Municipality under administration continues to fail residents as infrastructure crumbles
Matjhabeng Local Municipality is facing fierce criticism for planning to spend more than R1 million on an investment summit this week, whilst basic services continue to collapse and residents endure weeks without refuse collection.
The financially distressed municipality, currently under provincial administration for failing to pay water and electricity bills, will host the summit on 16 and 17 October despite a mounting service delivery crisis affecting thousands of residents.
Refuse collection has been suspended for over four weeks because workers lack personal protective equipment (PPE). In Odendaalsrus, water leaks reported in August continue to flow unabated, whilst the municipality enforces “water shedding” due to non-payment to the Vaal Central Water Board.
Residents regularly endure electricity cuts because there are insufficient supplies to repair the network, and sewage overflows persist in residential areas. The municipality’s Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) highlights that failure to read meters has resulted in consumers being billed based on estimates, with over 1,200 water meters awaiting replacement in Odendaalsrus alone.
These failures contravene court directions that the municipality prioritise service delivery and sustainability.
Lavish Spending Under Scrutiny
Dr Igor Scheurkogel, Member of the National Council of Provinces—Free State Permanent Member (DA) and Deputy Chairperson of the DA in the Free State, condemned the spending priorities.
“Simultaneously, Matjhabeng appears to be spending lavishly on events and advertising. Whilst the concept of attracting investment is commendable, previous summits have not yielded tangible results, and Matjhabeng’s financial health has deteriorated to the point of compulsory provincial intervention,” he said.
“It is deeply troubling that over R1 million has reportedly been spent merely on advertising for this event whilst workers lack PPE, refuse remains uncollected, and water infrastructure is collapsing.”
Dr Scheurkogel argued that allocating scarce funds to summits and mayoral imbizos instead of addressing essential services contradicts cost-containment measures prescribed in the FRP and defies court orders.
The FRP requires reducing unnecessary expenditure and increasing revenue collection to address the municipality’s financial crisis.
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