This web page(s) regularly focuses on the leading Free State (South Africa) newspaper – Free State News – the first regular newspaper to be orchestrated fully by black people in the Free State province. The paper has been published on a weekly basis since 1999. Regular items like “Feature of the week” have appeared here over the years.
Free State News crew
Publisher
Moses Vinger
Confidential Secretary/Manager
Maki Mohapi aka “Madam Maki” “H.C”
Receptionist
Thobeka Funani
Editor
Kaya M
News Editor
Omoseye Bolaji
Contributors
Nthabiseng Lisele
Dineo Mokgosi
Lay-out artist
Tumisang Takang
Contact number:
051 447 1655
Mbeki waxes lyrical on SA’s economic prospects
By Dineo Mokgosi
Author and political economist Moeletsi Mbeki has warned that efforts to grow South Africa’s economy could be derailed because of de-industrialization and failure by the leadership to recognize the source of South Africa’s problems.
According to Mbeki, South Africa is one of the countries that should be the jewel of Africa but compared to the most of Africa, it is the one country that is faced with a “dazzling array of problems”.
“One of the problems we have in this country is de-industrialisation. According to the CEO of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), three to four years from now, South Africa won’t have a car manufacturing industry because of the dearth of the component manufacturers who today are supplying the components that go into a South African-made car,” Mbeki said.
Mbeki related an example of a South African company that was making spark plugs which has now relocated to Hungary citing an unviable operating environment.
“The company just packed its bags and moved to Hungary, and took not just the factory equipment, but the South African workers as well. This means South African car manufacturers now have to import from Hungary.
“The industrialisation of the South African economy is a huge problem which may not be visible to the naked eye but its carrying on,” Mbeki said.
He also said one of the major crisis facing South Africa is the falling life expectancy of South Africans.
“A few years ago the average South Africa expected to live up to 55 and maybe even more than that and today our life expectancy at birth is 45 only. Now that is a big crisis,” Mbeki said.
He said the high levels of unemployment, massive violence directed towards women and children as well as an incompetent state contribute to the downfall of the South African economy.
“We have amazing criminal violence in this country. There are more people murdered in South Africa which has a population of about 50 million than there are murdered in United States (of America) which has a huge population of 350 million,” Mbeki said.
Mbeki added: “We have a massively incompetent state in South Africa. What is going on in Limpopo with the text book saga is only the tip of the iceberg”.
He said South Africa does not have the political or the economic leadership to solve the problems reason being that neither of them knows the source of the problems.
MANGAUNG 76 COMMEMORATED
Mangaung celebrated the 36th anniversary student uprising of 20 August
1976. The commemoration was held at the Pax Nova Hall at Bochabela
recently.
One of the organizers of the event, journalist and black consciousness
activist Mpikeleni Duma said the other objective of the celebration
was to pay respect to the fallen heroes of 1976; Mpho Diba and Pinkie
Ditheko to mention just but a few.
Diba and Ditheko spent 5 years each at the Robben Island Prison for
their involvement in the student uprising of 1976. The event was a
turning point for the struggle in Mangaung.
Different speakers paid tribute to these heroes and recalled events
from 1976 up to 1980 leading to the death of Papi Makotoko on 21 May
32 years ago.
Litaba Mokhosi, a former student of Lereko High School at Batho
Location recalled events leading to the burning of an office at
Sehunelo High School and the jailing of Morena Matseletsele and Modise
Phekonyane.
Another speaker, Peter Maloro and a cultural worker, said parents told
him that a class was burnt Ihobe Junior Secondary School. Maloro said
that he was at Mothusi Primary School before he enrolled at Lereko High
School. He also recalled how students at both Lereko and Sehunelo
smashed down an "apartheid wall" that divided both schools.
Principal of Nzamane and a political activist, Smanga Ntlola told the
audience that he was doing practicals at Ihobe School when a class was
burnt. He said that student consulted him together with struggle
stalwart Victor Shumane. Shumane and Ntlola were History teachers at
Ihobe School.
Celebrated poet, Magic Khotseng electrified the atmosphere when he recited
his poem Aluta Continua. Ironically the theme of the event was Aluta
Continua.
Fikile Qithi, who single-handedly challenged the apartheid government as
a student at Ihobe School 1976 said it was a great honour that such
events celebrated in Mangaung. Quoting Leon Trotsky, he said :
'People have short memory".
Playwright Thjabang Lenko spoke of his suffering in detation and
torture as a result of his involvement in student politics. He was
held for 8 months at the Grootvlie Prison after the declaration of the
state of emergency 1986.
It was proposed at the meeting that the event must be held annually. A
play titled Ihobe The Freedom Song has being composed about the 1976
events.
THE BOOKSHELF (Column)
With K A Motheane
Book: Omoseye Bolaji: A voyage around his literary work
By Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga
This new book is already making waves in literary circles. It is the latest full-length book study on prolific and versatile writer, Omoseye Bolaji
The author, Ishmael Soqaga is a well known celebrated pan Africanist, essayist, and critic. Here he utilizes his vast experience and knowledge to write this new study on Bolaji. The book shows how much the author appreciates and respects his subject.
Literary pundits are already praising Soqaga’s style, describing it as “grandiose”, “somber”, “dignified” etc. His study has already been likened to other illustrious studies written by the likes of Robert Fraser and Adele King.
It is uplifting to see the great strides the Free State continues to make in the genre of literature. The province has produced world class literary critics, and this new work shows that Ishmael Soqaga can now be included among the best.
I think his book is a must for those who care about literature, its studies, evolution, the African perspective; and of course in particular robust analyses of some of Bolaji’s books. I recommend this work to the public at large.
Earlier studies (books) on Bolaji:
Omoseye Bolaji: His writings/ his role as a catalyst. By Pule Lebuso (2001)
Omoseye Bolaji: Perspectives on his literary work. By Flaxman Qoopane (2003)
Omoseye Bolaji: Channelling one’s thoughts onto paper. By Charmaine Kolwane (2005)
Tebogo on the prowl: On the sleuth created by Omoseye Bolaji. By Petro Schonfeld (2006)
Omoseye Bolaji: On awards, authors, literature. By Pule Lechesa (2007)
The Crest: Omoseye Bolaji honoured in Nigeria. By Flaxman Qoopane (2008)
Omoseye Bolaji: Further perspectives. By Julia Mooi (2009)
OMOSEYE BOLAJI. By Hector Kunene (2010)
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