This, as Deputy President David Mabuza is on Tuesday expected to conduct an oversight visit at the municipality and to various key projects. Mabuza’s visit to the financially troubled municipality comes just a week after he confirmed before the National Assembly that the Maluti-A-Phofung is amongst the most concerning municipalities in the country with its water crisis and escalating Eskom debt. 

The municipality has also been a centre of attention in the provincial legislature with MPLs debating various budget votes including the R416 million allocated to the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department to help ailing municipalities. Opposition parties last week demanded answers, highlighting before the House that the state of this municipality and many others is not improving despite being placed under administration.

The DA's David van Vuuren and EFF's Malefane Msimanga said the Cogta department, led by MEC Thembeni Nxangisa, needs to do more with its budget to address the plight faced in Maluti-A-Phofung. The municipality currently owes the bulk of the R13.5 billion owed to Eskom by Free State municipalities.

The water crisis experienced in Qwaqwa and surrounding areas that led Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to allocate more than R200 million to address water challenges last year has also became a focal point with the opposition demanding answers.

Sisulu, Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, MEC Nxangisa and Premier Sisi Ntombela, are amongst those expected to accompany Mabuza on his visit.

OFM News