The Chairperson of the Black Management Forum in the Free State, Mosebetsi Dhladhla, tells OFM News, he and other members of the business fraternity are not only deeply concerned by the disruption these unrests bring to businesses still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic, but also about how emergency medical services in the city and surrounding areas are impacted by unrest. Dhladhla believes that the situation is salvageable, only if the concerns of citizens are taken seriously.

“Let’s engage on these issues as different stakeholders, so that we find solutions. I don’t think there is a need to say we must disregard the concerns of the community members. You cannot say their issues are vague,” says Dhladhla. The Free State Black Management Forum Chairperson goes on to say that these issues have existed in the metro for years and therefore need to be resolved.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Media Group (CMG), Nick Efstathiou, echoes Dhladhla’s sentiments in an open letter published in the Bloemfontein Courant this week, saying “the inaction of our council is killing livelihoods more so than the coronavirus. The ignorance shown is dreadful. I am ashamed”.

These concerns come as the group known as the Mangaung Concerned Community (MCC), this week released a statement threatening to embark on mass protest action in Bloemfontein and surrounding areas on 1 July - Botshabelo, Thaba’ Nchu, Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Soutpan - due to the provincial government’s failure in dissolving the Mangaung Metro’s embattled council. The group says they have also met with the newly convened Free State ANC’s interim provincial committee (IPC) and they in turn requested some time to discuss the matter at length. The now aggrieved MCC says the IPC has not come back to them on their demand.

“The Mangaung Municipality is still leaderless. Mangaung has no Executive Mayor and no Deputy Executive Mayor, but a Councillor illegally acting as Executive Mayor. Mangaung has no City Manager but an Acting City Manager.  We will not be negotiating with the Provincial Government anymore. We demand the immediate dissolution of this arrogant Council and appointment of the Administrator,” reads the concerned community’s angered statement.

OFM News