News

A fire that broke out at a building on St Andrews Street in the Bloemfontein CBD early on Sunday, 23 August, has been contained by Mangaung Fire and Rescue Services. 

“The Call Centre received an alert about the fire at 03:49. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene and successfully contained the blaze,” said Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in a statement. 

Fire and Rescue Services then began damping-down operations to extinguish remaining hotspots and ensure the area was safe.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, while the extent of the damage has not yet been confirmed. Law-enforcement agencies will begin investigations once the scene has been declared safe and made available for examination.

The municipality has urged members of the public and motorists to avoid the affected area where possible, and to allow emergency crews and law-enforcement officials to carry out their duties without obstruction.

Authorities have also called on motorists in the CBD to exercise caution while emergency operations continue in the area.

No confirmed reports of injuries have been provided at this stage. 

The African National Congress (ANC) has once again failed to unveil its final mayoral candidates ahead of the much-anticipated November Local Government Elections.

On Saturday, during what was expected to be an announcement of the party’s mayoral candidates in Sandton, Johannesburg, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula instead kicked the can further down the road.

Rather than confirming the successful candidates who will lead the party’s campaign, Mbalula presented a pool of potential candidates shortlisted from more than 500 applicants across the country’s eight metros and cities.

He said the ANC would announce its official mayoral candidates in September.

“We are very confident in the process and we are very much confident that we have upped the ante in terms of the candidates, particularly mayoral candidates,” said Mbalula.

“In the past, what used to happen is that you would have a candidate after the election, and whether that candidate is qualified or not, you would then get that person to become the mayor. Now we are fixated. A mayor must have certain qualities and must also have education as a base in terms of a mayoral candidate,” he explained.

In Mangaung Metro Municipality, eight candidates were named as potential contenders for the mayoral position, the highest number among the municipalities announced.

They include incumbent Mayor Gregory Nthatisi, Deputy Mayor Lulama Titi-Odili and former mayor Thabo Manyoni.

Mangaung Speaker Lawrence Mathae, Theodorah Mosala, Malebo Sekhopi, Vusumzi Soqaga and Motshewa Tladi were also named among the potential candidates.

In the financially strained Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality, five candidates are vying for the position. They include current Mayor Tumelo Thebe and former mayor Malekula Melato, who was removed from office through a motion of no confidence in March this year.

Ntombikayise Mofutsanyana-Mbuli, Connie Msibi and Pitso Noe were also named as potential candidates.

In Matjhabeng Municipality, embattled Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipa faces competition from party regional treasurer Dikeledi Direko, as well as Sipho Manase, Daniel Marotholi, Nyameko Mtebele, Mpolaile Radebe and Victoria Van Rooyen.

Despite the party’s earlier advisory that it will be unveiling the names of those who will represent the party in the eight metros and 44 district municipalities, National Chairperson, Gwede Mantashe told media that one of the reasons the party did not announce a single candidate for each municipality was to prevent unsuccessful contenders from defecting to other political parties.

“People must see that these are the people that were nominated by the ANC. Here they are, so that when they defect, they can see that this one was at the ANC event,” Mantashe said.

The future of Heilbron took centre stage as Ngwathe Local Municipality hosted Metsimaholo Local Municipality for a crucial consultative meeting on the proposed incorporation of Heilbron into Metsimaholo.

The engagement brought together senior municipal leadership and key officials to ensure that the proposed transition is guided by proper planning, coordination, consultation and institutional readiness.

According to COGTA’s Dr. Solly Motingoe, who is also the Ngwathe Administrator, bringing the two municipalities together is critical to ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned ahead of the proposed transition.

“Bringing together senior leadership and key officials to ensure that the proposed transition is approached through proper planning, coordination, consultation and institutional readiness in both municipalities is fundamentally important to ensure that all involved stakeholders are on the same page,” said Dr Motingoe.

Ngwathe Municipal Manager Dr Futhuli Mothamaha, together with senior managers and officials from both municipalities, participated in the engagement.

The meeting provided a platform for various workstream champions to outline their responsibilities and report on preparations aimed at ensuring a smooth transition should the incorporation proceed.

“The meeting provided a crucial platform for the various workstream champions to present their respective areas of responsibility and outline the work being undertaken to prepare for the proposed transition in a smooth manner,” said Dr Mothamaha. Key presentations focused on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), communications, human resources, the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and other critical municipal functions.

Officials stressed that the proposed transition goes beyond redrawing municipal boundaries. 

It involves the integration of systems, people, services and resources while safeguarding institutional continuity.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of placing communities at the centre of the process and ensuring that municipal services are strengthened rather than disrupted.

The engagements between Metsimaholo and Ngwathe signal a concerted effort to ensure that, should the incorporation go ahead, Heilbron’s transition is carefully planned, coordinated and responsive to the needs of residents.

The message emerging from the meeting was clear: cooperation, institutional preparedness and community-centred planning will be critical in laying the foundation for a seamless transition and stronger local government.

How well do Mangaung residents understand the voting process?

That question took centre stage on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, when the Speaker of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Dr Lawrence Mathae, officially launched the municipality’s Voter Education Roadshow at Norman Dubell Hall in Heidedal, Bloemfontein.

The roadshow will be rolled out across all seven regions of Mangaung as part of efforts to equip residents with the knowledge they need ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The launch provided an opportunity for a two-way engagement between residents and electoral officials, focusing on common challenges experienced by voters. These included understanding the different types of elections, the number of ballot papers voters receive and how to correctly mark a ballot paper.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) guided a packed hall through the voting process, explaining how it begins, proceeds and concludes, as well as the rules governing elections. Residents were also given clarity on why Mangaung falls under the “two-ballot” electoral system.

The IEC was joined by the Master of the High Court, Mangaung ward councillors, traditional leaders, Centlec, Human Settlements, the Financial Indigent Registration Office and external stakeholders, including FNB and Nedbank.

Delivering the keynote address, Mathae urged residents to recognise the power of their vote and their responsibility to hold elected representatives accountable.

“I am very grateful that we are here, all of us, to launch this event,” said Mathae. “We can decide who to vote and not to vote for. We can decide to exchange ideas because we are in different ward committees.”

He said residents had the right to demand quality service delivery from government and to replace leaders through the ballot box when they failed to meet their expectations.

“When we are registered, we have a right to criticise the government because it is us who elected them,” Mathae said.

His remarks echoed the theme of the 2026 Local Government Elections: “Your Vote. Your Voice. Your Future.”

The event also featured legendary Mangaung thespians Jerry Phele and Kgotso Nkgatho, who entertained residents with a skit encouraging citizens to turn out in large numbers to vote, just as they do when taking to the streets to protest or march.

The roadshow is expected to continue across Mangaung’s seven regions, taking voter education directly to communities ahead of the elections.

Diabetes has officially overtaken tuberculosis and HIV as South Africa’s leading underlying natural cause of death, highlighting the growing burden of non-communicable diseases on the country’s healthcare system. 

Recent mortality data from Statistics South Africa shows that diabetes mellitus accounted for approximately 27 000 deaths in 2023.

The figures point to a significant shift in South Africa’s disease burden, with chronic conditions increasingly contributing to mortality. 

Chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), Mvuyisi Mzukwa, says the development is a major concern and warns that diabetes should not simply be viewed as the result of individual lifestyle choices. 

He identified factors including increasing obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and high consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods as some of the issues contributing to the growing burden.

He also raised concerns that many people are diagnosed only after the disease has already caused serious complications.

“Chronic disease management must be strengthened at the primary health care level so that patients are diagnosed earlier and managed before they develop costly and life-threatening complications,” he said.  

Mzukwa also says more young people are facing diabetes. 

“The growing number of younger people developing metabolic conditions is another concern.

“The earlier someone develops diabetes, the longer they are exposed to the risk of serious complications,” Mzukwa said.

According to the International Diabetes Federation estimates approximately 2.3 million adults aged 20 to 79 in South Africa were living with diabetes in 2024, with the number projected to reach about 3.9 million by 2050 if current trends continue. 

For people living with diabetes, however, the condition is about far more than statistics. 

It can affect education, social relationships, mental wellbeing and everyday life.

One young South African knows this experience all too well.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in June 2020 while in Grade 10, Paballo Moffat was just 15 years old when her life changed. 

By the time she was diagnosed, she says she knew that the condition had already been present in her body for approximately six or seven months. 

During that period, she visited doctors several times, but her symptoms were initially attributed to other illnesses. 

“I had been going to the doctor a few times before, and they assumed that it was the flu or COVID, perhaps,” she recalls. 

She says her symptoms eventually became more severe and for about a month, she temporarily lost her eyesight every morning.

“When I told the doctor, that’s when they thought to test for diabetes because they would not have assumed that I’d be diabetic, and that was my first ICU experience,” she added.

At 15, she said, diabetes was simply not something people expected her to have, despite the symptoms she had been experiencing.

“Nobody would’ve ever associated me with diabetes, even though I displayed all the symptoms,” she said.

Her diagnosis also exposed her to widespread misconceptions about the condition. 

Returning to school was particularly difficult because many people did not understand the difference between the various types of diabetes. 

She said some people even believed diabetes could be transmitted through close contact.

She explained that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas stops producing insulin, meaning people living with type 1 diabetes require insulin to survive.

“There are too many misconceptions about diabetes.

“Some people were under the impression that if they surrounded themselves with me, they’d also be infected, she said.

She believes one of the most important misconceptions to address is the idea that diabetes only affects older people or is simply caused by eating too much sugar.

“This can occur to anyone and has nothing to do with age or the amount of sugar a person eats,” she said.

Learning to live differently. Following her diagnosis, she says she had to make significant changes to the way she lived.

With the support of her medical team, including dietitians, she learnt how to count carbohydrates, assess the food on her plate and calculate how much insulin she needed for each meal.

“I had to change my entire lifestyle and eating habits, from the portion size to the way I prepare my meals, she said.

Managing diabetes also became part of her education.  

During her matric year, she applied for special concessions to accommodate possible diabetes-related emergencies during examinations.

When it came time to pursue tertiary education, she chose to study online rather than attend university in person.  

She said constantly having to explain her condition and the medical devices she used became emotionally draining. By then, she had moved from regular finger-prick testing to using glucose sensors to monitor her blood sugar levels. 

She also had to disclose her condition to her institution, register with the disability support services and undergo medical clearance. 

Despite these challenges, she stresses that diabetes does not prevent her from doing the things other young people can do. 

Fighting stigma and finding community. The condition also affected her social life.

She became more antisocial and avoided romantic relationships, partly because managing diabetes and explaining her condition to others made it difficult to feel as though she could simply live like everyone else.

Online diabetes communities eventually provided a sense of belonging.

Through these communities, she connected with other people living with diabetes and began to understand that the condition did not define her identity.

“I am just a person living with diabetes,” she said.

She later completed an online diabetes advocacy course and began supporting others on the same journey. 

Today, she provides peer counselling, particularly to teenagers who have recently been diagnosed, while also assisting adults living with the condition.

Her message to newly diagnosed patients is simple that they are not alone.

A call for greater awareness. Over time, she progressed to using an insulin pump after developing insulin resistance.

Her experience has strengthened her belief that South Africa urgently needs greater diabetes awareness.

She believes the lack of public knowledge can have serious consequences, particularly when people do not understand the type of diabetes they have or how it should be managed.

Mzukwa similarly argues that prevention and management cannot be left entirely to individuals.

Government, the food industry, schools, healthcare professionals and communities all have a role to play in creating healthier environments, he said.

She called for measures to discourage excessive sugar consumption, improve food labelling, regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and make healthier food more affordable.

For individuals, he stressed the importance of early detection, particularly among people who are overweight, physically inactive, have high blood pressure or have a family history of diabetes.

Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and limiting sugary drinks and highly processed foods can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

But for people living with type 1 diabetes, awareness must go further. It must include understanding that the condition can affect children and young people, that it is not contagious, and that it requires lifelong access to insulin and appropriate medical care.

For this young woman, raising awareness is now part of her own journey.

After years of learning to manage diabetes herself, she is using her experience to help others navigate diagnosis, treatment and the stigma that can accompany the condition. 

According to Dr Elizabeth Cordier, a Family Medicine Registrar, you can have type 2 diabetes for years without experiencing noticeable symptoms, and many South Africans living with the condition may not even know they have it. 

This makes waiting until you “feel sick” before getting tested a serious risk.

“A simple blood test can help detect diabetes early, particularly if you are overweight or have other risk factors such as high blood pressure, physical inactivity or a family history of diabetes. Early detection and treatment are important in reducing the risk of serious complications associated with the disease,” she added. 

With less than 100 days to go before the much-anticipated local government elections (LGE) on 4 November, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality has launched its ward candidates, signalling its readiness for the elections.

Last Saturday, the party launched 51 candidates who will contest wards across Mangaung Metro, while 35 candidates were launched on Monday for Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP).

Mangaung Ward 23 candidate Tjaart van der Walt, whose ward includes Universitas, Brandwag and Parkweg in Bloemfontein, expressed satisfaction at having another opportunity to continue his fight for better and safer neighbourhoods.

“We want to change the systems in Mangaung that are broken so that we can fix the entire Mangaung.

“Every single neighbourhood has problems with crime, safety, unemployment and basic service delivery, such as water supply and sewerage running in the streets,” he said.

Van der Walt said the current municipal leadership was unable to address problems at ward level and urged residents to vote the DA into power, saying the party had a plan to get the municipality working again.

Selma Pretorius, who is serving her second term as Ward 44 councillor, is also contesting the ward again. The ward includes Olive Hill, Bayswater and Noordhoek, among other areas.

Pretorius said she would continue focusing on the daily challenges facing residents.

“I call them bread-and-butter issues, the issues that you feel on your skin every day – water, electricity, refuse removal, everything that affects you and me every day,” she said.

Under the theme “To Get Mangaung Working for All”, the DA has pledged to fix the city’s finances, deliver reliable water and electricity, build a clean, safe and corruption-free city, repair roads and potholes faster, and create jobs and economic opportunities.

During his keynote address, the party’s mayoral candidate, Werner Pretorius, said Mangaung was broken under the current leadership and that the DA was the only party with solutions to revive the city and restore its former glory.

“I am here to talk about the next chapter of Mangaung, the chapter of growth, the chapter of opportunity.

“The chapter of a working Mangaung for every resident.

“I am here to talk about the DA being ready to govern this city. Today I stand before you with this immense and capable team of united, strong and diverse ward candidates that will take our city to the next level and ensure our city works for everyone,” he said.

Pretorius said the DA was not there to make promises, but to make a commitment to the people of Mangaung and launch a movement that would get the city back on its feet.