Cape Town: Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae has announced initiatives aimed at improving the provision of basic services such as water, electricity, and refuse collection by municipalities within the province. Delivering the State of the Province Address (SOPA), Letsoha-Mathae highlighted ongoing efforts to address the challenges faced by municipalities in delivering essential services.
According to South African Government News Agency, Letsoha-Mathae expressed concern over the condition of the municipalities, which are struggling with maintenance of water treatment plants, collapsing electricity infrastructure, and lack of refuse removal. She emphasized the need to enhance the professionalism of local government and assist municipalities in implementing the Municipal Staff Regulations to promote a development-oriented local administration.
Premier Letsoha-Mathae detailed measures such as supporting the development of municipal staff establishments, reviewing competency assessments, and ensuring compliance with the Municipal Systems Amendment Act of 2022 for permanent appointments of Section 56 Managers. The deployment of competent managers and technical officials is also ongoing to boost service delivery.
In a recent meeting with the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, provincial authorities and municipal officials discussed strategies to ensure municipalities meet their financial commitments to Eskom. Ten municipalities are partaking in the Eskom Debt Relief Programme to settle current accounts, with the provincial government advocating for compliance and financial discipline.
The Free State is also tackling water issues with a R1.4 billion commitment from the Department of Water and Sanitation to enhance water supply, quality, and upgrade treatment works across the province.
On the housing front, Letsoha-Mathae pledged to improve housing, security, and comfort, aiming to integrate communities nearer to opportunities. Key projects include upgrading the G-Hostel in Welkom and Dark and Silver City Development in Bloemfontein, alongside converting hostels into family units. The province surpassed its target by servicing 6,878 sites in informal settlements and greenfields, significantly exceeding the planned 3,652 sites.
Efforts to improve rural living conditions involve replacing mud houses with proper structures in Thabo Mofutsanyana District and Mangaung Metro, alongside delivering government-subsidised housing to meet community needs. Letsoha-Mathae emphasized the ongoing invitation for contractors to complete historically incomplete houses through a competitive bidding process.