Mangaung opposition parties are fuming after they were allegedly left out of a much anticipated planned meeting with the Minister of Cooperative Governance (Cogta)  on Wednesday (25/10).

Irate opposition parties including FF Plus and DA councillors were left out of a meeting with Minister Thembi Nkadimeng yesterday. She was here for an oversight visit about the progress made by the national intervention team in the Metro.

The opposition alleged Nkadimeng met with all ANC councillors in the council except opposition parties. 

FF Plus councillor Elizabeth Snyman Van Deventer slammed this and said it undermines the opposition parties. "The FF Plus strongly condemns the undermining of democracy yet again by ANC by preventing opposition councillors from engaging with the minister. It is clear that the ANC wants to prevent opposition councillors from informing the minister about the true state of affairs in Mangaung.”  

DA Mangaung Caucus chairperson David Masoeu said the act by speaker Lawrence Mathae had taken them by surprise and described it as unfair to the opposition.

“It is a bit surprising maybe it is deliberate because if the meeting was cancelled and the minister is still around, why didn't they inform us? It is important that as councillors of Mangaung Metro we all make contributions in terms of what has happened regarding the intervention,” Masoeu said.

EFF councillor Baba Sebolao said at the eleventh hour Mathae who now occupies the seat of a speaker position informed them that the meeting was cancelled. He said there were no reasons why the meeting was cancelled.

“We took strong exception to this behaviour of the minister that she will come here and be partisan to address ANC councillors without involving us the opposition parties. This is not correct because we have serious problems in Mangaung,” Sebaloa said.

OFM News previously reported that an entourage of cabinet ministers is set to descend upon Mangaung Metro to assess the state of affairs.

The metro is under national government administration following years of failing to deliver basic services to residents and also failing to improve its financial standing.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane