This, after ANC Councillors - who hold majority seats failed to pitch for the meeting - that was set to see the election of that Mayor, Speaker and Chief Whip. The financially troubled municipality, last week had by-elections, which saw the ANC losing 10 wards to Independent Candidates who parted ways with the party following their expulsion last year. 

The group was expelled after they were found guilty for voting with opposition parties during the election of the executive mayor. They were accused of defying the party’s resolution to nominate and vote for a party-preferred candidate into the mayoral office. 

During the August 28 by-elections, the ANC has only managed to retain five of the wards and lost 10 to the group. The wards were overall, contested by 89 candidates from six political parties and 16 independent candidates.

Today’s first sitting, was expected to chart a way forward for the municipality. This cash-strapped municipality has for years made news over allegations of maladministration and rampant corruption under its former Mayor Vusi Tshabalala who now serves as a Chief Whip in the Free State Legislature.

The municipality is amongst those battling to generate revenue, provide services to its residents, nor settle its debts. It owes Eskom nearly R3 billion and its water board over R1.2 billion. It is also listed in the Auditor-General (AG) report as amongst the municipalities with high irregular, wasteful expenditures.

The municipality which is still under administration is according to the newly-appointed MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Thembeni Nxangisa amongst his top list of priorities.

During the tabling of his 2019/20 budget vote, Nxangisa, announced that the state of municipalities in the province is of great concern and that although they will not be offering financial support to municipalities with their allocated R456 million budget, they will certainly support them with skills, financial management skills, and infrastructure development.

His office is yet to respond on the recent developments in Maluti-A-Phofung and how they will be intervening as the municipality already failed to hold its first council sitting.