The sitting, which is currently taking place at OR Tambo House in Bloemfontein, has been attended by the Free State Finance MEC, Gadija Brown; MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Mxolisi Dukwana; Mangaung Metro’s embattled mayor, Mxolisi Siyonzana; members of the council; as well as other key political figures in the province. Brown was the first to address the sitting, bringing attendees and the NCOP select committee’s chair, China Dodovu, up to speed on the metro’s performance since being placed under administration in December 2019.

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Whilst most of the submissions delivered thus far indicate that the Mangaung Metro is in a state of turmoil from a governance perspective, the African National Congress (ANC) maintains that things are not necessarily falling apart. The convener of the ANC in Mangaung, Lawrence Mathae, says the varied avenues of intervention at local government level have been implemented and whilst they have not yielded significant results, dissolving the municipality should not be entertained by the NCOP's committee. 

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The submissions delivered thus far stamp the assertion that the Mangaung Metro is in a state of governance paralysis presently. Mathae partly blames this paralysis on the speaker of the metro, Stefani Lockman, who he says has been working in partnership with opposition parties and consistently stalled the appointment of a municipal manager.

OFM News/Olebogeng Motse and Cathy Dlodlo