The newly elected Mayor of Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality, Tumelo Thebe, has wasted no time in setting the tone for his administration, unveiling an ambitious plan to restore dignity, improve service delivery, and rebuild public confidence in a municipality that has struggled with governance and infr...
The obviously frustrated young lions of the ruling party (ANC Youth League) have vowed to face off with its mother body… accusing its leadership in government of betraying the Freedom Charter and burying the dreams of young people in a mass grave. According to the party’s young wing in the Free State, the leadership in government has opted to nurse their neo-liberal policy frameworks that have failed and continue to fail the poor and the working class, especially the youth, rather than focusing on the implementation of concrete action in response to the deepening crisis of youth unemployment. The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of 2024, released by Statistics South Africa in February this year, shows that the Free State’s unemployment rate has increased by 1.9 percentage points and currently stands at 38.5%, which rises to 41% with the expanded unemployment definition. The league’s Provincial Secretary, Jackson Mthembu, said the young lions will not stand idle while young people are being condemned to permanent unemployment and will lead a disciplined and militant march to the Office of the Premier, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, which is scheduled to take place on Monday. “After studying the 2025 State of the Province Address (SOPA) and the R45.8 billion 2025/26 Provincial Budget, it is clear that the Free State government is not taking youth unemployment seriously. What we are witnessing is not merely an oversight, it is a political choice. The Free State’s entire budget planning remains anchored in neo-liberal policy frameworks that have failed and continue to fail the poor and the working class, especially the youth,” said Mthembu. During her State of the Province Address that she delivered just days after the release of unemployment statistics in February, Premier Letsoha-Mathae, effortlessly vowed that the 2025/26 financial year will see her administration driving inclusive growth and job creation to set the province on a daring developmental path. “We will implement more programmes to increase access to finance and opportunities for mainly women, youth, persons with disabilities, and businesses owned by military veterans. We are not apologetic about this,” promised Letsoha-Mathae. However, speaking to Journal News, political analyst Prof Sethulego Matebesi from the University of the Free State (UFS) believes the challenge faced by the current Youth League is failing to detach themselves from contaminated leaders in the organisation. “I am not sure what the league aim archive, however, if this is meant to fight internal party battles between the party leadership in the Free State and the premier, it will further serve as a prove that our youth have mastered the wrong doing of our current leaders and unable to detach from them. The question then becomes, how is this going to assist them inherit a healthy organisation in the future as the next leadership?” asked Matebesi. Nonetheless, Mthembu, warned that the province is sitting on a ticking time bomb. “If this crisis is not addressed with urgency, the province will face a revolt of the excluded. If the Free State government does not act, it will face its own version of the Arab Spring. When hope is denied, unrest becomes inevitable,” warned Mthembu, adding that “the Free State holds the shameful and unacceptable title of having the highest youth unemployment rate in the country, even exceeding the national average. More than 442,000 young people aged 15–34 are not in employment, education, or training. This is not just a statistic; it is a mass grave of dreams.” He said that the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the Youth League has resolved to lead a provincial Youth March to Letsoha-Mathae to demand urgent and concrete action in response to the deepening crisis of youth unemployment. “The province has no targeted industrialisation strategy, no green jobs programme, no youth cooperative development plan, no investment in township and rural economies, and no meaningful rollout of the Presidential Employment Stimulus. The budget merely recycles promises and projects that do not speak to the urgency of the youth crisis. The obsession with fiscal restraint over social investment, the reliance on private sector-led growth while the state retreats from direct job creation, and the absence of a youth-focused industrial policy, all reflect a deliberate ideological alignment with neo-liberalism. This represents a betrayal of the Freedom Charter and a tragic abandonment of the developmental state vision long championed by our movement,” he said. Meanwhile, Mthembu revealed that young unemployed people from all sectors will be expected to join in the march and hand over their CVs to the premier as a symbolic and direct challenge to the status quo and refuse to celebrate hollow victories of Youth Month while they are being sacrificed on the altar of budget cuts, austerity, and economic exclusion.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure under the leadership of MEC Dibolelo Mance, hosted its first-ever Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) awareness and information session with political leaders from the Xhariep District’s local municipalities. The session brought together Executive Mayors, Municipal Managers, and EPWP Coordinators to discuss the programme’s goals and performance. During the session, Manche emphasised the importance of building open and inclusive relationships between political principals and government departments. The main aim of this session was to strengthen working relations between all three stakeholders by improving how EPWP projects are managed, how they are reported, and essentially how the Xhariep economy can be empowered. The session comes in the wake of an assessment made by Mance’s office that there was a need to talk about the objectives and importance of EPWP. During the session, Manche spoke about the opportunities that can be created through programmes such as EPWP. “We need to champion an open and inclusive way of working because it will help us as a collective. The session was followed by a cleaning campaign that took place at the Alfred Nzula District Hospital.
As the anticipation grows for the municipal elections next year, Journal News caught up with the mayor of Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Thanduxolo Khalipha, on issues affecting the municipality and its residents, as well as his plans to retain the office.
Thank you for the opportunity to engage with you ahead of the most anticipated upcoming local government elections next year. It is your first term in office as the political head of the municipality. The ANC has shown faith in you despite the challenges you have faced since your election into office. What do you say to that? We have worked hard as the elected administration and the ANC to ensure that the ruling party retains the municipality. We will renew our organisational mandate with the people, we do know that the municipality will still be under the reign of the ANC… come elections. Like I have just mentioned, you have faced so many challenges and criticisms since. Can you share with us what that was all about, or is there any truth in those accusations and criticisms? This is all because we are working in this municipality… that is all. We always welcome constructive criticism we receive. That is because we want our people to play oversight over us. You have mentioned that your administration has done the work in servicing the community of Matjhabeng. What can you list as your achievements to this point? Indeed, we have worked for our people, and I am not saying there haven’t been challenges in the process. We have uncounted challenges too. But I can tell you without any hesitation that we are going to secure victory in this municipality based on the services we provide to our people. How confident are you that the organisation will still have faith in you to lead this municipality should it win elections? Well, I did not put myself here as a mayor, my organisation will decide on that. I was given a term of five years to bring about some changes in the municipality, the second term will be decided by the organisation. What plans do you have in place for the people of Matjhabeng to be able to elect your organisation again? We do have plans that are already working for the people. For instance, we have now embarked on a massive cleaning campaign to educate our people about littering and service delivery. I have also decided to launch a campaign that all municipal employees embark on a cleaning campaign every Friday, and they will be joined by the community. Matjhabeng must be regarded as one of the cleanest towns in the province.
For more on this interview, please log on to www.journalnews.co.za for a full video clip
To round off youth month, the Free States business community came together in an exclusive and intimate honorary award ceremony to celebrate the next generation of excellent entrepreneurs. The Youth Business Breakfast hosted by FS Online Network in collaboration with TeamzDynamics Consulting took place at Art Café in Bloemfontein under the theme “Skills for the changing world and empowering youth for meaningful economic participation”, was aimed to recognize young entrepreneurs who are making impact in their communities through the creation of employment and by being part of economic development in the province. The five entrepreneurs who received honorary awards are the CEO of Veronica Planning an events management company, the CEO of logistics company Voice Express Lentswe Tlhogo, Nkosana Mtambo who is in agriculture, and Thabo Khateane who is in the manufacturing sector. CEO of TeamzDynamics, Tshidiso Thinane, says the primary intent of the programme was to create a platform where young entrepreneurs are recognized and awarded for their outstanding business achievements. The event was graced by MEC for Economic Development and Treasury Toto Makume, Provincial manager for National Youth Development Agency Boitumelo Dithebe, and influential businessman Ben Moseme amongst others. In his keynote address, Makume encouraged young entrepreneurs to start running their businesses professionally. He says that to be taken seriously when they apply for assistance in government they need to start taking themselves seriously. “First of all, when you identify a location for your business, look at the surroundings. “Choose a decent place and ensure that it is attractive and clean.
A silent storm is brewing as the African National Congress is set to hold its national elective conference in less than two years (2027). Without any formal declaration by those eyeing to replace President Cyril Ramaphosa as the party’s president, a campaign for the top position is unlocked and faction wars within the organisation have erupted. In this conference, someone will be elected to succeed Ramaphosa. From fiery rebukes in the Eastern Cape to melodic chants in the Free State, the party’s Secretary General Fikile Mbalula’s silent spring to the top post has sparked controversy with some members accusing him of leveraging meetings and abusing his position to gain popularity for the presidential race. A metaphor - “A yene Pula ya Mbalula” A controversial moment broke in the Eastern Free State last week (21 June) during a memorial lecture of Rivonia Trialist and ANC activist Andrew Mlangeni when some members of the ANC in the province ordained Mbalula as a potential candidate in the presidential race through a song called “A yene Pula ya Mbalula”, which simply means “May Mbalula’s territory increase”. Members who were seen endorsing Mbalula through song and hand actions amongst others include Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and the ANC Women’s League Provincial Chairperson Connie Msibi who is also the Mayor of Thabo Mofutsanyana District municipality. What was meant to be an honorary event to commemorate the life of Mlangeni, who dedicated his life to the struggle for freedom, justice and dignity for all South Africans suddenly evolved into a subtle and strategic move which revealed the SG’s ambitions to become the next ANC President. A Hardcore Factionalist This move has sparked a public outcry on social media platforms with one ANC PR councillor from the Thabo Mofutsanyana region, Setshwana Chabeli, ridiculing Mbalula and calling him disorderly and “A Hardcore Factionalist”. Chabeli wrote a letter to Mbalula on her social media pages. Dear SG, You are a hardcore unrehabilitated factionalist with presidential ambitions but your verbal diarrhea is appalling to say the least. We are aware of what you want to do with the ‘Vrystaat’, but my cadre you will find us on the ground, we will take you toe to toe…..In case you forgot, even if we have no struggle credentials but we do have a history of relentless fights for your likes. “AMANDLA!” You are highly divisive. If I can be charged, I am more than ready, it will be lovely to engage you on such a platform. I have a few questions for you, Sir. “You are an enabler of factionalism” Factionalism in the ANC Free State The ANC in the Free State has been plagued by internal factionalism, and according to sources within the organisation, Chabeli’s stance stems from a broader political cleavage. Sources in the party say she is a staunch supporter of the provincial chairperson Mxolisi Dukwana and secretary Polediso Motsieneng. Dukwana’s support base has been hostile towards Mbalula. Mbalula: “Leading the ANC is not like leading a football club…” Meanwhile, earlier this month at the Eastern Cape’s Chris Hani regional conference, Mbalula reprimanded party members who are making pronouncements on who will lead the ANC and strongly spoke against South African billionaire and mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, accusing him of running a presidential bid. Mbalula ridiculed Motsepe saying that if he wants to lead the party, he must show evidence that he is a member of a branch. “The are talks of people we don’t even know have a branch, that they’d be ANC president because they have money. “Leading the ANC is not like leading a football club and all that. You work for this” Mbalula said. In an interview with Journal News, Political analyst and the Academic Head of the Department of Sociology at University of the Free State, Sethulego Matebesi, says Mbalula is exploiting his position.He says he believes that Mbalula is not being fair and because of the key position he occupies, he is not being a disciplined member of the organisation. “If it was anybody else who started a presidential campaign like that, he would have come out guns blazing and probably would have led to disciplinary processes of the party. When asked his opinions on Chabeli’s social media outburst, Metebesi said he thinks Chabeli needs to tread carefully. ANC Free State responds ANC Provincial Spokesperson Thabo Meeko says they do not find anything wrong with the song. He says ANC members are allowed to sing about their leadership as long as it does not contradicts the ANC's Code of Conduct. Meeko responded to a praise song does not mean endorsement.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied accusations that he influenced the awarding of an estimated multi-billion rand National Lottery license to Sizekhaya Holdings, amid intensifying scrutiny over the company’s ties to his immediate family. The denial follows a searing investigation by amaBhungane, published on 23 June, which connected one of Sizekhaya’s shareholders, Bellamont Gaming, to Mashatile’s sister-in-law, Khumo Bogatsu. The company is co-owned and co-directed by Bogatsu and Moses Tembe, a KwaZulu-Natal businessman and the current chair of Sizekhaya. Both individuals have links— personal and professional—to the Deputy President. Bogatsu is the twin sister of Humile Bogatsu, now known as Humile Mashatile, whom the Deputy President married in 2023. Though Mashatile insists that he played no role in the awarding of the contract, critics and analysts are questioning whether proximity alone constitutes undue influence. A Tender With Powerful Ties Sizekhaya was officially awarded the National Lottery license on 28 May, following extensive delays in the adjudication process. The announcement came just three days before Ithuba Holdings’ existing license expired on 31 May. The new license grants Sizekhaya the power to operate the lottery for the next eight years, beginning in June 2026, and is expected to generate billions in revenue. This significant contract was overseen by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), which falls under the portfolio of Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau. The Department had received eight bids for the license, with the process described by Tau as “arduous.” In light of the amaBhungane exposé, Minister Tau responded before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on 24 June. In that session, he acknowledged the seriousness of the claims and promised that his Department and the NLC would seek independent legal advice to assess whether a conflict of interest or political bias had compromised the fairness of the bidding process. “It would be irresponsible to ignore concerns raised by investigative journalists,” Tau said, pledging transparency and adherence to due process. Mashatile: “Where Must They Do Business?” In a televised interview with SowetanLIVE on the same day, Mashatile shrugged off the allegations, suggesting that the idea of “guilt by association” was both unfair and unrealistic. “There are so many people who know me in this country—family, children, cousins, and friends. Where must they do business, in Zimbabwe?” he said, adding: “They can do business as long as I’m not involved… Because once you say Mr. Mashatile is capable of influencing, even if he is sitting in his house, it’s unfair.” He dismissed the idea that connections alone should imply corruption, noting that the chairperson of the NLC had publicly stated no political pressure influenced the decision. “Why don’t we believe him?” he asked. Mashatile further defended his 30-year track record in government, saying, “There is no single department that I have run where the Auditor-General came and said there was a problem… If I’ve done something wrong, I’ll be the first to accept it—but if not, I won’t.” An Ethics Cloud That Lingers This is not the first time Mashatile has been forced to answer tough questions about his ethics and political connections. In 2023, he was questioned by Parliament’s Ethics Committee following allegations linking him to controversial businessman Edwin Sodi, a key figure in the R255-million Free State asbestos corruption case. The Democratic Alliance (DA) filed criminal charges against Mashatile last year, citing evidence that he was living a lavish lifestyle, allegedly subsidized by businesspeople under criminal investigation. The party accused him of benefiting from high-end properties, luxury vehicles, and extravagant hospitality with murky sources of funding. DA Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube pressed Mashatile during a Q&A session to come clean about these allegations, asking why his name repeatedly appeared in stories detailing ethically questionable relationships between government leaders and business elites. In response, Mashatile claimed ignorance: “I don’t know where these allegations come from. People just go around picking stuff, and I don’t know what their motive is. They would know why.” The Shadow of Succession While the Deputy Presidency is not a guaranteed springboard to South Africa’s highest office, the role has historically positioned leaders at the heart of ANC succession battles. As President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second term winds down, competition for the party’s top post is slowly intensifying. Factions are forming, alliances are being tested, and scrutiny is falling heavily on those next in line for power. Mashatile, long considered a shrewd operator with deep roots in Gauteng’s political machinery, now finds himself at a crossroads. With questions of cronyism, proximity-based enrichment, and political influence dogging him, his ambitions—whether stated or not—may face serious obstacles. When Proximity Breeds Distrust The growing controversy surrounding Deputy President Paul Mashatile isn’t just a question of legality—it’s a question of public confidence. In a nation still reeling from successive waves of corruption scandals, even the appearance of impropriety can erode already fragile trust in democratic institutions. While Mashatile insists on his innocence, the echoes of influence reverberating from boardrooms to Parliament continue, not just for his political future, but for the integrity of the systems that govern us all. If the lottery is about chance, the people deserve to know the process wasn’t rigged before the draw began.
