Speaking during a meeting with department of human settlements officials on Tuesday (14/7), MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, accompanied by human settlements MEC Saki Mokoena, repeated her call for government departments to prioritise Free State-based contractors when awarding tenders.

Her remarks build on commitments made during the National Council of Provinces oversight visit in 2024, when incomplete infrastructure projects in Mangaung and Matjhabeng came under scrutiny. Supporting local contractors would help revive the provincial economy and create opportunities for emerging businesses, she said.

Government officials nevertheless continued to award major contracts to companies from outside the province, Letsoha-Mathae said. Capable Free State businesses, particularly those owned by women and young people, should receive opportunities as principal contractors rather than merely serving as subcontractors, she said.

‘Empower women, youth of the Free State’

“We must empower the people of the Free State, particularly women and the youth. We must not merely appoint them as subcontractors, but as main contractors because they have the capacity. There was a time when women contractors won national awards for the work they did.”

Resistance from within government remained one of the biggest obstacles to implementing the priorities of the seventh administration, Letsoha-Mathae said. Some officials linked to earlier failures were still in the system and continued to frustrate efforts to empower businesses based in the province.

‘Empower residents, not companies from other provinces’

“Government finds itself in a serious mess because of some of the decisions taken previously, and some of the people who contributed to the challenges we are facing, are still in the system.”

Despite repeated calls to empower residents of the province, these officials continued to award major contracts to companies from other provinces. Their actions directly undermined the provincial government’s attempts to support local contractors and stimulate economic activity.

Human settlements inherited serious governance problems and resistance to reform, Mokoena said. Officials were confronting opposition from people who had benefited from the department’s dysfunction, but the administration intended to address the situation firmly and decisively.

“We inherited a mess and are currently sitting with a serious problem. We are facing resistance from beneficiaries of the rot that we find in the department, but we are going to deal with the situation decisively,” Mokoena added.

Leadership rooted in service to communities

Recently Free State speaker Mxolisi Dukwana warned about a growing culture of self-interest among some leaders. Leadership should be rooted in service to communities rather than personal gain, he said during an outreach programme in Botshabelo last week.

“It is them, their family and friends, and this is something that needs to be taught at an early stage, where you are able to be self-aware,” Dukwana said.

Free State human settlements MEC Saki Mokoena. Photo: Facebook

Once people became self-aware, they would understand that they did not exist solely for their own benefit but had a responsibility towards others. The African principle of shared existence placed communities above the pursuit of individual interests.

“The problem we have with young people is that they are living for themselves, and we are encouraging individualism. This is not something that belongs to us as Africans. Africans believe in living as a community,” Dukwana said.

‘Public office to benefit communities, rather than individuals’

Government had to restore a culture of servant leadership so public office would be used to benefit communities rather than individuals, he said.

Letsoha-Mathae warned that officials who continued to undermine the seventh administration’s resolutions would be held accountable. “I account to the people of this province. It is us, as leaders, who endure abuse and insults from angry communities. In fairness, those communities have every right to be angry because we, as leaders, made promises to them.”

“Therefore, if we do not deliver on those promises, our people will understandably be unhappy. That is why we will hold people accountable for decisions contrary to what we have promised our people. We can’t keep saying the same thing without any change,” she said.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cvdw

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