The Freedom Front Plus' (FF Plus) Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL), Armand Cloete, criticised MEC Limakatso Mahasa's budget speech and the Mangaung Arts and Cultural Festival, named Macufe, saying it does not benefit all in the province.

The EFF's provincial chairperson, Mandisa Makesini, lambasted the department for its lack of recreation facility centres and says this impacts the fight against drug use amongst young people across the province. 

The DA MPL, James Letuka, says the departure of Bloemfontein Celtics has since left many with bitter disappointment, as people across the province drew inspiration from the team.

Meanwhile, the ANC has since voted and endorsed the budget by MEC Mahasa.

The MEC for Education, Tate Makgoe, has praised and defended MEC Mahasa. He said her department is an instrument of transformation but that she must not look forward to being congratulated and appreciated by opposition parties.

He, like the EFF MPL Makesini, lashed out at names of towns like Bloemfontein, Hertzogville and Parys. He says they have no meaning in terms of transformation.

Makgoe says Mahasa must give herself a target and rename at least ten of the towns in the province, including Bloemfontein.

Earlier, Mahasa told MPLs that her department is reliant on the National Conditional Grants, whilst departmental employees takes the bulk of the departmental budget. Mahasa said the budget allocation of departments is skewed toward the compensation of employees, more than service delivery programmes.

Mahasa has further told detractors and those opposed to the name-changing of the Brandfort town to honour the late struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, must let it sink in.  

Mahasa said  the name is going nowhere and will remain such in honour of the late struggle icon.

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