ActionSA in the Free State has once again called for Matjhabeng’s mayor to be axed.

A noble thing Mayor Thandulxolo Khalipha can do for Matjhabeng is to resign and not wait for ANC to recall him, said ActionSA Free State Chairperson Patricia Kopane. The Welkom-based municipality is under scrutiny following financial challenges which resulted in late payments for workers. It owes Eskom R5 billion and Vaal Central Water over R5 billion.

Patricia Kopane. Photo: OFM News

“What is of paramount importance is that Matjhabeng residents have lost confidence in his ability to run the municipality and his capacity to give them opportunities to grow, develop and break the cycle of poverty,” Kopane said. “He has blatantly demonstrated his incapacity.

“He inherited the municipality in a worse condition but he did nothing to reverse the damage and improve people’s lives, instead he continued in his predecessor’s footsteps.”

Khalipha has also been accused of interfering in the administration of the municipality. He has allegedly hijacked the so-called Service Delivery War Room created for ward councillors to discuss service delivery issues and to address and engage with senior officials to resolve service delivery issues, said DA Caucus Leader Dr Igor Scheurkogel. The War Room has become “a personal power display meeting”, which the mayor uses to directly meddle in the administration.

“The constant interference by the Office of the Mayor in the operations of the administration of Matjhabeng … is a cause for concern, especially with reports coming from officials within the municipality of irregularities that the Executive Mayor is pressuring officials to perform,” Scheurkogel added.

Kopane previously called on the MEC for Cooperative Governance Ketso Makume to impose a recovery plan to secure the municipality’s ability to meet its obligation, which may also lead to the dissolution of the municipality. Two service providers took the municipality to court to demand payment of over R120 million. A total of 24 vehicles worth R41 million from the municipality’s yellow fleet were also attached by Welkom’s sheriff.

The municipality has not responded to OFM News’ enquiries.

Meanwhile, one of the senior accounting officers of the Fezile Dabi District has been accused of overstepping and interfering with the functions and operations of the finance department. The municipal manager allegedly forced officials who prepared financial statements to remove the Fezile Dabi stadium in Parys from the 2021/22 Annual Financial Statements, said EFF Regional Chairperson April Motaung.

He’s accused of threatening their jobs and ordering standard accounting and reporting principles to be abandoned. Motaung further alleged that the multimillion-rand stadium was built on private land which is also a massive stumbling block.

The Fezile Dabi Municipality's Public Account Committee Chairperson, April Motaung.

“This stadium has been a white elephant in the province, yet over R100 million of public funds have been used. (Decommissioning) the stadium is illegal and is a massive indictment on people of Fezile Dabi and the Free State,” said Motaung, calling for an immediate investigation to determine how the stadium was built on private land.

Municipal spokesperson, Tebello Lengoabala-Serunye previously told OFM News the municipality does not own the stadium, and that its control of it ended in June.

The municipality previously signed a funding agreement with the provincial Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in respect of the construction of the stadium. The municipality was an implementing agent on behalf of the department.

In the western Free State, Letsemeng DA Councillor Thabo Nthapo has accused Mayor Boitumelo Mokomela of misusing municipal resources to influence voter registration. Nthapo said they would write a letter to Mokomela to seek clarification on the exclusive provision of trucks during the registration weekend after neglecting the community for months. This after the water crisis was not addressed earlier.

The ANC exploited vulnerable community members to secure votes, Nthapo said. “We will take immediate action by addressing a formal enquiry to the acting (municipal manager), demanding an explanation for the preferential allocation of resources during the registration weekend.”

Residents of Letsemeng previously raised concerns over poor service delivery, including a lack of water, power outages and sewage drainage, which also caused damage to their homes. Workers of the cash-strapped municipality demanded answers over the continued non-payment of third-party contributions to pension funds and medical aid schemes.

Despite these challenges, councillors of the Trompsburg-based municipality splashed most R200 000 on a three-day trip.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi Corné