Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Roy Jankielsohn MPL and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL
The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the President’s upcoming visit to the Free State. While any attention to the province may appear welcome on the surface, the reality is that this visit risks being yet another optics exercise rather than a meaningful intervention in residents’ lives.
We call on the President to move beyond symbolic engagements and ensure that concrete steps are taken to restore governance, rebuild infrastructure, and deliver essential services to the people of the Free State.
Across the province, roads have deteriorated to unacceptable levels, posing risks to both motorists and economic activity. Critical infrastructure continues to decay, with little to no accountability for failed maintenance and incomplete projects. Municipalities remain dysfunctional, plagued by poor governance, financial mismanagement, and an inability to deliver even the most basic services.
Water shortages and unreliable supply have become the norm in many communities, while sewerage systems are collapsing, leading to raw sewage spilling into streets, rivers, and residential areas. These conditions are not only undignified but pose serious public health risks.
These failures are not incidental. They are the direct result of years of neglect and mismanagement under the ANC as the governing party. Despite repeated promises and interventions, conditions on the ground continue to worsen, and communities are left to bear the consequences.
The DA believes that what the Free State needs is not another visit, but a clear plan backed by accountability, competent governance, and measurable outcomes. Without this, such visits serve little purpose beyond political posturing.
The people of the Free State do not require ceremonial visits or high-level walkabouts and empty promises; they require urgent, decisive action to address the deepening crises they face daily.
The residents of this province deserve more than promises, they deserve a government that works.