The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has blamed Mafube Local Municipality’s financial woes on the legacy of a rural maintenance contract.

A comment from the department came after it emerged that workers of the Frankfort-based municipality will not be receiving salaries for December, January, and February. Mafube is experiencing serious challenges, such as non-payment for services by businesses, an outdated financial system, and problems with income from electricity sales taken over by the power distributor Rural Free State, without financial benefit to the municipality.  

Rise Mzansi spokesperson in the Free State, Mokgadi Kganaga, recently slammed Mafube’s management for failing to deal with their finances properly and accused them of being careless. Free State COGTA spokesperson, Kevin Morake, said the financial crisis at Mafube is neither a secret nor irresponsible behaviour.

Morake said the financial crisis at Mafube is a legacy bequeathed by the problematic rural maintenance contract and they have approached the High Court in Bloemfontein to seek a review and an order that sets aside the contract.

Other Free State municipalities including Masilonyana (Theunissen) and Kopanong (Trompsburg) also struggled to pay workers' salaries on time. While others have struggled to pay third-party workers’ retirement fund contributions.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg