The Mangaung Metro Municipality's council's controversial budget of 2022/23 financial year was finally adopted after its third attempt.

ALSO READ: Troubled metro finally adopt controversial budget

This after OFM News reported that at least 54 of the 100 council members had voted for the tabled budget on Wednesday. 

UFS political analyst, Dr Sethulego Matebesi, said the budget had to be adopted this time around (before July) because failure to do so would have led to a by-election.

"We know that perhaps it's the African National Congress (ANC) that supported the budget and to a certain extent the Democratic Alliance (DA), although obviously there might have been concerns about other budget issues. But I think this is progress although one have to ask why is the budget always an issue because it has to do with service delivery and not with what our councillors can get out of the budget. That is a huge concern because you never know why they are always bickering around the passing or adoption of the budget," he adds.

OFM News also reported on allegations that some ANC councillors, who constitute the majority of the council with 51 members, did not vote for the budget previously as it has failed on two occasions. However, they seemingly voted for the budget on Wednesday, following the presence of the ANC’s Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) members, including Paseka Nompondo, who was amongst those in attendance. 

The ANC’s infighting has been blamed by opposition parties in council for derailing the work of council. 

OFM News