By Rorisang Rampheteng:
The 2026 State of the Province Address (SOPA) was held yesterday at the Old Grey Sports Grounds in Bloemfontein. The address was delivered by MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae during a sitting of the Free State Legislature. Government leaders, traditional leaders, guests and members of the public attended the event.
Mathae used the platform to explain what the government will do in 2026, why urgent action is needed, how problems will be fixed and who will make sure the work is done. She officially declared 2026 as the “Year of Decisive Action to Fix Local Government and Transform the Economy.”
Fixing Municipalities
Mathae said many municipalities are facing serious Challenges. These include poor financial management, weak leadership and failure to deliver basic services. “We cannot continue with business as usual while our communities are crying for services; the state of our municipalities is not encouraging. We must intervene where necessary to restore stability and rebuild public trust,” said Mathae.
Seven municipalities, including Nala, Matjhabeng and Mafube, have been placed under intervention to help improve governance and service delivery. Mathae said discipline and accountability will be important in fixing these problems.
Creating Jobs and Growing the Economy
Mathae said unemployment remains a big challenge. She reported that the unemployment rate dropped from 38.5% to 36.2% in 2025, but later increased slightly to 37.2%.
Through the Expanded Public Works Programme, more than 46,000 job opportunities were created, which is more than the original target. “Economic transformation is not an option; it is a necessity if we are to change the lives of our people,” said Mathae. She also said the province is tracking 29 renewable energy projects worth more than R100 billion, which will help grow the economy.
Fighting Crime and Gender-Based Violence
Mathae said murder cases decreased by 12.6%, but attempted murder increased by 20.5%. She said violent crime is still a serious concern.“We cannot celebrate when families are still losing their loved ones,” said Mathae.
She also spoke strongly against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.“Women are under attack. This scourge needs to stop. We must protect our women and children,” she said. Government plans include working with communities and improving support for victims.
Investing in Health, Education and Roads
In the health sector, nine specialists, 120 doctors and more than 2,000 community healthcare workers were appointed. The e-Impilo system is now working in 30 clinics.
In education, the Free State achieved an 89.33% matric pass rate in 2025. Bursaries increased from 200 to 300 for 2026. More than 97,000 children are now in early learning programmes.
The government has also set aside R1.4 billion for road projects and R949 million for municipal infrastructure.“History will judge us not by whether we have spoken well, but whether we have governed well,” said Mathae. – @NewsSA_Online
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