Months of uncertainty surrounding the controversial Bodulo Mothong housing project could come to an end today when the Free State High Court delivers judgment in a closely watched legal battle that could determine the future of hundreds of vulnerable families awaiting relocation to safer living cond...
The Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Doctor Michael Masiapato will, on Monday, monitor the processing of travelers and curbing of criminal activities at the Beitbridge Border Post in Musina, Limpopo.
Authorities are anticipating an increase in traffic volumes as holidaymakers make their way back into the country following the Easter holidays.
The Beitbridge border Post has been in the news after a bus carrying undocumented foreign nationals, including children, was intercepted near Bloemfontein in the Free State. BMA has confirmed that the bus was processed at the Beitbridge border post but says was carrying documented foreign nationals.
BMA says it is not clear where the undocumented foreign nationals boarded the bus.
BMA also says it’s prepared to to deal with high influx of travellers.
Meanwhile, police have arrested more than 1000 suspects in various parts of Limpopo during ‘Operation Shanela’. About 500 of the suspects are undocumented foreign nationals.
The arrests were made in the week leading into the long Easter weekend.
Officers also recovered suspected stolen items. The suspects will appear in various courts soon.
“The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended members for their unwavering commitment and the strengthened collaboration with stakeholders, including other law enforcement agencies. These results demonstrate our collective resolve to ensure safer communities during the Easter period, when there is increased movement of people across the province,” says Provincial Police Spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, Joe McGluwa, has voiced strong disappointment and concern regarding the last-minute postponement of the 2026 Autumn Athletics National School Sport Championships. This event was due to take place from 8–12 April at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. Still, the sudden decision has been described as a significant failure in both planning and accountability by the department.
“This postponement is unacceptable,” McGluwa stated.
“It reflects a failure of basic planning and due diligence. The stadium's unavailability was foreseeable and avoidable, yet provinces were instructed to proceed with procurement and logistical arrangements.
As a result, provinces have already incurred substantial costs for accommodation, transport, and contractual obligations; costs that now translate into financial losses and reputational damage.”
McGluwa’s remarks highlighted the broader implications of this decision, “This breach of trust is deeply concerning. Communities, learners, and educators have planned in good faith. For many young athletes, this event is the highlight of their sporting year, only to be let down by poor planning.”
The Chairperson further emphasised that his committee had made it explicitly clear to Athletics South Africa during their recent appearance before the committee that sport is not merely a luxury; it is a critical component of youth development and social cohesion.
“Sport is a constitutional commitment to youth development, equity, and social cohesion, and a means of living if one reaches the top echelons of professionalism. When planning collapses at this scale, it undermines the very purpose of national championships,” he said.
In light of these failures, the committee has demanded full accountability from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
“We require a clear explanation of how this lapse occurred, immediate clarity on revised dates and venue, and a concrete plan to compensate provinces for the financial strain already incurred,” McGluwa stated.
Beyond logistical issues, McGluwa stressed the importance of respect towards all stakeholders involved in school sports, stating, “This is about respect – respect for our youth, our educators, and the communities that carry the weight of school sports in our country.”
He further urged both the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of Basic Education to manage national school sport with diligence and foresight, calling for professionalism, coordination, and respect for all involved provinces and stakeholders.
As a final note from the committee, McGluwa extended his best wishes to all athletes, including those from private clubs competing in various sporting codes over the Easter Weekend, and he urged everyone to remain safe on the roads during this busy period.
The arrest of Sergeant Fannie Hezekiel Nkosi, who is embroiled in the controversial Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, has ignited fierce debate over the South African Police Service's (SAPS) commitment to transparency and accountability. Nkosi’s detention comes amid allegations of serious misconduct, further compounded by the police's refusal to confirm his identity following a recent raid on his Pretoria home.
On Thursday, an operative team from the police's Special Investigations Task Team — a unit announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in January to probe criminal cases linked to the inquiry — raided Nkosi's residence. The search resulted in the seizure of a substantial cache of illicit items, including numerous firearms, unlicensed ammunition, a hand grenade, and various police case dockets.
Despite indications that Nkosi was the focus of the operation, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe refrained from confirming this, leading to accusations of secrecy.
Anti-corruption advocate Yusuf Abramjee publicly condemned the police's lack of transparency, questioning why details of Nkosi’s arrest were being withheld when similar cases are frequently publicised.
“It is troubling that the police routinely announce arrests that reflect positively on them, yet when one of their own is implicated, silence prevails,” Abramjee lamented. “This inconsistency raises severe doubts about their commitment to fighting crime and maintaining public trust.”
Nkosi, attached to the Gauteng Organised Crime Unit, was already suspended due to prior allegations that he acted as an intermediary between suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and alleged figures linked to crime cartels. With the recent discovery of official case dockets during the raid, questions surrounding internal controls within SAPS are now more pressing than ever.
As the police confirmed the execution of a search and seizure operation, Mathe acknowledged ongoing investigations but declined to disclose the name of the officer involved, simply indicating that further information would become available after Nkosi's court appearance. This has not quelled public speculation, as social media is rife with discussions asserting the officer's identity as Nkosi.
The Madlanga Commission, a judicial inquiry separate from the task team responsible for Nkosi's arrest, has highlighted numerous officers, including Nkosi, for potential criminal investigation. While Abramjee urges transparency, he stresses that withholding details not only compromises public confidence but could also hint at deeper issues within SAPS.
A fierce power clash in embattled Matlosana Local Municipality has laid bare a municipality in turmoil, with leadership divisions now spilling into open conflict for control in the crumbling corridors of the Klerksdorp Town Hall.
The crisis centres on Municipal Manager Lesego Seametsa, who has refused to reinstate dismissed Chief Financial Officer Mercy Phetla, arguing that doing so would violate the law — a stance that has plunged the matter into the courts.
Seametsa’s stance has ignited a governance crisis stretching from council chambers to the courts, exposing deep fractures in a municipality already buckling under service delivery failures and financial strain.
The conflict traces back to a disciplinary process against Phetla, conducted under the Local Government Disciplinary Regulations for Senior Managers.
After hearings in December 2025, she was found guilty on multiple counts of misconduct and dismissed.
In a sharply divided vote, councillors rejected the findings and pushed through a resolution to reinstate Phetla — a move that blurred the line between oversight and interference, and one Seametsa refused to accept.
According to Seametsa, the dismissal has already been implemented, warning that reversing it would violate the law and potentially expose the municipality to further legal risk.
“Invoking the Municipal Systems Act and any attempt to pressure officials to act outside the law may amount to an offence,” she said.
In a February 24 special sitting, councillors moved to place Seametsa on precautionary suspension, citing “serious misconduct” and “non-performance.”
Seametsa has since confirmed receiving the notice and responding formally. An acting municipal manager has already been lined up.
A civic organisation, Nova Matlosana in Action, has rushed to the High Court in Mahikeng, challenging council’s decision to reinstate Phetla.
Hailing from Bloemfontein, the City of Roses, Palesa “Lisa S” Sentso is stepping into her own spotlight — and bringing a sound that refuses to be boxed in. First known as part of the duo Harmonic Squared, which made waves on the Bloem music scene in 2018, Lisa S has since evolved into a solo artist with a deeply personal and distinctive voice shaped by her life journey. “My music is inspired by life experiences — the good and the bad. I actively practice mindfulness, and I try to reflect that in my music,” she shared. Her growth has been fuelled by sharing stages with established names in the industry, along with appearances on Metro FM’s Heatwave and vari ous television platforms — experiences that have sharpened both her confidence and artistry. Now, Lisa S is carving out a lane of her own. Blending afrobeats, bossa nova, jazz, and R&B, her sound is a rich, genre-fluid expression of creativity and re silience — something refreshingly different from anything Bloemfontein has produced before. But beyond the stage persona lies a grounded and driven individual. “Lisa is just a normal girl,” she says, embracing her identity as an independent, educated woman. She holds an honours degree in Psychology and is also a qualified life coach — a balance that feeds directly into the depth and authenticity of her mu sic. In December 2025, she released her six-track EP, Gratitude, a project that captures her evolving sound and introspective storytelling. It’s a body of work that invites listeners to connect — and pre pare, so they don’t get lost in the lyrics when she performs live. And that moment is coming. Lisa S is set to take the stage for her first solo show on 24 April 2026 — a defining milestone for an artist on the rise. In a world dominated by algorithm-driven play lists, Lisa S offers something rare: a voice that demands to be experienced live.
A total of R22.5 million has been committed to support small businesses across the Free State — a figure that signals intent, but also raises a critical question: is it enough to change the economic reality on the ground? At a media briefing, MEC for Finance, Economic De velopment and Tourism Ketso Makume positioned the funding as a strategic intervention to unlock township economies, stimulate growth, and create jobs. The money will be channelled into Micro, Small and Me dium Enterprises (MSMEs), with support ranging from equipment and stock to business expansion and infra structure upgrades. The funding spans multiple sectors — including man ufacturing, agro-processing, construction, hospitality, and informal trade — targeting businesses at different stages of development. Informal traders and spaza shop owners will receive support of up to R100,000, while small enterprises can access up to R250,000. Medium enterprises, meanwhile, are eligible for larg er, expansion-focused funding through co-financing mechanisms. But while R22.5 million appears substantial, the scale of demand tells another story. With 2,034 appli cations received, the funding must stretch across a vast pool of entrepreneurs — many of whom are struggling to stay afloat in a tough economic climate. The bulk of the funding has been directed toward key economic hubs, with Mangaung Metro receiving R13 million, followed by Thabo Mofutsanyana at R6 million. Smaller districts like Xhariep received just over R1 million — a distribution that reflects population and economic activity, but also underscores uneven access to opportunity. Government maintains the funding is more than just f inancial relief — it forms part of a broader ecosys tem aimed at building capacity, boosting productivity, and integrating township enterprises into mainstream value chains. Yet experts warn that without strong oversight, mentorship, and sustained support, even well-funded programmes risk falling short. For many entrepreneurs, the stakes are high. This R22.5 million must now carry the weight of sustaining hundreds of businesses, creating jobs, and driving local economic growth — all at once. Ultimately, success will not be measured by the size of the allocation, but by its impact: thriving enterpris es, meaningful employment, and a more inclusive pro vincial economy. Because in the Free State’s fragile economic land scape, the real test is not how much has been spent — but whether this R22.5 million can truly move the needle.
