Agriculture minister Willie Aucamp, DA Free State leader Roy Jankielsohn, and other party leaders are expected to meet members of the farming community on Wednesday (7/10) and Thursday.

The engagements will focus on agricultural issues affecting farmers, businesses, and households. The party is also expected to highlight concerns about municipal service delivery, infrastructure, and governance.

The party said agricultural communities need municipalities that function effectively, with reliable basic services, well-maintained roads and responsible financial and political leadership. The programme forms part of the party’s engagements with communities and local leadership in the Setsoto, Moqhaka, and Nala municipalities.

During the campaign’s recent visit to Mangaung, DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said the party believes the metro presents an opportunity for political change, citing ongoing concerns about service delivery, municipal finances, and infrastructure.

Hill-Lewis said fixing Mangaung’s finances would be the first priority of a DA-led administration, followed by investment in basic services and infrastructure, and efforts to grow the local economy and create jobs.

“You’ve got to fix the finances because from the finances flows everything else,” said Hill-Lewis. “We’ve got to bring integrity back into government in Mangaung and have proper transparent systems and accountability.

“For a city to work, for people’s lives to get better, you’ve got to invest in the things that are actually the first and core job of a city, which is infrastructure. We will absolutely end cadre deployment and start appointing people on the basis of merit.

The party hosted an indoor rally at the Mangaung City Hall. Photo: Facebook/DA

“The poorer communities benefit the most from a working government, because there’s someone that answers the phone and actually comes and helps them when they need help. We will serve every community with integrity, with a heart and a spirit of service, and we will do our best for everyone.”

DA Mangaung mayoral candidate Werner Pretorius echoed the focus on political leadership, financial management and infrastructure. 

He said the municipality needs political will to deliver basic services, while arguing that roads, water infrastructure, and the electricity network require significant investment.

“Residents should see a municipality working for them every day, including potholes being repaired, parks maintained, streetlights fixed, and officials and political leaders responding to problems.

“We have to go back to the drawing board to ensure that our finances are corruption-free, that there’s no wastage, and that we actually utilise our grant funding from national government.

“We have to invest heavily in our bulk services, ensuring our roads work, securing water provision, and making sure people have water in their taps. We want residents to see a municipality working for them every day, whether that is filling a pothole, cutting grass in our parks, or responding to a power failure or water outage.”

The DA’s agricultural engagements will take place at the Senekal Town Hall on Wednesday, from 11:15 to 13:30, followed by a meeting at Die Kroon Boma in Kroonstad from 15:30 to 17:30. The programme will continue in Bothaville on Thursday (8/10) with an engagement at Louvre Gastehuis from 06:30 to 07:00.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame   cvdw

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