Municipal Manager Sello More made this announcement during the city’s Infrastructure Indaba, a two-day event in Bloemfontein City Hall to attract investment and address the metro’s deteriorating infrastructure.

The indaba, which began on Thursday (13/2), was attended by Mayor Gregory Nthatisi, metro councillors, members of the mayoral committee, and Free State MECs Dibolelo Mance (Public Works), Saki Mokwena (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs), and Koketso Makume (Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs). Prominent business figures, including Freddie Kenney and Ben Moseme, were also present.

More acknowledged the immense strain on Mangaung’s ability to deliver basic services, making the city less attractive to investors. He said approximately 79,000 households still lack access to water and sanitation services, while outdated infrastructure has led to frequent water outages and widespread service delivery failures.

“The ongoing water cuts are due to ageing, dilapidated infrastructure that has been neglected for years. Water treatment plants are either nonfunctional or overwhelmed, worsening the crisis.

He urged residents to pay for municipal services, stressing that revenue is critical for rebuilding essential infrastructure.

Nthatisi echoed More’s concerns, emphasising the urgent need to attract investment to revitalise the metro’s infrastructure and make Mangaung a more appealing business destination.

“Many residents still rely on pit latrines and the bucket system for sanitation, highlighting the severity of our challenges. We cannot depend solely on municipal funding to resolve these issues. We need partnerships and innovative solutions to unlock new resources,” Nthatisi said.

The auditor-general’s latest report paints a bleak picture of Mangaung Metro’s financial state, revealing R1.3 billion in unauthorised expenditure, R227 million in irregular expenditure, and R122.5 million in fruitless expenditure. Critics argue the metro’s failure to prioritise infrastructure investment has exacerbated its service delivery crisis.

The Infrastructure Indaba sought to leverage the expertise of business leaders and stakeholders to find sustainable solutions for the metro’s challenges. While the road ahead remains uncertain, More expressed hope that collaboration between the government, private sector, and residents will ultimately help resolve Mangaung’s pressing issues.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg