This pressure group held a picket last week, ahead of the election of Mxolisi Siyonzana as the Mayor of Mangaung. The forum plans to take to the streets of Bloemfontein on Tuesday to lament poor service delivery, soaring electricity rates and lack of business opportunities for local entrepreneurs in the Free State capital city, as well as in Botshabelo, Thaba’ Nchu, Dewetsdorp, Soutpan, Wepener etc. 

The picket comes after the Mangaung Concerned Community (MCC) distanced themselves from the protest against Siyonzana’s election, like the one arranged by said forum, telling OFM News that they are an apolitical organisation whose only demand is that council be dissolved due to it being compromised. MCC was behind the Mangaung Shutdown. The MCC said that they do not “meddle” in political matters.

Tuesday’s planned picket comes as complaints of Centlec’s electricity tariffs have been on the rise. In one instance, the rates were compared to those of the Mossel Bay Local Municipality in the Western Cape and Mahikeng Local Municipality in the North West, amongst others. It showed that R1000 will get you 504 units in Mossel Bay as compared to between 297 and 388 units in Mangaung Metro, whereas R500 will get 356 units in Mahikeng and 198,2 units if you’re in Bloemfontein.

READ: Centlecs' justification of electricity tariffs not received well

Centlec spokesperson, Lele Mamatu, has criticised these comparisons, saying as per the Municipal Systems Act, Mangaung is a Category A municipality, whereas the other two are not, therefore tariffs are higher in the metro.

Furthermore, Centlec stresses the 14,59% hike in the price of electricity has been green-lit by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and is therefore above board.

OFM News