Mangaung is officially no longer a municipality in freefall, as the City gears up for a major infrastructure and financial rebound. This projected turnaround is backed by massive multi-billion rand budget injections, as presented by Executive Mayor, Gregory Nthatisi, in his State of the City Address on Thursday at the Bloemfontein City Hall.
Nthatisi unveiled a fully funded 2026/2027 Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework budget that firmly positions the Metro on a path of institutional recovery and stability.
The centrepiece of the revitalisation plan is a massive R8.2 billion allocation dedicated exclusively to water and sanitation over the next three years. This alongside a substantial R15 billion medium-term boost for electricity utility CENTLEC.
These funds are set to drive aggressive infrastructure recovery programmes, including vital upgrades to the Maselspoort Water Treatment Works, alongside extensive renewals for roads, stormwater systems, and waste management.
Mayor Nthatisi highlighted that Mangaung’s turn-around strategy is already yielding tangible results on the ground, noting that emergency response systems now successfully resolve nearly 90% of reported water leaks within a swift 48-hour window.
This progress is supported by the City’s comprehensive Financial Recovery Plan, which has successfully stabilised administration through robust revenue collection drives, debt incentive schemes, and billing reforms.
Beyond service utilities, the metro's growth strategy is expanding into major community developments, with new housing projects officially slated for Botshabelo, Lourier Park, Selosesha, and Wepener.
While opposition benches, including EFF councillor, Deliwe Malebo, raised concerns regarding current tariff adjustments and lingering service challenges.
“The ANC wants the people of Mangaung to believe this is a developmental budget, but the lived reality of our people tells a completely different story,” Malebo said during the Council debate.
Nthatisi, nevertheless, remained resolute that the groundwork for a lasting turnaround has been successfully laid.
Reflecting on Mangaung’s proud history as the heartbeat of South African democracy since 1912, Nthatisi emphasised that his administration chose implementation over rhetoric to secure the city's future.
“We chose institutional recovery over political grandstanding. We chose stability over chaos. We chose implementation over rhetoric,” Nthatisi stated.
He confidently assured council that the next administration will not inherit a calamity, but rather a stable municipality primed for growth and consolidation.
“The next administration will not inherit an institution in collapse. It will inherit a municipality undergoing recovery and requiring consolidation,” Nthatisi said.
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