The FF Plus council member in the metro, which includes Bloemfontein, Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, tells OFM News that her party supported the motion because of the state of the metro. The ANC once again used its majority to outvote opposition parties, which include the DA, EFF and FF Plus. A total of 34 council members voting for the motion, 54 against while 2 abstained. Snyman-Van Deventer says as the political leader of the Metro, Olly Mlamleli, who has now survived two motions against her since being appointed as the mayor in 2016, must take responsibility for the mess the metro finds itself in.

“We need strict control over fiscal spending; debts must be collected and creditors mist be paid within 30 days. The Metro is bankrupt and is not able to deliver services and the National Treasury had to intervene,” she adds. She says the ANC-led council and the Mayoral Committee (MC) must understand that they are responsible for the Metro’s problems. “The intervention plan must be implemented and the task team must fulfil their duties.

Service delivery must be the priority. In 2021, the citizens of Mangaung must show the ANC that no services mean no votes,” Snyman-Van Deventer added.

DA councillor, Mokgadi Kganakga, who tabled the motion against Mlamleli, says the voting was not democratic and further accused the mayor of threatening council members.

The council speaker, Mxolisi Siyonzama, said the council sitting at the Bram Fischer Building in the Free State, was an ordinary sitting. Council members voted by a showing of hands after Siyonzana ruled against secret ballot voting.

The DA’s Kganakga previously told OFM News that “it is alarming that the Metro was downgraded for a second time by credit ratings agency Moody’s within a year.

She said it has also been placed under administration by the provincial executive in accordance with section 139(5)(a) and (c) of the Constitution. The metro is the first in South Africa to be put under administration and the first ever to adopt an unfunded budget.

“Crises during her term include the burning down of the historical Bloemfontein City Hall, the non-payment of Bloem Water and Eskom and sewerage and refuse removal services to residents of Mangaung that have grounded to a halt numerous times.

“Currently, the metro owes Bloem Water R780 million and Eskom R300 million. The total debt for the Mangaung Metro is R6.5 billion,” Kganakga added.

OFM News