earlier observed links were due to confounding rather than causation.
The medical bodies emphasised the risks of untreated maternal symptoms during pregnancy.
“Fever in pregnancy is not benign; it has been associated with miscarriage, congenital malformations including neural tube defects and cardiac defects, preterm delivery and intrauterine fetal demise,” they said.
They added that untreated pain can also have severe effects on maternal mental health, affecting both mother and fetus.
Given this context, paracetamol remains “the safest and most effective first-line treatment for pain and fever in pregnancy,” with no alternative offering a better safety profile.
At standard therapeutic doses, it is “not associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy or child health outcomes,” the statement reassured.
“There is no reliable evidence that paracetamol use in pregnancy causes ASD. Apparent associations are explained by confounding, not causation. Clinical practice should not change.
Paracetamol remains an essential, safe, and effective treatment for fever and pain in pregnancy, and pregnant women should not be denied appropriate care because of unsubstantiated claims,'' said the collective.
*This article was first published by IOL News
