Another beleaguered FS municipality earmarked for administration

Another beleaguered Eastern Free State municipality is earmarked for administration. Cooperative governance spokesperson Ntai Mokgitli says MEC Sisi Ntombela will recommend that the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality, which includes Harrismith, Kestell and Phuthaditjhaba, be placed under administration. Violent protests have rocked the municipal area over the past two weeks. The community demands better services, such as continuous power and water supply. They also demand that the mayor, Vusi Tshabalala, resign. The DA announced earlier this week that they wrote to Ntombela to intervene urgently. According to legislature member Leona Kleynhans, the municipality is bankrupt - they owe Eskom more than R2 billion and the water board almost R240 million. Last April, Cogta placed the Mafube municipality, which includes Frankfort, Villiers and Tweeling, as well as the Masilonyana municipality, which includes Theunissen and Brandfort, under administration as well. - Nomaqhawe Mtebele /OFM News