Note to editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Tumelo Rammile and Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Raynie Klaasen
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung expresses deep concern over the devastating impact of recent heavy rains in Thaba Nchu, which have washed away critical gravel roads and left communities stranded.
Residents now face unsafe conditions, with schoolchildren, workers, and emergency services struggling to access basic routes. This situation highlights the municipality’s chronic failure to maintain and equip its road infrastructure.
It is unacceptable that the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality does not have the necessary machinery to repair these roads. The absence of graders and other essential equipment reflects years of neglect, poor planning, and mismanagement. Communities are paying the price for this failure.
The DA calls on the municipality to:
- Urgently procure or lease the required machinery to restore access roads.
- Establish a disaster-response plan to ensure swift action after heavy rains.
- Prioritise infrastructure investment in rural and peri-urban areas like Thaba Nchu, which are consistently overlooked.
In addition, the DA will submit a formal Rule 38 question demanding an immediate audit of the municipality’s road maintenance capacity and budget allocations. If the municipality fails to act within 14 days, the DA will escalate the matter to provincial government structures and pursue oversight interventions to ensure accountability.
The people of Thaba Nchu deserve safe, reliable roads. The DA will continue to hold the municipality accountable and push for practical solutions that restore dignity and accessibility to all residents.