Its Free State chairperson, Patricia Kopane, said 17 municipalities in the province have forfeited R171 million of the allocated conditional grants for the 2022/23 financial year.

She said the millions forfeited will lead to poorer service delivery in the province which has been plagued by years of decaying infrastructure and a breakdown of services.

ALSO READ: Cash-strapped Mangaung forfeited over R400m

Kopane said an estimated number of 26 towns in the Free State are without water or have inconsistent water supply due to dilapidated infrastructure. For these municipalities to forfeit the grants is an indictment of the provincial government.

"This is tragic but expected due to the shortage of skills both in terms of capacity and competency, the high vacancy rate – especially on critical skills – and add their poor revenue-raising capacity in this mess then you have a submerging province incapable of utilising readily available funds aimed at keeping it afloat. The Free State’s calamities are man-made by their cadre deployment".

'Strengthen municipal finances and investment'

Kopane has called on the provincial government to strengthen municipal finances and investment, with merit-based appointments and good municipal governance as a prerequisite.

"Poignant to note is that continued levels of low capital spending affect the ability of municipalities to expand access to water, sanitation, electricity and housing. Better municipal service delivery is vital for Free State to broaden economic participation," Kopane added.

According to Kopane, the following grants were forfeited:

• Water Service Infrastructure Grant (WSIG)

• Informal Settlement Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUP)

• Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)

• Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG)

• Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP)

Kopane further added the troubled Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, which is currently under the national government intervention for failure to deliver basic services, tops the list by forfeiting R76 million of an informal settlement partnership Upgrade Grant and R1 million Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant.

Mangaung is followed by various municipalities who have collectively forfeited R67 million of Municipal Infrastructure grants, including R26.5 million earmarked for Water Servicing Infrastructure.

In 2022, OFM News reported that the troubled metro forfeited over R400 million of the national conditional grant meant for much-needed service delivery.

ALSO READ: Cash-strapped Mangaung forfeited over R400m

On Monday 3 April 2023 the Acting Public Protector (APP) is scrutinising over 100 cases or complaints across the Free State.

ALSO READ: Acting PP investigates over 100 complaints in Free State – VIDEO

Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka said her office is conducting 123 investigations across different Free State institutions, including provincial departments, municipalities, and entities.

OFM News