BLOEMFONTEIN – In able to attract investors, cities and towns must be clean and infrastructure must work.
This was among others the message of president Cyril Ramaphosa when he and members of the national cabinet visited the Free State on Thursday 26 March and Friday.
In a news conference at the University of the Free State on Friday, Ramaphosa said local government is now the weakest link in government architecture.
He and cabinet ministers met with provincial government and mayors of the Manguang Metro as well as district municipalities to do oversite.
This is part of a nationwide visit to all the provinces and the Free State was sixth on the list.
“In 2025, 35 out of the country’s 257 municipalities were in distress and 63% were classified as at risk. May municipalities are practically paralysed by poor governance.”
He referred to the state of the nation adress where one of the focus areas was in strengthening local government. One of the means do this, is to ringfence citizen’s payments for utilities.
“The minister of finance says in many instances money that citizens pay for utilities, are used for other means such as sararies. If this money is not ringfenced and are used for the utilities it is meant for infrastructure collapse. Residents then stop paying for that which they do not get.”
Ramaphosa said many minicipaliteis are practically paralized by poor governance.
Referring to investment opportunities, he used the example of Ethiopia. “I have travelled to Addis Ababa many times and I think it possibly now the cleanest city on the African continent. As a result, investors are flooding to Addis Ababa and high rises are appearing everywhere. Employment is created and traders move to the city.
“If municipalities want investment, the city must be attractive and infrastructure must work,” he said.
Roy Jankielsohn, leader of the DA in the Free State, said that the president must move beyond symbolic engagements and ensure that concrete steps are taken to restore governance, rebuild infrastructure, and deliver essential services to the people of the Free State.
“Across the province, roads have deteriorated to unacceptable levels, posing risks to both motorists and economic activity. Critical infrastructure continues to decay, with little to no accountability for failed maintenance and incomplete projects. Municipalities remain dysfunctional, plagued by poor governance, financial mismanagement, and an inability to deliver even the most basic services,” Jankielsohn said in a news release on Thursday.
“Water shortages and unreliable supply have become the norm in many communities, while sewerage systems are collapsing, leading to raw sewage spilling into streets, rivers, and residential areas. These conditions are not only undignified but pose serious public health risks.”
Jankielsohn says these failures are not incidental. “They are the direct result of years of neglect and mismanagement under the ANC as the governing party. Despite repeated promises and interventions, conditions on the ground continue to worsen, and communities are left to bear the consequences.”
Ramaphosa also visited the Dark and Silver City Housing Project in Bochabela that was started in 2011 and is still an empty shell. When it was developed, it had stoves and electrical and water fittings, but all was stolen since and the project has never housed any residents.
The Housing Project is among several previously stalled developments that have been plagued by prolonged delays. The delays stem from a myriad of challenges, including contractor abandonment, capacity constraints, and financial mismanagement. As a result, the project has now been prioritised as part of a renewed provincial drive to fast-track the completion of unfinished capital infrastructure.
Letsoha-Mathae outlined decisive interventions to accelerate the completion of unfinished projects across the province. She emphasised the urgent need to address the persistent challenge of contractors who abandon projects after receiving payment, leaving behind so-called “white elephant” developments that undermine service delivery and public trust.
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