On two previous occasions this month, the council failed to meet the quorum after opposition party members boycotted the sitting. 

ALSO READ: Troubled Mangaung council fails to convene

During today's sitting parties are set to vote for a permanent executive mayor, deputy mayor, and council whip. Drama is also expected during this council sitting where a motion of no confidence against a DA speaker Maryke Davies is set to be deliberated.  

ANC councillors want to vote for acting executive mayor Gregory Nthatisi as the new executive mayor, Mangaung ANC regional Chairperson Lawrence Mathae as the speaker, and Vumile Nikelo as council whip. 

ALSO READ: ANC's Nthatisi elected as acting mayor of Mangaung

The council has been plunged into constant disruption with the ANC infighting taking over the politics of the council. In March this year, the ANC fired eight members for allegedly voting with opposition parties to elect a DA speaker. 

ALSO READ – Breaking News: ANC expels eight Mangaung councillors - VIDEO

Whilst the ANC infighting continued unabated later on in April, ANC councillors voted with opposition parties again to vote in an opposition party leader Papi Mokoena as the Executive Mayor but his victory was shortlived after the High Court Judge Sharon Chisiwe gave an order which interdicted Mokoena from executing his duties.

ALSO READ: Free State High Court confirms order interdicting Mangaung Mayor

However, it remains to be seen if the ANC, with 51 members and the support of three more parties, will sing the same tune and carry out the mandate of the ruling party.  

On 19 July 2023, the ANC retained all wards in Mangaung during by-elections contested in wards 50, 49, 29, and 7. 

In June 2023, the Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke said in her latest report that the metro is among several struggling municipalities in the country that are said to be in a dire financial position.

It remains to be seen if the ANC, members will sing the same tune and carry out the mandate of the ruling party.  

Maluleke said the financial position of 70 (29%) of the 241 municipalities, where the AG completed audits, was so dire that they had to disclose significant doubt about their ability to fully operate in the future.

Maluleke said these metros included the City of Tshwane and Mangaung in Gauteng and the Free State. She added these two metros were responsible for 10% of the total local government budget and service delivery to 9% of the households in the country. 

ALSO READ: Mangaung Metro among municipalities in a dire financial position

The Mangaung metro is still under the national government's administration after failing to recover from its financial woes.

ALSO READ – #BreakingNews: Mangaung stripped of its powers by the national government

The metro was placed under administration in 2019  following its failure to perform the most basic functions of service delivery.

OFM News