Refilwe Mochoari
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Gregory Nthatisi has drawn a firm line against municipal neglect, calling for unity, accountability, and renewed civic responsibility.
Speaking to Journal News on the sidelines of the commemoration of the historic Waaihoek Wesleyan Mission Church — the birthplace of the ruling party — in Bloemfontein on Thursday, under the theme “Our Heritage, Our History,” Nthatisi said democracy belongs to the people and can only be sustained through collective action.
He emphasised the importance of residents paying rates and taxes, protecting public infrastructure, and ensuring that undisciplined officials are held accountable for poor performance.
Accompanied by the Free State Premier, MaQueen Letsoha Mathae – the mayor hosted members of the provincial religious community, bringing together leaders from faith-based organisations, traditional leadership and civil society.
“The people of Mangaung and ANC supporters must understand that this democracy belongs to them. They must join hands to ensure services are delivered. To sustain these services, residents must pay their rates and taxes. There must also be greater awareness that littering undermines cleanliness, and people should refrain from damaging municipal property,” said Nthatisi.
“We are committed to improving this institution to better serve its people. We will not tolerate officials who are undisciplined and fail to perform their duties. The days of the municipality neglecting its residents are over.”
The ANC, the oldest liberation movement in Africa, was founded on 8 January 1912 in Bloemfontein by John Langalibalele Dube, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Solomon Plaatjie and Walter Rubusana. The organisation was established to unite South Africans against colonialism and racial oppression, later leading the struggle against apartheid and governing the country since the advent of democracy in 1994.
He said the gathering in Waaihoek reaffirmed a fundamental truth: that democracy emerges from unity in diversity and can only be renewed in the same manner.
“Let us unite, gather and walk this liberation path together — not as separate entities, but as co-authors of a freedom that remains incomplete,” Nthatisi said.
Nthatisi described the occasion as a celebration for all South Africans.
“Thanks to the leadership of the ANC, which convened in this area to establish an organisation that paved the way for the democratic society we enjoy today, this site has been declared a heritage site rich in history.
“Together with religious denominations, social organisations, civic structures and democratic formations, we have chosen to converge here to start the year by reminding ourselves where South Africa comes from.
“We are reflecting on our origins, the roots of our democracy, and how we can move forward united — holding each other’s hands and celebrating our journey together,” he said.
Nthatisi said the Waaihoek gathering served as a reminder of the ANC’s historical role in shaping South Africa’s democracy and the responsibility shared by government and citizens to safeguard it. He called on communities, faith-based organisations and civil society to work together in renewing the country’s democratic foundations and advancing service delivery for all.
