A call for oversight was made during the Free State department of sports, arts and culture and the department of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs (Destea) budget vote sessions in Sasolburg on Tuesday (21/4).

Central to the discussions was the call of municipal stability, infrastructure development, and economic growth.

Finance, economic development, and tourism MEC Moses Ketso Makume opened the dialogue by emphasising that local governments must transform into investable entities.

Attendees at the budget speech vote on Tuesday (21/4) in Sasolburg. Photo: Free State Department of Economic Development and Tourism

Makume said the readiness of a municipality to host investors is directly linked to its capacity to maintain basic services.

“We need to clear our roads, repair infrastructure, to have water, electricity, and have stability,” he said.

Furthermore, he highlighted a current lack of stability in service delivery, suggesting the path forward requires a strengthened relationship between municipalities and the communities they serve.

The session also addressed specific concerns regarding stalled infrastructure projects. Mangaung DA mayoral candidate Werner Pretorius drew attention to the Smithfield Indoor Sport Centre, raising concerns about how the province manages large projects.

According to Pretorius, although R56m was set aside for the centre, the contract was recently cancelled because almost no work was done, warning the government must stop giving multimillion-rand projects to contractors who cannot finish the job.

Money should not be given to municipalities that lack the skills to protect buildings from vandalism, suggesting that successful municipalities should be rewarded, while those that fail must face consequences.

Adding to the call for reform, DA MPL David Edward Janse van Vuuren, chairperson of Public Works and Infrastructure in the provincial legislature, offered a view of the province’s state, noting the administration often waits for infrastructure to fail or unemployment to peak before initiating emergency interventions.

“After 30 years of the ANC in government, they are still riding on broken roads, sitting without water,” said Van Vuuren.

He concluded that the deteriorating state of the roads poses a direct danger to residents and remains the primary obstacle to achieving meaningful economic growth in the Free State.

OFM News/Refilwe Bekane sm

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