The acting MM, Sello More, told scores of irate residents that the metro will prioritise service delivery in the townships and towns across the metro. He says the issues of concern include waste removal and sewer spillages across the metro, which has been a thorn in the eye for quite a few years now. 

More says the metro will also zoom in on issues of potholes across the metro. He has promised to respond to the demands of residents aligned to the Mangaung Service Forum, within seven working days.

Leaders of the Forum, including Potso Motoko, accused the metro of failing to ensure that adequate service delivery took place across towns in the metro. He says to date many residents of the metro are still subjected to inhumane living conditions with the use of pit toilets. Motoko and other leaders, who took turns to address officials who flanked More, on Tuesday spoke on issues besieging their respective towns and further accused the metro of allowing nepotism, fraud and corruption to thrive. They want the metro to review the employment of people, they say, who do not come from Bloemfontein and the Free State.

Yet again, the former premier and current suspended ANC Secretary-General (SG), Ace Magashule, became the topic of the address. Motoko and other leaders took turns to criticise Magashule's previous regime and attributed many of the issues to him and those aligned to him, such as the newly elected Mangaung Mayor, Mxolisi Siyonzana.

Scores of residents from towns as far as Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo, and Soutpan marched to the offices of the department on Tuesday. Following the march from the Department of Small Business and Economic Development( Destea), the residents headed to the troubled Mangaung Metro where they were met by police officials and security guards, before they could hand over their memorandum to the metro's leadership.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane andKekeletso Mosebetsi