Bethlehem is a city in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs River along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road. It is the fastest growing city in the Free State province, with its target of being the third largest city after Bloemfontein and Welkom.
Clocolan, officially renamed Hlohlolwane, was established in 1906, is a small town in the Free State Province of South Africa. The Basotho called the place Hlohlolwane. New inhabitants mispronounced the name and called it Clocolan.
Petrus Steyn is a small farming town between Tweeling and Kroonstad, 35 km north-east of Lindley in the Free State province of South Africa. It is at the centre of an agricultural area known for wheat, maize, sunflower, potato, cattle, hunting, sheep production and forms part of the breadbasket in the Free State. It is the highest town above sea level in the Free State. Farming industries in Petrus Steyn provide potatoes worldwide.
Frankfort is a small farming town situated on the banks of the Wilge River in the Free State province of South Africa. The town was laid out in 1869 on the farm Roodepoort, and named Frankfurt by Albert van Gordon. The town later received municipality status in 1896.
Local government in South Africa consists of municipalities of various types. The largest metropolitan areas are governed by metropolitan municipalities, while the rest of the country is divided into counties called district municipalities, each of which consists of several boroughs called local municipalities. Since the boundary reform at the time of the municipal election of 3 August 2016 there are eight metropolitan municipalities, 44 district municipalities and 205 local municipalities.
The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. Ekurhuleni means "place of peace" in XiTsonga. Ekurhuleni is one of the five districts of Gauteng and one of the eight metropolitan municipalities of South Africa. The seat of Ekurhuleni is Germiston and the most spoken language is Zulu at 28.6%. The city is home to South Africa's busiest airport, OR Tambo International Airport, which is in the Kempton Park area of Ekurhuleni.
Corruption in South Africa includes the improper use of public resources for private ends, including bribery and improper favouritism. Corruption was at its highest during the period of state capture under the presidency of Jacob Zuma and has remained widespread, negatively "affecting criminal justice, service provision, economic opportunity, social cohesion and political integrity" in South Africa.
Emfuleni Municipality is a local municipality within the Sedibeng District Municipality, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It is the westernmost local municipality in the district, and covers an area of 987 km2 at the heart of the Vaal Triangle. It is located in the former industrial heartland of Gauteng which created employment and wealth for Sebokeng, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Three Rivers and Sharpeville. Its head offices are located at the corner of Klasie Havenga St and Frikkie Meyer Blvd, Vanderbijlpark. The municipality was founded in 1999.
Renosterberg Municipality is a local municipality within the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
Lekwa Municipality is a local municipality situated in the southwest of the Gert Sibande District Municipality, in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Standerton, an urban node, is the seat of the municipality. It was inaugurated on 5 December 2000 after the amalgamation of the Standerton, Sakhile and Morgenzon councils. Agriculture, forestry and fishing constitute about 30% of its economy. It is situated on open grassland plains of the Highveld region, which is traversed by the west-flowing Vaal River, for which it is named. Lekwa is the Sesotho name for the Vaal River. Lekwa's first two decades were marked by increasing maladministration, which culminated in a collapse in governance and service delivery by 2020. This had negative consequences for its residents and businesses, the environment, and utilities which were not paid for their services.
The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality which governs Bloemfontein and surrounding towns in the Free State province of South Africa. Mangaung is a Sesotho word meaning "place of cheetahs", as it was not uncommon for the Basotho to name warrior regiments after ferocious animals.
Mafube Municipality is a local municipality within the Fezile Dabi District Municipality, in the Free State province of South Africa.
Azwihangwisi Faith Muthambi is a South African politician who represents the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly of South Africa. She was formerly the Minister of Public Service and Administration and Minister of Communications under President Jacob Zuma. She returned to the National Assembly in June 2024 after serving a prior stint in her seat between 2009 and 2022.
Chris Hunsinger is a South African politician. a Member of the South African Parliament since 2014, Caucus Whip and Treasurer with the Democratic Alliance. He was appointed by the then Leader of the Opposition Mmusi Maimane on 5 June 2019 and retained by the current Leader of the Opposition John Steenhuisen in October 2019 and again in December 2020, as The Shadow Minister of Transport. Hunsinger was re-elected to Parliament on 29 May 2024 as Spokesperson for Transport and as a member in the National Portfolio Committee of Transport. He speaks and writes about issues related to consumer and commodity needs in transport, including safety, planning, finance and management with South African roads, rail, maritime, and aviation service providers. Following his re-election to parliament in 2024, he was appointed a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament. During the parliamentary plenary session on 25 July 2024, Hunsinger was elected to the Board of Trustees as Parliamentary Representative of the Political Office Bearers Pension Fund and subsequently as Chairperson of the Investments sub-committee.
Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane was the Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa in the Second Cabinet of former President Jacob Zuma serving from 2015 until 2018. A controversial figure, Zwane resigned on 25 February 2018 following allegations of state capture and in particular his role in the Vrede Dairy Project, which helped bankroll the Gupta Family wedding.
The Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD) is a South African political party led by Pappie Mokoena, former African National Congress (ANC) mayor of Mangaung.
Lehlohonolo James Letuka is a South African politician who served as a Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature for the Democratic Alliance from May 2014 until May 2024. Letuka is the father of Patricia Kopane, the party's former provincial leader in the Free State.
Eleanore Rochelle Jacquelene Spies is a South African politician who has been a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance since 2019.
Sibongiseni Dhlomo is a South African politician and medical doctor for the African National Congress. Dhlomo is the current deputy minister of health for the Republic of South Africa.
Nokwanje Selina "Mathabo" Leeto is a South African politician who was elected to the Free State Provincial Legislature in the 2014 general election. She was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation. Leeto left the provincial legislature at the 2019 general election. She was elected provincial treasurer of the African National Congress in January 2023 and returned to the Provincial Legislature in March 2023. She was then appointed as the MEC for Health. Following the 2024 general election, Leeto took over as the MEC for Social Development.
