The African National Congress (ANC) in Mangaung metro in Bloemfontein says it’s not worried about the decline in the number of its council seats.
The ANC in Mangaung Metro has managed to retain control of the council. This is despite the service delivery problems raised by residents.
ANC retains control of Mangaung Metro
Earlier this year, residents shut down the city to express their frustrations over poor services. The establishment of the metro police fuelled the already ongoing tensions but was later halted through the intervention of the national treasury.
Despite the drop in seats, the party says it appreciates the gesture of confidence from the electorate.
ANC Interim Provincial Committee Spokesperson. Oupa Khoababe says: “The drop in the number of seats is not a worrying factor, I think a motivating factor more than anything else is the confidence that the electorate has shown in the ANC that ensure that the ANC still controls this municipality of Mangaung. And we think that motivation will inspire the ANC to improve service delivery more.”
The DA does not believe the ANC will change
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung metro intends to keep a close watch in council and monitor how the ANC will run the municipality.
David Masoeu, the DA Caucus leader, says they do not believe the ANC will change.
“The other thing is we don’t think that ANC will change much in Mangaung Metro in terms of service delivery. The poor service delivery will continue because the same people that brought down this municipality will probably be elected again in other words the same personnel but different term,” says Masoeu.
EFF to focus on fixing the issue of high tariffs
Free State Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial secretary, Bosanku Msimanga says they will prioritise fixing the issue of high tariffs.
“We want to use the percentage that we have acquired in Mangaung municipality to ensure that we basically use Eskom services and disband CENTLEC. Two: We want to return the dignity of Mangaung to be what we know as City of Roses,” says Msimanga.
FF PLUS to focus on consequence management
The FF PLUS member of parliament Tammy Breedt says an internal audit to root out corruption in the metro will be effected.
“There are few things that FFP and our councillors in Mangaung will focus on. The first one is consequence management. To have staff of the municipality to have the employees actually do their jobs. Those that are not doing their jobs, those that have been found guilty of severe negligence – they need to be addressed, consequences management need to take place,” says Breedt.
The ANC Interim Provincial Committee with members of the National Executive Committee are meeting to deliberate on the mayoral candidates including that of the executive mayor of Mangaung.
LGE 2021 | Analysis of the 2021 Local Government election:
