This after the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) recently terminated the activities of the Mangaung Metro Police Services. The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the Free State, Armand Cloete, says they had requested a meeting with the relevant committee in the Legislature to give Cogta and the Mangaung Metro Municipality the opportunity to explain the issues surrounding the Mangaung Metro Police. However, they received a response stating that legal processes should be followed and this is not regarded as a matter of urgency. It will be reconsidered after the elections.

Cloete says the issue of the Mangaung Metro Police is another embarrassment after the Ramkraal and Vrede Dairy Project, which cost the province millions. He expressed his frustrations, stating that answers must be provided to the residents of Mangaung.

“The problem is that so much money - millions - have been spent on this next white elephant of the Free State under the ANC. A metro police chief has been appointed and he’s been earning a big salary for years now, officials have been appointed and even vehicles were bought for the Metro Police Service, which all will be fruitless expenditure,” he adds.

READ MORE: #MangaungCopChaos: Opposition disgruntled about denied access to workplace

OFM News previously reported that employees of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality were locked out of the Bram Fischer Building by the Metro Police, allegedly due to appointment letters that were not issued before they resumed with their duties. 

Meanwhile, the DA councillor Mokgadi Kganakga had also emphasised the fact that the city is financially unable to provide for the recently launched metro police unit while service delivery is consistently plummeting.

OFM News