Free State Targets Surgical Backlogs
The three-day Cataract Marathon, held over the weekend at Boitumelo Regional Hospital in Kroonstad, was a great success, with over 100 patients receiving treatment.
Screening was conducted last week Friday with cataract operations scheduled for Saturday and Su...
Despite growing public concerns and political tensions, Professor Sethulego Matebesi, a political analyst, believes the Government of National Unity (GNU) remains intact.
This comes after GNU partners faced off this week over the dismissal of the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Deputy Minister, Andrew Whitfield, by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday.
DA leader John Steenhuisen issued an ultimatum to Ramaphosa, demanding that he dismiss three of his ministers, Thembi Simelane, Minister Nkabane, and Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, within 48 hours. A deadline that is set to expire this afternoon, when the party announces its decision during a media briefing scheduled to take place at 3pm.
Matebesi firmly believes that there is still hope for GNU, stressing that both parties stand quite a big chance of losing.
“The DA will not publicly admit it, but the party has been given pivotal positions such as the Ministry of Agriculture, and neither will the ANC survive losing a partner in the GNU with such high numbers as those of the DA,” said Matebesi.
He said a decision to walk out of the GNU and relinquish vital roles in the cabinet and parliament can be expected to meet with opposition within the party itself.
When asked if this can be considered the end for the former deputy minister, Matebesi said, “Not at all… but all depends on how the DA will respond. We should not be surprised if there is a court case or an appeal by the DA because they have stipulated that there is evidence that the President did not fulfil his constitutional right in dealing with the matter”.
OPINION - Despite his strong academic and political resume, recent shifts including his removal from key leadership roles, my opinion is that Floyd Shivambu needs to take a break or completely retire from politics just to save his credibility.
He is a smart man, a critical thinker and a well-educated gentleman, but he has always been behind someone’s shadow.
What exactly does Floyd Shivambu Stand for?
His political trajectory started in 2004 as a Student Representative Council at the University of Witwatersrand.
He was in the ANCYL until his expulsion in 2012.
In 2013 he co-founded the Economic Freedom Fighters alongside Julius Malema and served as his Deputy until 2024.
In August 2024, he resigned from the EFF to join the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party as national organizer and Secretary-General.
Earlier this month he was stripped of all his powers from the MK party, demoted from the Secretary General position to being a member of parliament, and was left to have no voice as usual.
“Mayibuye iAfrika”
Political suicide or a rebirth?
Today (27 June) Shivambu hosts a second press conference in less than a week, this time to announce the Mayibuye Consultation Team (NCT) of the Mayibuye Consultation Process.
“As always we will use the opportunity to exercise what Amilcar Cabral taught us that as revolutionaries we should hide nothing from the masses of our people.
“Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures, and claim no easy victory….”
Shivambu says he is humbled by the responses that he has been receiving from people in all provinces and regions who are interested to volunteer and participate in the initiative.
What is his strategy?
Is Mayibuye another break away political party with the same methods and strategies he learned from the ANC, EFF and MKP?
His fall from grace within the MK starts
when he publicly clashes with the MK party leader Jacob Zuma’s favorite daughter Duduzile Zuma.
Who does that?
He has gone from being a man of honor to insulting people and accusing them of being drug addicts.
He has gone as far as visiting Malawi to seek miracles from a pastor who has been accused of being a “a fake prophet”
He is acting out of character…
Please, give that man a hug. He is going through a lot.
Lucky D’s fingers fly across the decks, bringing us acoustic sounds of Soul and R&B. Emerging from Motse Thabong in Welkom, Lucky David Mapena, known as “Lucky D,” is known for crafting a unique blend of soul, R&B as well as Afro Pop and has captivated great audiences with his craft. With his career taking off as a mere hobby, it eventually transitioned into a passion for playing soul/R&B, which landed him huge gigs with the likes of Wilson B, Sentle Lihoko, David Mashabela, the late Peter Mashata, and many more. Navigating the soul/R&B genre presents numerous challenges, as its appeal is limited to a specific audience. However, Lucky D is thriving despite these obstacles. Lucky D indicated that the many occurring challenges within the industry are that there is a vast number of DJs that want to join the pool, gunning for the ball, which seems not to be sustainable for all, and how the people in the industry are disjointed. “Events are just not normal, there is a lot of duplication and there is no creativity at all,” he mentions. With DJ Teddy’s exceptional mentorship, Lucky D has rowed this ship for a good 15 years, making appearances at Bloemfontein’s most astounding establishments like Cubana and Sechaba Lounge. With aspirations of owning a soul and R&B lounge that supports the curation of live music and will be one of the city’s key tourism points. Catch Lucky D at Sechaba Lounge every Sunday for the “Extended Sunday Soul Sessions.”
Following a significant setback suffered by the tourism sector across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is on course to recovery. Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, on Sunday unveiled the R120 million state-of-the-art Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre set to boost the park and retain its former appeal. She was accompanied by the Free State Premier, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, and MEC for Tourism, Ketso Makume as well as the visibly delighted executive mayor of Dihlabeng Local Municipality, James Tseki. According to De Lille, the centre is a unique interactive facility with a strong potential for both tourism and economic growth in the region, province, and the country. The attraction offers visitors an innovative, creative and quality demonstration of scientific knowledge (paleontological, archaeological and geological), with a broader appreciation of cultural heritage through interactive exhibitions. “It is a joyous occasion for our county as we unveil this new exciting cultural and scientific tourism product. This facility is a wonderful addition to our diverse tourism offerings and it will ensure repeat visits, keep visitors longer, and more importantly, help visitors spend more money in our captivating destinations,” said De Lille. “We envision that this tourism facility will boost economic development, create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for surrounding communities, and further attract investment and development.” Unveiled under the theme: “A Nation That Works for All – Unearthing Our Past, Building Our Future,” the new centre further offers an immersive experience with interactive exhibitions that promise to awaken curiosity and delight in every visitor - young and old. “Our fossil record provides evidence for us to say to the entire world, 'Welcome Home!’. From the fossil evidence, we know that Africa is both the Cradle of Humankind and the Cradle of Human Culture. Our fossil wealth, long rock and fossil record, is so unique that it is impossible to write about the development of life on Earth without referring to the South African fossil record,” said De Lille. Echoing the minister’s words, Makume said the province will ensure that the centre is preserved to further maintain the history of the Basotho nation. “The centre should be used to attract tourists in the province and further create jobs for our people. The Free State should be known as a place to go to and not a place to go through,” he said. Additionally, De Lille revealed that 30 tour guides from the local community, trained by the department, will be employed full-time at the centre.
Teenage pregnancy continues to pose a significant threat to the future of young girls in the North West province, leading to a growing crisis, according to MEC for Social Development Basetsana Sussana Dantjie. With an increasing number of school-aged girls falling pregnant each year, Dantjie has encouraged all stakeholders to join hands in efforts to curb the new pandemic in the province. Dantjie’s plea follows the recent cases of alleged statutory rape involving three young girls in the Lekwa Teemane local municipality. It is alleged that the trio – aged between 14 and 15 – were confirmed pregnant by a medical practitioner last week after visiting the Lekwa Teemane service point without the supervision or accompaniment of parents. According to the MEC, it was further discovered during the preliminary investigation that two of the three girls were by underage boys, 17 and 18 years of age. Expressing her disappointment on the three statutory rape cases, Dantjie said the government has implemented measures to address teenage pregnancy in schools, such as the integrated school health programme which is led by the education, health, and social development departments. She said her department has also partnered with the Shout it Now organisation to educate young people about HIV, teenage pregnancy, and other social ills across the province. “We cannot be deterred by these incidents in our resolve to prevent teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence in our communities. Our social workers, including our social cluster departments and the civil society organisations are on the ground to break the barrier of ignorance among young girls by educating them about teenage pregnancy and other social pathologies that are tormenting our communities,” said Dantjie, adding that the issue of teenage pregnancy requires the collaborative efforts of key role players, which include parents, teachers, guardians, and the community at large. She further confirmed that the three cases were reported to the police for further investigations.
