The brother and sister of the wife of slain Free State official Noby Ngombane appeared in the Bloemfontein District Court on Thursday in connection with his murder. Ngombane, who was gunned down at his home, was the head of the Free State government’s policy-monitoring and evaluation unit in the premier’s office.
The Vredefort Dome, spanning the Free State and the North West provinces, has been declared a World Heritage Site, the Department of Arts and Culture said on Thursday, making it the country’s seventh such site. This decision was made earlier in the day at the 29th World Heritage Committee meeting being held in Durban.
Municipal officials and councillors found guilty of misusing public funds will be strictly dealt with, Matjhabeng executive mayor Serake Leeu warned on Wednesday. He was reacting to a report by the Free State auditor general’s office into alleged irregularities in debt collecting at the Matjhabeng local municipality in 2001 and 2002.
Free State police have experienced a last-minute rush in the handing in of firearms before the gun amnesty ends at midnight on Thursday. Superintendent Annelie Wrensch said designated police officers at some police stations were having ”a busy day” by Thursday afternoon. More than 80Â firearms have been handed in.
The Springbok coaching staff of Jake White, Gert Smal and Allister Coetzee declared themselves satisfied after the national squad had a good workout against the Shimlas rugby team of the University of the Free State on Tuesday. A few hundred rugby enthusiasts, including learners and students, turned to out to view the Boks in action.
The name change of Pretoria to Tshwane took another step forward on Thursday when the South African National Geographical Names Council unanimously approved the recommendation. Tommy Ntsewa, chairperson of the council, said in Bloemfontein the approval was granted after thorough deliberation.
While the rugby bosses have put the game in a state of turmoil, Springbok coach Jake White and his squad went about business as usual. The Bok squad had their first two field training sessions at Shimla Park at the University of Free State on Tuesday, and White said he was satisfied with what he saw.
The Springbok squad gave the Bulls players a warm reception when the Pretoria-based players joined the national team at their pre-season training in Bloemfontein on Monday. Said Springbok captain John Smit: ”They really did us proud on Saturday and, with a bit of luck, could so easily have won the game.”
The Western Cape education minister was not interfering with the language policy of Mikro Primary School, the Supreme Court of Appeal was told on Monday. The Mikro school governing body refused to admit several grade-one pupils, even when the department directed it to do so, saying admitting the pupils would be against its language policy.
Rampant Kaizer Chiefs successfully defended their Premier Soccer League (PSL) title after beating Bloemfontein Celtic 2-0 at the Free State Stadium on Sunday. Meanwhile, Moroka Swallows came from behind to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw against Black Leopards at the Rand Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Free State police have clipped the wings of a cross-dresser nicknamed ”Chicken”, putting an end to his alleged reign of terror in Mangaung and Botshabelo. Acting on a tip-off, a task team — specially formed to hunt him down — arrested Lebohang Seobi shortly after 5pm on Monday, said a Free State police spokesperson.
The Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an application by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela for leave to appeal against various fraud convictions by the Pretoria High Court. Madikizela-Mandela approached the Bloemfontein court in March this year with an application for leave to appeal.
A former manager at Media24, Gasant Samuels, ”pushed his luck” with a female colleague during uncertain times at the company, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Tuesday. David Melunsky, lawyer for Sonja Grobler, told the court she had put her trust in Samuels as a protector, and he had abused this trust.
Relegation-threatened Jomo Cosmos eased their blues when they beat Bloemfontein Celtic by an odd goal in a tightly contested Castle Premier League tie at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday. Hilton Cunha scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute from a long clearance.
Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff has demoted another provincial minister, the provincial government communications and information system said on Wednesday. Local government and housing minister Bennie Kotsoane will return to the provincial legislature as an ordinary member.
A magnificent 62 by Tyrone Henderson saw the Warriors clip the Eagles’ talons on Sunday when they beat the defending champions by four wickets in a Standard Bank Pro20 match in Bloemfontein. The home side appeared to be heading for a big total, but the spin bowling of Pieter Strydom and Robin Petersen saw a dramatic middle-order crash.
Bloemfontein Celtic took home full points when they hammered Wits University in a Castle Premiership encounter at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday. The tough tie saw the teams producing classic performances, scoring seven goals between them. The goal fest started in the first stanza.
A public library was burned and a police station stoned on Tuesday night at Phomolong, near Hennenman in the northern Free State, police said on Wednesday. The disturbances — in protest over municipal service delivery — followed an agreement between residents and police earlier in the day to restore calm.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Thursday upheld an appeal by Laurie Frazer, who in 1997 made headlines for several failed attempts to get custody of his child, who was given up for adoption without his consent. The SCA set aside his prison sentence and replaced it with a fine, a suspended jail sentence and community service.
The police have offered a reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the killers of a senior Free State government official. ”No arrests had yet been made in the investigation into the murder of [Noby] Ngombane,” police spokesperson Superintendent Annelie Wrench said on Wednesday.
The murder of a Free State government official and ANC member should be solved as a matter of urgency, the ANC in the province said on Tuesday. Noby Ngombane, an official in the premier’s office, was shot dead at his home in Bloemfontein last week.
Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff distanced herself on Tuesday from allegations that the murder of provincial official Noby Ngombane was politically motivated. Nokwanda Ngombane, speaking at her husband’s funeral on Monday, said the murder was political and that her husband’s enemies were present at the service.
The funeral service of slain Free State government official Noby Ngombane will be held in Bloemfontein on Monday, a statement from Premier Beatrice Marshoff’s office announced on Friday. The funeral will start at 9pm at the Boet Troskie Hall at the Central University of Technology.
The Dolphins and the Eagles will share South Africa’s premier domestic trophy when they drew a nail-biting SuperSport Series final at Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein on Monday. At the start of the final day it looked as if the Eagles were going to bat out the day and share the trophy as Morne van Wyk and Jonathan Beukes extended their partnership to 186.
Supersport United scored maximum points when they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 in a Castle Premiership tie played at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Wednesday. United’s Dikgang Mabalane atoned for his failure in the first half when he scored in the 52nd minute, tapping in a clinical pass from Ticotico Bucuane.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is asking the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal against a series of fraud convictions. The Pretoria High Court early in February dismissed an application by Madikizela-Mandela for leave to appeal to the SCA for her conviction on 43 counts of fraud and a suspended sentence.
About 350 students of the University of the Free State handed over a memorandum on Friday demanding an end to the promotion of Afrikaans as a compulsory medium of instruction at the main campus. The students marched peacefully to the main campus entrance, before the memorandum was handed to university rector Frederick Fourie.
A traditional healer who told a young patient he had to have sex with her for his medicine to work has been arrested for rape, Free State police said on Thursday. Police spokesperson Sergeant Thandi Mbambo said the matter was reported to police on Wednesday after the 14-year-old girl discovered she was three months pregnant.
Bloemfontein Celtic scored one of their best victories thus far when they defeated Castle Premiership leaders Orlando Pirates 1-0 in a pulsating clash played at the Free State Stadium on Wednesday night. The foundations for the win were laid by Celtic’s uncompromising defence. It was a gutsy display and the home side earned their three points the hard way.
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/ 25 February 2005
A 34-year-old Sebokeng handyman was sentenced to 207 years’ imprisonment on Friday for raping 14 women and attempting to rape another, Free State police said. Lekgaba Molamu used to travel to the Zamdela area of Sasolburg in the Free State where he befriended women between the ages of 14 and 21 under the pretext of offering them jobs.
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/ 24 February 2005
It is unlikely that Laurie Frazer will again commit conspiracy to kidnap, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Thursday. The Bloemfontein court heard argument in the case of Frazer, who made headlines in 1997 for failed attempts to get custody of his adopted child and later for plotting to kidnap the baby.
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/ 24 February 2005
The Eagles were crowned Standard Bank Cup champions at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening after a third-wicket partnership of 151 between Boeta Dippenaar and Davey Jacobs ensured that they defeated the Titans by seven wickets. Dippenaar, named man of the match, guided the Eagles to a target of 259 with an excellent 92.