Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, further announced at a media briefing at Bophelo House in Bloemfontein the cancellation of the Free State Madeira Flower Festival held in Parys and all June 16-related celebrations in the province. This briefing was attended by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and the MECs of Education, and Health, Tate Makgoe and Motsheng Tsiu respectively. Mkhize revealed the number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus has risen to 202, with the Free State recording seven cases.

Ntombela said the money usually allocated to those events will be redirected towards fighting the outbreak of the virus in the province.

The Macufe Festival held in Bloemfontein and organised by the C-Squared Group has in the last few years attracted much criticism, with questions being cast over the feasibility of the festival. In 2019, the DA member of the provincial legislature, David van Vuuren, went as far as describing the 22-year-old festival as a money-laundering scheme designed to benefit the politically connected. “The department has in the past years not had much of a return on investment from the contract they have signed with the company that organises this festival – C Squared – despite the millions they have to cough up in their service level agreement with the company,” said Van Vuuren previously.

OFM News