THE South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in the Free State will hold its Provincial Members Assembly (PMA) in Bloemfontein on 26 and 27 November, as municipalities across the province face growing criticism over poor service delivery, failing infrastructure and financial mismanagement.
The assembly, bringing together political and administrative leadership from all municipalities in the province under one roof, comes at a time when many municipalities in the province and across South Africa are failing to provide basic services such as clean water, electricity and proper sanitation.
Public outrage has escalated, with communities staging protests over deteriorating living conditions and widespread allegations of corruption.
This year’s PMA, themed “Celebrating the Role of Local Government within the 30 Years of Democracy Towards Service Delivery”, will focus on addressing these governance failures.
Stakeholders, including representatives from the Free State Provincial Government, the House of Traditional Leaders, labour unions and academic institutions, are expected to discuss solutions aimed at stabilising local government operations.
“These sessions will provide a platform for dynamic dialogue, knowledge-sharing and strategic planning, all aimed at strengthening the state of municipalities in the Free State,” SALGA Free State spokesperson Thabang Sikisi said.
“Together, these discussions will address pressing topics at the heart of local governance and will set the stage for actionable outcomes that directly impact the people and communities served by SALGA’s member municipalities.”
The outcomes of the two-day assembly will be closely monitored, as municipal performance in the Free State has become a key indicator of the broader crisis facing local government in South Africa.
The Free State is divided into one metropolitan municipality and four district municipalities, which are further subdivided into 18 local municipalities. – Staff Reporter