Central SA
HRC still awaiting Free State municipalities’ service delivery reports─── ZENANDE MPAME 15:40 Mon, 17 Feb 2025
Free State municipalities are still submitting reports in response to a request by the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to prioritise infrastructure operations and maintenance within three months.
The deadline for submissions was Friday, 14 February, but responses are still coming in.
Governance and service delivery failures in the Free State were highlighted during the launch of SAHRC’s recommendations at the Bloem Spa and Conference Centre on 19 November.
The commission requested municipalities to focus on infrastructure maintenance, improve revenue collection, combat vandalism, and eradicate bucket toilets.
“We are still receiving responses from municipalities, although not all have submitted,” said SAHRC acting senior legal officer Thabo Mphore. “Some municipalities are waiting for council approval of their plans, while others have already submitted.”
The commission will conduct an audit to track outstanding submissions and continue monitoring progress, he added.
Complaints regarding poor service delivery at the local government level were sent to the SAHRC in 2016. In March last year, an inquiry was launched.
The report found that the Free State has the highest number of bucket toilets in the country. High municipal debt to Eskom and nonpayment for bulk water services have worsened Vaal Central Water’s financial crisis, pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy.
“The inquiry recommended addressing high vacancy rates, infrastructure neglect, revenue collection challenges, and ongoing sewage spills contaminating water supplies,” said SAHRC commissioner Dr Henk Boshoff.
The SAHRC hopes that by implementing its recommendations, Free State municipalities will restore constitutional rights and improve living conditions across the province.
