Stakeholders in Mangaung gathered at the Bloemfontein City Hall on Tuesday, 15 April, as the municipality hosted its first round of public consultations on the 2025/26 draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP), Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework, sectoral plans, and budget-related policies. The meeting focused on Zones 1, 4, and 5, with additional sessions scheduled in the coming weeks for other municipal zones.
The session brought together municipal officials, ward councillors, civil society groups, and community members to discuss key service delivery issues and provide input on the city’s strategic planning.
Concerns raised by stakeholders included the continued deterioration of road infrastructure, inadequate stormwater drainage systems, persistent water and sanitation issues, and poor overall service delivery in several wards. Residents also questioned delays in appointing an ombudsman, a post promised by the municipality to help resolve account disputes.
Municipal leadership assured residents that many of the concerns are being considered for inclusion in the budget. However, officials cautioned that limited funding may delay resolution of some longstanding challenges.
According to the Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM), the draft tabled budget for the next three financial years is projected at R38.4 billion, derived from property rates, trading services, and other revenue streams. Expenditure over the same period is estimated at R34.8 billion before transfers and balance sheet commitments. The city emphasised that the budget is expected to generate surpluses across the period, which are necessary for reinvestment in critical infrastructure.
The capital budget for 2025/26 to 2027/28 (three financial years?) is estimated at R4 billion, funded through internal revenues and conditional grants such as the Urban Settlements Development Grant and Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant, as set out in the Division of Revenue Bill of 2025.
MMM plans to recover lost revenue through newly proposed tariff increases (see table). The Chief Financial Officer emphasised the city’s firm stance on revenue collection, stating that outstanding municipal debt will be a key focus. She noted that the municipality will intensify its debt recovery efforts and warned that services will be disconnected for non-paying customers.
The city urged residents to review the budget assumptions and draft policies, which are now open for public comment. All documents, including the budget statement, capital allocations, and proposed tariffs, are available on the municipal website at www.mangaung.co.za and at all public libraries.
Submissions and comments can be sent via email to [email protected] until Friday, 2 May 2025, at 16:15.
Public meetings continue until 25 April in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu, with internal processes set to finalise the IDP and budget by late May. Bloemfontein Courant will provide further updates and a detailed breakdown of the IDP discussions in the coming weeks.
Proposed tariff increases from 1 July 2025 include:
- Electricity: 12.7% (in line with NERSA’s approved increase for Eskom)
- Water: 11% (as proposed by Vaal Central Water SOE)
- Rates, sanitation, and refuse removal: 4.4%
Justine Fortuin
