Speaking to OFM News about their march, the deputy president of chambers, Mphafi Mphari, said the incompetent administration at the municipality is a serious concern.

Mphari said due to the instability in the municipality  service delivery has collapsed.

"We have no council due to the suspension of councillors. For this reason, we request the intervention of the office of the president to appoint a commission of enquiry to deal specifically with Maluti-A-Phofung municipality issues," said Mphari.

He added that some people have been employed without considering the rules and regulations of the council.

Among other grievances concerned, what residents have pointed out is that the municipality should work hand in hand with the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus, in finding solutions when it comes to the issues that need research such as roads, water and other infrastructure development.

He said the non-payment of bursaries of university students overdue for more than a year, is a serious problem.

However, the president of the Maluti council of churches, Bishop Diau Seobi, mentioned that they oppose by-elections at all costs until the grievances in the memorandum have been attended to.

He said: "Funding for local chambers must be addressed urgently in order for them to serve the purpose for which they are established.

"The municipality must make church sites available".

He further mentioned that transparency at the Harrismith special economic zone and within the municipality's procurement department on tenders issued needs to be urgently attended to.

Constance Mofokeng, a resident said she's worried about the expelled councillors who were doing their jobs from the bottom of their hearts.

However, no-one from the municipality had received the memorandum of grievances from the concerned organisations.

It has been said that the administrator is not at work for some reasons.

The municipality was given fourteen working days to respond to these grievances.

OFM News