2025 SOPA: (Empty) promises part one

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – During the State of the Province Address (SOPA) on 21 February 2025, by Free State Premier Joyce “Pretenders” Mathae, a number of promises were made which to date, the promises are still outstanding.

Among the commitments announced by Mathae was the completion of the Vaal Rock Clinic in Winnie Mandela Town (formerly Brandfort).

She stated that the clinic was already under construction in February 2025.

WATCH

STEPUPSANEWS can confirm that at the time of the SOPA, not even the soil had been turned at the site.

This is how the Vaal Rock Clinic currently looks despite those promises.

Mathae further said her government would not renew the contract with Netcare in November 2025 and that the facility would instead be converted into a maternity ward.

WATCH

STEPUPSANEWS can again confirm that the arrangement has continued on a month-to-month basis and remains valid.

In the same SOPA, Mathae urged government employees not to take “unlawful instructions”, to make Public Service Regulations “their bible” and announced Prof Brian Nakedi.

WATCH

However, Mathae later appointed Nakedi’s wife to the FDC board and last month also appointed Dr Moeketsi Mosola as CEO of MAP SEZ without the position being publicly advertised.

Former Tshwane City Manager Lands R2.2 Million Job in Free State

Mathae said they resolved to cap state funerals at R650 000.

WATCH

Free State Provincial Governmebt went to spend R750 000 at the funeral of William Kotsoane.

“Premier played us dirty, we bought groceries and a sheep with our own money” – Kotsoane’s daughter questions R750 000 funeral cost

In 2022, the Public Service Commission when it was not serving interests of politicians, found Bob Tladi and his team guilty of appointing a candidate to a position they had not applied for.

MATHAE & LIES
In 2023, Mathae said Monnapule Ntamo was reemployed by Sipho Mtakati, despite the fact that Mtakati was no longer working for Community Safety, Roads and Transport when Ntamo was reappointed.

Did the MEC of Community Safety and Roads lie in Parliament?

During an interview with Lesedi FM presenter Thuso Motaung, Mathae also said Vharanani had been contracted to build houses and alleged they had been paid despite no houses being built.

At the time of that interview, Mathae knew how much Vharanani had been paid and how many houses had in fact been built, yet chose to present a different version of events.

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