Secretary for the Foundation, Shima Mahlatsi, tells OFM News their “legal” march, which was held on Monday, was successful and well attended by residents. 

The foundation also managed to hand over their memorandum of demands to the Matjhabeng Council Speaker and the Head of the Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Mokete Duma.

Mahlatsi stresses that the protesters, who allegedly barricaded roads in Thabong township since Sunday evening, as well as participants in an “illegal” march that took place, are not affiliated with their cause or their organisation. 

The Foundation calls on Executive Mayor, Nkosinjani Speelman, to resign from his position within a period of 14 working days. 

The Foundation is of the view that Speelman is responsible for not dealing with service delivery constraints in Welkom, Allanridge, Hennenman, and Odendaalsrus, amongst others. The secretary argues that when Speelman was elected into power, he appointed Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs). These individuals are supposed to lead their respective divisions at the municipality. He stresses that when these divisions fail to function, it is a reflection of Speelman’s inability to hold the MMC’s accountable, and that is “why he must go”.

OFM News previously reported that police have thus far nabbed four people for public violence. They will appear in the Local Magistrate’s Court soon.

Despite their repeated calls for calm, the Matjhabeng Community Foundation warns that the situation will deteriorate if their demands are not met.  “If the mayor is not gone in 14 days, hell will break loose. This is what the masses are saying not only the organisers of the march. But I am guaranteeing you that tomorrow (Monday) will be peaceful,” says Mahlatsi.

Speelman is no stranger to controversy. In 2020 he was suspended by the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) Free State disciplinary committee after a video of him, making use of racial slurs when referring to the coloured community in Bronville, surfaced on social media. This was in an address to members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) who were deployed to the area to enforce Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.  The Committee slapped him with an 18-month ban from party activities. This decision was later eased by the national disciplinary appeals committee.

 OFM News