DA requests an urgent debate on state of municipalities in the Free State

Issued by Leona Kleynhans MPL – Member of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature
24 Jun 2021 in Press Statements

Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Leona Kleynhans MPL, Member of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today sent a formal request to the Speaker of the Free State Legislature, Ms Zanele Sifuba, in terms of Rule 73 of the Standard Rules and Orders of the Free State legislature, for an urgent debate on the state of Free State municipalities.

Municipalities in the province are in a dire state of dysfunction, while communities embark on ever more service delivery protests. The Auditor General paints a picture of serious problems in Free State municipalities, while more and more communities are approaching the courts for relief.

The DA believes that the elected representatives in the Legislature must debate this matter with the urgency it deserves, and try to find the reasons why our municipalities are failing, while unemployment soars and large parts of our population suffer with the lack of sustainable delivery of water, electricity and other basic services.

Member’s of the Legislature cannot be silent on this. Our people are suffering and as leaders we must find out why and propose solutions.

We trust that the Speaker will accede to our request and allow this debate to take place at the earliest opportunity.