MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae is expected to also provide feedback to residents on commitments made during last year’s address when she takes to the podium at the Old Grey sports grounds in Bloemfontein on Friday (20/2) at 10:00. This year’s theme is: A year of decisive action to fix local government and transform the economy.

Among the pressing issues are the deteriorating state of municipalities and their escalating debt burdens. Service delivery challenges are mounting across the province, while corruption remains an ongoing concern.

The address will focus strongly on interventions aimed at stabilising struggling municipalities and stimulating economic growth, said Free State provincial government spokesperson Matshediso Setai.

“Much emphasis will be put on articulating the Provincial Government’s interventions in stabilising our ailing municipalities as well as outlining our plans to increase support for small businesses.” 

Infrastructure development and job creation will also feature prominently. “An update on premier’s undertaking to turn Free State province into a construction site with road infrastructure investment, as well as build programmes (education and health) in our quest to increase much-needed intervention in job creation, especially for the youth, will be presented.”

“The speech will also outline the Free Provincial Government’s plans to deal with the problems of foot and mouth disease, which are adversely affecting our agricultural sector.

“Despite these encouraging indicators, premier Letsoha-Mathae remains concerned about several social ills such as alcohol and substance abuse as well as Gender Based Violence and Femicide, which continues to indiscriminately claim innocent lives of women and children in the province,” said Setai.

Letsoha-Mathae recently visited Namibia Square in Bloemfontein, where two women were murdered by a Lesotho national who is an illegal immigrant. During the visit, she urged residents to strengthen cooperation with authorities in the fight against crime.

She called on communities to work closely with law enforcement by reporting criminal activities, sharing information, and actively participating in community policing forums.

“The premier remains cautiously optimistic about the change in the province’s fortunes and will use the state of the province address to rally the executive council, as well as the people of the province, behind a common vision of a prosperous province.” 

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OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg