Frustrated by the Mangaung Metro’s inaction, residents often resort to land grabs, hoping for relocation to a suitable area.
DA councillor Thomas Ferreira said the DA will intensify its efforts to expose and pressure the metro to utilise allocated grants as intended Z ensuring housing and essential services reach vulnerable communities.
“The Mangaung Metro has seen a surge in illegal land invasions over the past years. Many individuals occupying land unlawfully cite the dire lack of housing and municipal services as their primary reason,” Ferreira said.
One of these informal settlements is Sejake in ward 15. Residents have waited for over 20 years for basic services.
At the Mangaung Council meeting on 31 January, the Auditor-General (AG) exposed shocking financial mismanagement. The Informal Settlement Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUPG) was underspent by 25%, amounting to R43 million, while the Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG) saw a 1.2% underspending, totalling R5 million.
The AG stated: “The inability of the municipality to properly manage its grant funding causes service delivery breakdowns, leaving the most vulnerable in our community behind.”
This is not the first time such underspending has been flagged.
These funds are specifically allocated to uplift informal settlers in places like Sejake, ensuring access to housing and basic services, as guaranteed by the South African Constitution.
“The DA will not stand idly by while millions meant for community upliftment are wasted.
“We will hold the municipality accountable, demand urgent corrective action, and ensure these funds are spent efficiently to improve the lives of those who need them most.”
