The community of Khotsong-Bothaville in the Free State has reached a boiling point, taking to the streets to protest poor service delivery and demanding the removal of top leaders in the Nala Municipality. The protest has brought the town to a standstill, with roads barricaded and schools and businesses forced to close.
At the heart of the protest are allegations of corruption and mismanagement against the municipality’s mayor, municipal manager, and chief financial officer. Residents are frustrated with the lack of progress in addressing their needs, citing nine months of missed council meetings and unfulfilled promises.¹
Community members are fed up with the poor state of services, including filthy water and flooding in homes. One resident expressed their anger, saying, “Our councillors don’t take us seriously. We no longer want the mayor, municipal manager… they must leave.” Another resident added, “Our services here are not up to standard. Now it’s raining, and our houses are flooded. Our municipality is failing to provide adequate services.”
Despite attempts to engage with the councillors, community leaders say they’ve seen no tangible solutions to the problems plaguing the municipality. Recently, the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Saki Mokoena, visited the area to address some of the challenges, but residents remain skeptical about real change.²
The protest is a clear call for accountability and better governance in the Nala Municipality. As one community leader, Thabiso Nteso, put it, “We’ve been protesting and knocking, looking for answers… but seemingly to date, there’s never been a person coming to us with tangible solutions.”
