Free State police spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng says on the morning of 28 October 2022 at about 08:00, residents of Meloding in Virginia started to gather in an open space next to Meloding taxi rank to prepare for a planned march.

He says the march is about service delivery issues that residents are faced with. He adds that at 09:00 an estimated number of 200 residents started to march towards Municipal offices in Virginia Central Business District (CBD), to hand over their memorandum of demands.

According to Thakeng, no roads were closed and schools weren't disrupted. He adds that no incident has been reported thus far and Public Order Police (POP), Melonding SAPS and the District Task Team Members are currently monitoring the march.

ALSO READ: F4SD approaches HRC over service delivery in Matjhabeng

Matjhabeng has recently been under scrutiny over issues of rendering services to its people.

Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) recently took a decision to approach the South African Human Rights Commission to intervene in the municipality which they claim has failed to clear sewage spillages that have subjected residents to horrible smells and other hazards.

Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s communication officer, Thokozile Nkuna, confirmed that the municipality is buckling under the pressure of collapsed sewerage lines as a result of rubble being thrown into manholes.

ALSO READ: Sewage spillage a thorn in Matjhabeng’s side 

"Upon embarking on a road show earlier this year to assess the municipality's infrastructure, which includes sewerage plants and pump stations, it was found that out of 11 treatment plants, only three are working, and of the 56 pump stations in the municipality, only four are working.

"The council declared Matjhabeng a disaster in that regard and sought assistance from the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. The national ministry then committed R524 million while the provincial government pledged R68 million to address the sewerage challenge," adds Nkuna.

ALSO READ: Free State mayor scrutinised over service delivery issues

Democratic Alliance's (DA) Matjhabeng caucus leader, Igor Scheurkogel, previously disputed the statement - "the president has seen and witnessed the good work that is being done by the executive mayor" - made by the executive mayor, Thanduxolo Khalipha.

ALSO READ: Investigations into Matjhabeng sewer death continue

Scheurkogel had alleged that lack of equipment and maintenance led to the collapse of infrastructure in Matjhabeng.

This, as the body of an elderly woman was recovered from a manhole when municipal workers were inspecting manholes at the time of the incident.

OFM News