Note to editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Zweli Thwala.
In a recent oversight visit, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality revisited the incomplete Piggery Project at the Feloana Rural Trust in Thaba Nchu, Ward 41.
This project, initiated in 2015, was awarded to Yezane Construction with a tender amounting to R2.5 million for its completion. By 2018, however, the project remained unfinished. The then-City Manager, Sello More, assured the Feloana community that the project would be completed within the year and that a new contractor would be appointed. To date, this promise has not been fulfilled. Please see the pictures here and here.
The continued abandonment of this project is a severe blow to the local community, which has been denied the economic benefits and employment opportunities the piggery was meant to provide. The lack of progress reflects poorly on the municipality’s commitment to delivering essential services and infrastructure development. The failure to complete the project has directly contributed to the rising levels of unemployment in the area, leaving many residents, especially young people, without job prospects or a means to support their families.
Unemployment in Feloana and surrounding areas has reached critical levels, causing socio-economic hardships and a growing sense of despair. The abandoned piggery project, initially seen as a beacon of hope for local job creation and economic stimulation, now stands as a symbol of broken promises and mismanagement. The community has been left frustrated and disillusioned, with many questioning the municipality’s willingness and ability to fulfil its obligations to its citizens.
The DA will urgently follow up on this matter and ensure that residents receive a detailed update on recent developments. We demand a clear timeline from the city management for the project’s completion and will hold them accountable until this long-overdue project is finalised. Furthermore, we will push for a thorough investigation into the mismanagement of funds and the failure to deliver on promised services, which have directly impacted the livelihoods of the community. We call on the city management to prioritise this project, as its completion is essential for creating jobs, fostering local economic growth, and restoring the community’s trust in their local government.
The DA remains committed to fighting for the rights of residents in Thaba Nchu and across Mangaung. We will not rest until this project, and others like it, are completed and the benefits they were intended to bring are finally realised.