MANGAUNG, Free State — As South Africa gears up for the local government elections on November 4, with just 15 days to go, Mangaung service delivery challenges remain at the forefront of community concerns. In response to mounting frustrations over stalled basic services and severe infrastructure decay, Mangaung City Manager Sello More has outlined a comprehensive intervention plan, revealing that an estimated R4 billion is required to replace aging, leak-prone pipes across the metro.
The Crisis in Freedom Square and Ward 11
The spotlight is currently on Ward 11, particularly around Freedom Square, where residents have endured severe infrastructure failures. On-the-ground assessments have revealed a massive, uncordoned manhole and drainage issues situated directly next to a soccer field and a communications tower. Exposed electricity cabling and running water have created hazardous conditions, while severe potholes line the adjacent streets. These safety hazards were observed as early as 6:00 a.m. without proper barricades to warn residents.
Ward 11 Councilor Clement Sehloho acknowledged the community’s frustrations, noting that the area was once ironically dubbed “the waterfront” due to the sheer volume of water and sewage flowing through the streets. Sehloho confirmed that a project funded by the National Treasury is currently underway to diagnose and resolve the sewer network issues. He noted that workers from the service provider, Benitech, are on the ground and estimates the project will be completed in approximately three months, wrapping up by December.
While City Manager Sello More noted that raw sewage had been running through Freedom Square for about three years, a resident viewer highlighted that some streets in Ward 11 have experienced running sewage for up to 11 years, underscoring the depth of the historical backlog.
Safety, Sequencing, and the “Live Project”
Addressing the lack of safety cordons and coordination at the Freedom Square site, More acknowledged the massification of work in the area. He confirmed that the municipality has formally raised the issue with the service provider, instructing them to properly cordon off work zones to ensure citizen safety.
More explained the necessary sequencing of the repairs: the metro must prioritize fixing the sewer lines before repairing the roads. He explained that the raw sewage has the capacity to destroy the underlying road infrastructure, making it futile to fix potholes while the sewers are still compromised. Describing Freedom Square as a “live project,” More noted that the informal settlement’s rapid population growth has overwhelmed the minimal services initially provided to the area.
Broader Infrastructure Backlogs and Water Losses
Beyond Freedom Square, the broader Mangaung Metro faces a serious service delivery and funding backlog. More highlighted that while emergency sewer responses have improved to a 48-hour turnaround, the underlying infrastructure requires a massive overhaul. The metro has applied to the National Treasury’s Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) to tackle the sewer networks, particularly in township and informal areas, with the R4 billion estimate specifically targeting the replacement of old, susceptible pipes.
When questioned about the metro losing nearly 50% of its bulk water, More clarified the root cause. He explained that a significant portion of this loss is driven by illegal connections in informal settlements rather than just physical pipe leaks. To combat this, the metro is currently implementing 18 specific projects aimed at decreasing water losses across the city.
Budget Efficiency, Irregular Expenditure, and Accountability
Financial governance remains a critical concern, as the metro currently operates at 113% of its budget but reportedly completes only 50% of its service delivery targets. Furthermore, the Auditor-General has flagged R5.4 billion in irregular expenditure, with unauthorized spending dating back to 2016.
Defending the budget variances, More cited global economic factors, noting that events such as the war in Iran have severely spiked material prices, impacting project budgets even when initial allocations were accurate. However, he emphasized that the new administration is actively tackling wasteful and fruitless expenditure. The metro is currently engaging with the Auditor-General, National Treasury, and COGA to recover funds. Additionally, the council has written off some of the unauthorized expenditure, and new standard operating procedures have been implemented to prevent a recurrence of past financial mismanagement.
Looking ahead, More committed to accompanying the media in December to inspect the progress at Freedom Square and other selected projects. This provides residents with a tangible timeline to hold the municipality accountable and evaluate the real-world impact of these interventions ahead of the November 4 elections.
