Another Free State municipality has been dealt a huge blow after failing to settle its debt of R24 million with service providers.

The Kopanong Municipality, based in Trompsburg, has once more made headlines for all the wrong reasons after the recent scathing judgment by the Free State High Court, ordering its account to be attached. The struggling municipality failed to pay or settle the 2012 legacy debt running into R24 million to the Municipal Workers’ Retirement Fund and others.

“Poor leadership and a lack of accountability have led this municipality to collapse whilst leaving residents on the periphery. Residents in this municipality have endured a lack of services for years, including poor or non-existent water supply,” said Rise Mzansi Free State convener Nomsa Marchesi.

The municipality has a 30% water supply cut from Vaal Central Water, formerly known as Bloem Water. “This is because it owes the water board over R500 million. The debt to the water utility has gradually increased. In 2020, the municipality owed the utility more than R300 million. The debt grew in 2021 to over R400 million and in 2022 … to over R500 million.”

Furthermore, the municipality failed to pay workers’ salaries in January 2024, while February is also looking bleak. In August 2021, the account of the municipality was yet again attached owing to similar reasons. The last time the municipality paid salaries was in December. Last year workers spent two months without being paid until December.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg