This comes after the Executive Council (Exco) met on 14 July 2021 on a virtual platform to assess continued work of the Provincial Government. "On behalf of the Free State Provincial Government, we wish to thank residents of our beautiful province for exercising restraint, discipline and ensuring that ours remains a peaceful province," said Ntombela.

She further stated that the right to a peaceful protest remains a constitutional right for all South Africans. Ntombela also applauded Free State residents for their continued adherence to adjusted lockdown level 4 regulations, particularly the observation of non-pharmaceutical interventions. OFM News previously reported on the visible presence of the South African Police Services (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) that are patrolling shopping centers in Bloemfontein amid looting and property damaging in other parts of the country.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi