This follows the urgent intervention by the Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) this week. Cogta MEC, Thembeni Nxangisa, reveals the department has deployed one of their own, Teboho Manele, to support the municipality and get the ball rolling in getting the positions of Municipal Manager (MM), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and the Directors of Technical Support and Community Services filled urgently.

The municipality’s failure to fill these key positions within an 18-month period prompted the Metsimaholo Council to call the provincial government for assistance, a call which Cogta heeded. Nxangisa says the vacancies in the coalition-led municipality have trickled down to the departments under those positions. He cites the technical department as an example, which is currently sitting at a vacancy rate of close to 60%.

The empty positions have exacerbated service delivery as well. The MEC explains “the electricity department is a problem and they’re unable to function. Roads are bad. We were told there is only one grader here and the others are broken. People here want sites, they’re unable to get progress on the allocation of sites, except the ones that are occupying the sites illegally”, concludes Nxangisa on the matter.

It is reported Manele will be stationed at Metsimaholo for at least six months. In addition to filling the positions, he is expected to assist the municipality in ensuring that they spend within their budget.

The Auditor-General (AG), Kimi Makwetu, was highly critical of the Free State’s municipalities in his 2017/18 municipal audit report. He revealed that a “the total breakdown in controls and poor leadership response towards improving accountability, capacity, and stability in municipalities were the main causes of further regressions in the Free State”. 

Regarding Metsimaholo, Makwetu quoted a project at the municipality to construct a R25.9-million sports complex. He said 99% of the money was spent but there were no visible structures. 

Nine municipalities, including the only metro in the province, Mangaung, failed to submit their financial statements by the AG’s cut-off date for inclusion in the report.

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