Mangaung talks on cooperation merely a smokescreen amidst ongoing service delivery challenges

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality’s negotiations, meetings, and promises appear to be nothing more than a smokescreen while poor service delivery persists, infrastructure deteriorates, and there is no accountability for these failures.

AfriForum is once again calling on the municipal manager, Sello More, to resign from his post. According to the organisation, public confidence in the metro’s capabilities has further declined since More’s appointment.

During this meeting, various heads of the metro’s departments explained the financial and operational challenges facing their respective departments and attempted to justify the municipality’s current state. The metro also proposed holding monthly meetings between the metro and AfriForum to foster cooperation and to draft a memorandum of agreement between the parties.

AfriForum accepted the invitation in good faith and handed the proposed memorandum of agreement to the metro, as well as sending it electronically. On 20 May, AfriForum further followed up in writing regarding a subsequent meeting and the documentation the metro had undertaken to provide – including action plans, financial reports, and other management documents that could restore residents’ confidence in the metro’s ability to resolve its challenges. However, AfriForum received no feedback.

AfriForum believes that this silence confirms residents’ long-standing experiences: the metro does not listen to the people who have to bear the consequences of its failures. However, residents continue to make their voices heard regarding dilapidated infrastructure, poor service delivery, water and sewage problems, and financial mismanagement. The metro makes empty promises and holds meetings that come to nothing.

“The metro itself requested the meeting. The metro itself proposed continued cooperation. The metro itself undertook to provide documentation and feedback. AfriForum acted in good faith at every step. The fact that no feedback or response followed proves exactly why residents have lost confidence in the metro,” says Christo Groenewald, AfriForum’s district coordinator for Bloemfontein.

AfriForum regards the meeting and the subsequent process as futile, given that they yielded no tangible outcome, no concrete action, and no benefit to the community. Meanwhile, the decay of Mangaung continues, and residents are left to fend for themselves.

AfriForum remains willing to meet with the metro if such discussions lead to tangible action and improvements for the community. However, the organisation will not participate in processes aimed at appeasing critics, reassuring the public, or creating an impression of progress while service delivery continues to deteriorate.

“The time for empty talk is over. Residents need results. AfriForum will only participate in processes that bring about real change for the community.”

AfriForum will continue to independently undertake projects and service delivery initiatives for the benefit of residents while the metro does nothing. The organisation will also remain in close consultation with its legal team to consider further legal action against the Mangaung Metro in order to hold the municipality accountable for its failure to fulfill its statutory and constitutional obligations towards residents.