The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) expresses deep concern and growing outrage over the continued deterioration of local government in the Free State, as confirmed by the Auditor-General’s latest report on Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and Masilonyana Local Municipality.

These findings, though alarming, only confirm what SAMWU has consistently raised that our municipalities are in crisis due to systemic governance failures, entrenched financial mismanagement, widespread corruption, the recycling of senior managers, the employment of incompetent personnel, and a disturbing lack of consequence management. These patterns have become entrenched across Free State municipalities, resulting in administrative paralysis, declining service delivery, and a complete erosion of public trust.

What is equally troubling is the role played by both the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA FS) and Provincial Treasury, whose repeated and ineffective interventions have done little to halt the decay. Their inaction and failure to enforce accountability mechanisms have made them complicit in the collapse of municipalities across the province.

Despite Mangaung being under national intervention since 2020, the municipality continues to operate in dysfunction with over R278 million in irregular expenditure and R123 million in wasteful expenditure, poor internal controls, and infrastructure projects delayed or abandoned. Meanwhile, Masilonyana has received disclaimer audit opinions for over ten years, with no substantial turnaround despite being placed under provincial administration.

The root of this failure lies not only in poor administration but also in the political shielding of underperforming and corrupt officials, often protected due to party loyalty rather than competence or ethical conduct as we have seen happening with Matjhabeng Mayor Khalipha. We must be clear that SAMWU is not opposed to cadre deployment. We recognise the right of a governing party to deploy individuals aligned to its policies. However, we demand that cadre deployment be based on merit, qualifications, and commitment to ethical governance and not political favour or factional alignment.

Municipal workers have been made scapegoats in a system that continues to reward the corrupt and punish the honest. Service delivery has collapsed, infrastructure is failing, and the workforce is demoralised, all while politically connected individuals evade scrutiny and accountability.

SAMWU demands:

1. Independent forensic investigations into financial misconduct and governance failures in Mangaung and Masilonyana.
2. A full skills and capacity audit, and professionalisation of senior appointments across all municipalities.
3. A national inquiry into the failure of oversight by COGTA and National Treasury, and the ineffectiveness of provincial interventions.
4. An immediate end to the recycling and protection of incompetent officials, regardless of political affiliations.
5. A commitment to merit-based cadre deployment, guided by transparent criteria and public accountability.

If decisive action is not taken, SAMWU will not hesitate to mobilise its members and communities to protect what is left of our municipalities. The culture of impunity must end, not only for the sake of workers but for the residents who depend on these institutions for basic services and dignity.

This crisis is no longer administrative but it is political, structural, and moral. It demands bold leadership and honest accountability.

Issued by SAMWU Free State Province

Thabang Tseuoa

Provincial Secretary 

0826209160

Or 

Sandla Mahlathi 

Deputy Provincial Secretary

0726580725