DELIVERING ON PROMISES

Bloemfontein: Free State Premier Sefora Ntombela on Tuesday, 2nd July 2019, announced that government has already delivered on the promises it made earlier in the year.

The Premier made these announcements when she delivered the state of the province address in Bloemfontein this week. The health sector, which to an extent, has borne the brunt of shortage of professionals, was now on benefitting end as more and more people were being appointed.

“I said in February that we will appoint 457 (four hundred and fifty seven) more doctors and 1 710 (one thousand, seven hundred and ten) more nurses. In the past three months, the provincial government appointed 101 (one hundred and one) doctors and 169 (one hundred and sixty nine) more nurses. We also appointed additional 135 (one hundred and thirty five) emergency care staff,” Premier Ntombela said to loud applause from the packed hall.

She continued: “Another 229 (two hundred and twenty nine) doctors and 303 (three hundred and three) nurses will be appointed by October. The remaining healthcare workers will be appointed by the beginning of the next financial year,” she said.

Premier Ntombela also raised concern about the rampant crime caused by illegal miners, often referred to as zama zamas particularly in Matjhabeng.

“We will stop at nothing to condemn the chaos caused by zama zamas in Matjhabeng. Illicit mining is a challenge. Closure of unused shafts have now lead the zama zamas to resort to house robberies and other illegal activities. To deal with this, a task team, lead by the South African Police Service, has been created and a plan developed. We are taking the fight to the criminals,” Premier said.

She also expressed concern at the negative outcomes from the auditor general regarding municipalities in the province, and committed that government is working around the clock to remedy the situation.

Lebona Lekoena