Central SA
Mangaung: Once City of Roses, now City of Potholes─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 10:14 Fri, 18 Apr 2025
Once affectionately known as the City of Roses, Mangaung now grapples with a growing identity crisis – one marked not by blooming flowers, but by gaping potholes, flooded streets, and deteriorating infrastructure.
The deteriorating condition of roads in the metro has become a daily struggle for both residents and motorists, exacerbated by recent heavy rains that have further crippled an already ailing system.
Promises to repair and maintain the roads have been frequent, but visible progress remains scarce. Instead, the rains have brought along stagnant traffic in waterlogged streets and an all-too-familiar frustration among communities. Blocked sewerage systems and neglected stormwater drains have added to the chaos, leaving residents vulnerable and angry.
Motorists travel on flooded roads with potholes barely visible on rainy days in Bloemfontein. Photo: Facebook
Opposition parties, including the DA, have intensified their calls for accountability and urgent action. DA Councillor Paul Kotzé has been vocal in the Mangaung Metropolitan Council, demanding a structured and accelerated intervention plan.
”The DA has submitted a motion to the Mangaung Metropolitan Council to implement a structured and urgent plan to address the city’s deteriorating infrastructure. The plan focuses on tackling water leaks, improving accountability, and strengthening the municipality’s ability to respond to growing service delivery failures,” Kotzé stated.
“Years of neglect and mismanagement have brought Mangaung’s infrastructure to breaking point.”
In the 2021/22 financial year alone, Mangaung Metro paid a staggering R3.7 million in pothole-related damage claims.
Between July 2019 and June 2022, the metro paid R5 million, with nearly 300 claims still pending finalisation. This financial burden underscores not only the physical but also the economic damage that poor infrastructure is causing.
The city’s decaying roads are not the only problem. According to Kotzé, the downpours have exposed the full extent of Mangaung’s neglected stormwater systems and maintenance backlogs. “Instead of anticipating seasonal challenges, the municipality continues to react to crises, worsening the damage and placing additional strain on already limited resources,” he added.
Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke’s recent damning report paints a grim picture of the metro’s governance. The report cites R1.3 billion in unauthorised expenditure, R227 million in irregular spending, and over R122 million in fruitless expenses, further highlighting the depth of Mangaung’s administrative woes.
Kotzé said the DA has outlined a comprehensive plan aimed at reversing the infrastructure decline:
- An emergency plan is needed to eliminate the water leak repair backlog within 24 to 48 hours.
- Restoration of all excavation sites to ensure public safety.
- Strengthening the Department of Technical Services through staffing, tools, and skills development.
- Submission of a detailed progress report within 30 days of adoption, with monthly updates thereafter.
- Establishment of a multi-party water oversight steering committee to monitor implementation.
Meanwhile, Mangaung’s MMC for Infrastructure Services, Cllr. Vusi Soqaga, told Bloemfontein Courant that the municipality is actively working on resolving the issues.
He stated that asphalt suppliers are being procured, and efforts are underway to unblock stormwater drains and grade roads in affected areas like Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu.
Soqaga said the metro is working around the clock to get the infrastructure in order.
