Mashatile said, whilst addressing members of the National Assembly (NA), that the 2021 state of local government report identified the municipality as a service delivery hotspot and a dysfunctional municipality

He said the situation in these municipalities calls for an urgent intervention by all spheres of government. He says this will be in line with the practical illustration of the district development model. Mashatile told members of the National Assembly during the question and answer session that there needs to be improved service delivery at the local government level.

“The government is embarking on a number of turnaround methods, amongst this is ensuring the necessary speed in an initiative that is aimed at ensuring that all citizens have access to reliable water services and embarking on necessary water conservation measures," Mashatile added.

Last month, the mayor of the troubled Municipality, Xolani Tseletsele said they had initiated talks with the national and provincial governments over a variety of issues troubling the municipality.

Tseletsele said the talks are to help the municipality recover from its financial woes.

The financial troubles at the municipality have since made it difficult for the municipality to render services to its residents for the past few years. He said the talks are also about how they can help the municipality with its financial viability, strategies, and systems.

Tseletsele said the municipality is seated with a problem of being overstuffed whilst the salary bill is also bloated.

"Since we have been in council we have never employed any new staff member or increased our staff. What we are working on now is to at least reduce the challenges related to being over-staffed because our salary bill is too high when you compare the salary bill with the revenue collection. We are unable to raise enough revenue to pay salaries. Our management is working on those issues," Tseletsele said.

ALSO READ: Cash-strapped Free State municipality in talks with government

According to the ousted Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela, the municipality has a month-to-month salary bill of at least R12,2 million whereas they can only collect a mere R2,5 million in revenue. She mentioned that this troubled municipality owes the South African Revenue Services (SARS), Eskom, and Bloem Water over R500 million.

ALSO READ: Free State municipality's bill is R12,2m but it collects R2,5m

This is the same municipality which was hit by a disaster when the mine wall collapsed on 11 September 2022. Houses, cars, and infrastructure were destroyed by the mudslide which came from the mine dam.

The disaster also claimed the lives of two people, with one still missing. Scores were injured and over 200 people were displaced or homeless after more than 100 houses were destroyed.

However, five months after the disaster struck the small community, residents are still picking up pieces of what was left to rebuild their lives.

OFM News