According to the Free State-based municipality, Phooko yesterday took to Wards 4, 5 and 6 in Kroonstad to allow residents from these areas to add their contributions to the municipal budgeting process for the new year. This is a requirement by law and this consultation comes a month after violent protests erupted in one of the wards that were visited by Phooko and his municipal team yesterday.

Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act dictates that municipalities consult the communities they serve when setting priorities and allocating resources for the budgets. This is normally done in August and September in the year before a budget is implemented. Earlier in April, police arrested 60 people in Kroonstad's Maokeng and Phomolong townships after a Post Office and vehicles belonging to the municipality were torched during violent protests over the unhappiness with the municipality's service delivery.

OFM News has in recent months also reported on water shortages, power cuts owing to Eskom debt, and raw sewage spillage in the municipality. Meanwhile, OFM News has sent questions to the municipal spokesperson, Dika Kheswa. He stated that he would in due course respond and this response will form part if a follow-up article.

OFM News