During an ordinary council meeting, the Acting Municipal Manager, Tebogo Motlashuping, tabled his report on the state of affairs in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. The report states the problems plaguing Bloemfontein residents, with no substantial solutions or what turnaround the administration team has accomplished during their four-month tenure.
The only mention of Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu, Van Stadensrus, Wepener, Dewetsdorp and Soutpan is the creation of animal and vehicle pounds, the deployment of traffic and law enforcement vehicles and the number of cemeteries. Most of the report focused on plans to address Bloemfontein’s difficulties.
No plans are in place to address the issues of the Rural Towns pertaining to water shortages, sewerage reticulation, non-operational landfill sites, refuse removal, roads or securing state-owned communal land.
These issues include:
- A pipe leaking in De Beer Street, Wepener for more than 6 months;
- Van Stadensrus residents have been without water for more than 5 months, due to a borehole pump that must be replaced;
- Siesta Old Age Home in Soutpan has had overflowing sewerage for months. Causing a health and safety risk for the residents; and
- An overflowing pipe in Steyn Street, Wepener next to a church organisation feeding 70+ children and the elderly.
The DA will not allow the rural towns in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to be forgotten. We will continue placing pressure on the municipality through all available communication channels, relevant municipal management structures and mayoral committee members.