Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Coreen Malherbe and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL.
In April 2025, the Free State High Court found that the Matjhabeng municipality and Lejweleputswa District Municipality had failed to meet its constitutional and statutory obligations to provide adequate, healthy municipal sanitation at the St Helena Checkers in Brachen Street, St Helena.
The Matjhabeng municipality was ordered to cease, modify or control any act, activity or process causing the pollution occurring in the vicinity of Shoprite Checkers in St Helena. The municipality was also ordered to urgently eliminate any source of the pollution and to remedy the effects thereof, and report progress to Shoprite.
To date, no substantive action or reports have been provided by the Municipality.
The situation not only impacts negatively on the supermarket, customers, and the local community, but has also started eroding the road that parents and customers must use daily.
This has led to court orders against both Matjhabeng and Lejweleputswa Municipal Managers to appear on 9 October 2025 in court in their personal capacities.
The carelessness and incompetence that define Matjhabeng’s current leadership are unacceptable and cannot continue to go unchecked.
The DA will continue to hold the municipality accountable for services paid for by the residents and services not rendered and ignored by the municipality. Together, we will continue to work tirelessly, turning neglect into pride and despair into opportunity.