Bethlehem residents are raising alarm over the neglected container park project in Dihlabeng, which has been left abandoned and vulnerable to vandalism. The DA has expressed deep concern over the state of the site and its impact on the local community.
During a recent oversight visit, DA officials were shocked to find the container park completely unmonitored and unprotected, resulting in extensive damage to infrastructure intended to support local businesses and create employment opportunities.
“This is not merely negligence; it is serious mismanagement actively destroying public assets funded by taxpayers,” Cllr Sello Makoena of the Dihlabeng Municipality has stated.
The party has announced plans to demand a formal forensic investigation into the project, insisting that the municipality immediately secure the site and account for every rand spent. The party also warned that the matter would be escalated to the relevant provincial oversight authorities if action was not taken.
Makoena says public funds were allocated to the container park to stimulate economic development and improve livelihoods in the community. Instead, the lack of oversight has left the project at risk of collapse, eroding trust in local governance.
According to the Municipal Systems Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act, municipalities are legally required to protect, manage, and account for public infrastructure and finances. The party says the Dihlabeng Municipality has failed in this duty.
Residents are now calling for transparent governance and responsible management to ensure that infrastructure projects genuinely benefit the community, rather than being left to decay.
