Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Tjaart van der Walt and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng. See attached pictures here, here, here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung challenges Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi to step up or step out, as the metro is drowning in waste.
Refuse removal remains days and weeks behind schedule in some areas. Illegal dumping is spreading, rubbish is rotting in the streets and yards, and some residents burn waste in desperation, exposing children, pensioners, and the most vulnerable to disease and toxic smoke.
Every resident has the right to a clean and safe environment. The Constitution requires an accountable local government, while the National Domestic Waste Collection Standards mandate that non-recyclable waste be collected on a weekly basis on the scheduled day.
Yet the ANC Mayor has remained silent amidst uncertainty caused by the recent SAMWU court order halting the shift system.
The DA calls on the Mayor to:
- Step up communication – brief the Council and residents on the true extent of the backlogs and present credible recovery plans.
- Step up accountability – enforce a “no work, no pay” policy and implement consequence management for workers and managers who sabotage services or are clearly on a slow strike.
- Step up cooperation – work with communities to develop contingency plans for managing waste during crises.
If the Mayor cannot step up, he must step out and make way for leadership that will.
In DA-run municipalities, mayors do not hide during crises. They face residents, communicate recovery plans openly, and partner with communities and recyclers to keep streets clean. That is the leadership Mangaung deserves.
If the Mayor continues to hide, the DA will hold him accountable in Council and pursue every available oversight mechanism until residents receive the services they pay for.
Mangaung residents deserve dignity, not decay. Where the ANC fails, the DA will continue to fight for clean, safe neighbourhoods and an accountable government.