The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has issued a direct demand for the national government to declare a state of emergency for the local government sphere in the Free State, citing a systemic collapse in service delivery and administration.
The call came during a workers’ protest in the province, where marchers also demanded the removal of the mayor, municipal manager, and Chief Financial Officer of the Nala Local Municipality.
According to a news report from the scene, the demand for a state of emergency follows a recent assessment by the Portfolio Committee for Cooperative Governance, which found that most municipalities in the Free State are in a “dire situation.” The committee reported that these municipalities are failing to report properly to the Auditor General and are unable to provide basic services to residents.
On the ground, the Chairperson of COSATU in the Free State amplified these concerns, reading a memorandum that called on the Provincial Premier to personally come to the municipality and disband the council. The chairperson stated that the council has “failed the residents” and is incapable of making decisions.
The memorandum was accepted by a representative from the Premier’s office, identified as Mr. Mulai, who committed to delivering it to the Premier for attention.
The protest also highlighted the issue of casual workers within the provincial government, specifically in the health department. COSATU is demanding that these workers be given permanent employment.
Echoing the gravity of the situation, Mojalefa Msimang, Provincial Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State, addressed the marchers. Msimang confirmed that the Nala municipality is facing severe challenges of “political stability and administrative stability.”
He attributed the broader problems in local government to corruption, poor service delivery, and administrative instability, calling for a collective approach from the political alliance to “turn around things.”
Msimang also pointed to the system of outsourcing through tenders as a key failure, arguing that it leads to unemployment and prevents the government from building its own capacity to serve the public.
“The moment you privatize government, you are literally saying the private sector or private individuals must be the one that provide public services to our communities,” Msimang stated. “A tiny group of business people will be the one that their economic conditions will improve while majority of our people will be dying in poverty and unemployment.”
However, Msimang noted the SACP’s limited power to force change, stating that while the party plays a “critical role” in the alliance, the primary leadership responsibility for government rests with the African National Congress (ANC).
The demands from one of the country’s largest trade union federations and its alliance partner place significant pressure on the provincial and national government to address what is being described as a crisis in local governance in the Free State.
