The MCC was continuing its shutdown operation at the Bram Fischer Building, when the situation got out of control and ended with several arrests. Zweni confirmed to OFM News from inside the back of a police van, that he has indeed been taken into police custody, alongside other members of the MCC. He says they were barricading entrance points to the municipality, when Public Order Police got to the scene and fired rubber bullets.

Since Tuesday the MCC has been denying Mangaung employees entrance into the headquarters. They are of the view that the metro’s council – elected in late 2021 – is compromised and therefore must be dissolved. The OFM News team is at the scene, and confirms that rubber bullets were indeed fired, with the casings lying about at the Bram Fischer Building's parking lot. Refuse material has also been strewn across the premises.

Last week members of parliament and the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) lambasted the Mangaung Metro's executive mayor and senior management. 

Read more: Mangaung mayor management team in hot water

The committee said in a statement that a meeting set to discuss the status quo at the metro was postponed initially to give the mayor, Mxolisi Siyonzana, and his team time to prepare answers for some of the burning questions. But, says Committee Chair, China Dodovu, the metro's team has shown complete disregard for the work of the committee by attending the sitting unprepared. MPs did not take this lightly. They reminded the metro team that the constitution empowers the committee and the NCOP with the authority to approve the dissolution of the municipality.

Read more: MCC shutdown operation underway at Bram Fischer Building - VIDEO

This is a developing story.

OFM News/Olebogeng Motse, Kekeletso Mosebetsi, and Corn Koteli