Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum demands municipal manager’s resignation over total chaos in Bloemfontein

Soundbite: Jaco Grobbelaar (English)

Soundbite: Jaco Grobbelaar (Afrikaans)

AfriForum on Wednesday wrote to Sello More, Municipal Manager of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, demanding his immediate resignation following the ongoing mismanagement of funds and the deterioration of infrastructure in the Metro. The deterioration of service delivery in Bloemfontein has reached a critical point with new information confirming that more than R1,6 billion has been lost over five years due to water leaks, a direct result of poor management, poor maintenance and total administrative failure.

According to AfriForum, the residents of Bloemfontein deserve reliable and functional basic services, accountable and competent leadership and transparent and honest financial management.

According to Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s Head for the central region, Bloemfontein’s deterioration is not just an infrastructure problem, but a leadership crisis. “While billions of rands are wasted, residents are left without reliable refuse collection services and a municipality that cannot even afford diesel for refuse collection trucks, landfill sites that are substandard and poorly managed, roads that are covered in dangerous potholes and parks that have been neglected for months.”

Despite this, the Mangaung annual report for 2024/2025 repeatedly points to irregular, fruitless and wasted expenditure, confirming a culture of mismanagement and no accountability.

“Even more shocking is that the Municipal Manager, Mr. More, awarded himself a salary increase of approximately R700 000 per year in 2024 for so-called “outstanding performance”. This decision is a slap in the face to every taxpayer who must bear the consequences of this failure daily,” says Grobbelaar.

“AfriForum makes it clear: this situation is unacceptable; therefore, we formally demand the immediate resignation of Mr. More. His continued appointment is untenable and undermines any attempt to repair the municipality,” concludes Grobbelaar.

AfriForum also plans to train its neighbourhood team to repair water leaks, so that the organisation can intervene where the Metro does not meet its obligations.

Furthermore, AfriForum is also encouraging the Bloemfontein community to sign its petition to highlight residents’ unhappiness. Every time someone signs the petition, a request for resignation will be sent to More. A copy of the request will also be sent to Gregory Nthatisi, Executive Mayor of the Mangaung Metro, and MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, Premier of the Free State.