Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Paul Kotzé and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will formally report the Speaker’s unlawful conduct during the Special Council meeting of 26 February 2026 to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and demand that the decisions taken through an irregular process be reviewed. We further place on record that all other opposition parties chose to participate in the debate on the two irregular supplementary items instead of raising their dissent, thereby legitimising a flawed process at the expense of residents.
While communities across Mangaung are battling erratic water supply, deteriorating roads, refuse backlogs and growing safety concerns, the ANC-led municipality prioritised the rushed consideration of salary upper limits and a disciplinary board remuneration framework. These items were introduced less than 24 hours before the meeting, denying councillors the opportunity to properly interrogate the financial and governance implications.
This is not merely a procedural dispute. It speaks directly to priorities. When leadership focuses on internal remuneration matters under questionable circumstances, instead of stabilising service delivery and restoring accountability, it sends a clear message to residents that political interests come first, people come second. Mangaung residents deserve a municipality that concentrates on fixing collapsing infrastructure, ensuring consistent water supply, maintaining clean neighbourhoods, and creating an environment where businesses feel confident to invest and create jobs.
The DA objected on the basis that the Standing Rules and Orders require 72 hours’ notice for Special Council meetings and that any suspension of these rules requires a 60% majority, which was not achieved. Despite this, the Speaker proceeded. Such disregard for lawful governance erodes public trust and weakens oversight over municipal spending. When oversight is weakened, the risk of financial mismanagement increases, and communities ultimately carry the burden through declining services and rising frustration.
The DA refused to participate in the debate or voting on these irregular items because we will not endorse processes that undermine transparency. We will continue to hold Mangaung accountable through formal oversight mechanisms and by escalating the matter to CoGTA. More importantly, we will continue to fight for a municipality that puts residents first: restoring reliable basic services, enforcing accountability to combat corruption, strengthening governance to improve safety, and creating the conditions necessary for economic growth and job creation.
Mangaung does not need secretive manoeuvres in council; it needs leadership focused squarely on delivering for its people.