In an interview with OFM News, a Botshabelo local resident, Tsietsi Masithela, says the fact of the matter is that the municipality is not willing to co-operate at all with any organisations. 

Masithela says they are trying to send a message to the municipality whereby they want to get together with the municipality and find ways to assist the community and people. He adds that the municipality needs to listen to the concerns of the people on the ground and to place the entire municipality under administration to avoid a conflict of power.

“What we are trying to say is that we’ll write to the municipality, saying municipality can you please help us with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in order to help these people. They would never even respond to us. I understand the frustration of the people, I understand why people are so angry. 

"Some families are living in situations whereby sewage is spilling into their yards and they need to use bricks [as stepping stones] in order to get into their homes. The municipality is doing absolutely nothing, that’s the whole thing,” Masithela says.

OFM News previously reported that the South African Police Service deployed additional personnel from other towns, cities, and provinces to assist with monitoring unrest in the Mangaung Metro, which includes Bloemfontein, Thaba’ Nchu, Dewetsdorp, Soutpan, Botshabelo, and Wepener. 

Residents in Bloemfontein have been complaining about the lack of service delivery and corruption, amongst others. The Mangaung Shutdown protests have completely shut down large areas of Bloemfontein with businesses and schools forced to close their doors.

OFM News/Blaine Jones