By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – The multi-billion-rand Gateway project in Maluti-a-Phofung, once hailed as a game-changer for job creation and local economic development, has hit turbulence following disruptions by an individual falsely claiming association with the development.
The project, expected to create nearly 30,000 jobs over the next decade, has been plunged into confusion, forcing the municipality and developers to hold an emergency stakeholder meeting and media briefing at the Phuthaditjhaba Environmental Centre on 2 September.
Executive mayor Malekula Melato, accompanied by the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Local Economic Development, Masechaba Lakaje-Mosia, council chief whip Moeketsi Lebesa and several councillors, sat down with Gateway executives to confront the escalating tensions.
Mayor Melato admitted the atmosphere around the project had been “contaminated” by a disruptive individual. “We cannot allow people with no formal mandate to interfere with a project of this scale,” she warned.
MMC Lakaje-Mosia echoed the concerns, highlighting gaps in communication and demanding that the Gateway steering committee provide clear, regular updates. She pressed the mayor to take decisive action. “We cannot gamble with investor confidence. A project of this magnitude must be protected from opportunism and misinformation,” she said.
Chief whip Lebesa questioned whether the municipality had done enough to involve all relevant stakeholders in formal engagements, including the disruptive individual. “Council must close the gap between Gateway and the municipality. Confusion is dangerous—it scares away investors,” he cautioned.
Gateway Chief Executive Officer, Godfrey Mahlatsi, underlined that the municipality remains the land custodian and a principal partner, together with the Free State Department of Human Settlements. He distanced Gateway from disruptive elements and stressed that the company would not hesitate to pursue legal action.
“Millions have already been invested,” Mahlatsi said. “We cannot compromise our relationship with the municipality because of a person who has no mandate. Investors cannot bring tools of trade into an environment riddled with crisis and confusion.”
Councillor Chicco Mkwanazi expressed frustration, dismissing the disruptive individual’s relevance. “This person is not a councillor, not a traditional leader, not a mayor. There’s no need for court battles. They must simply be told not to set foot on the construction site,” he said.
Gateway Chief Operations Officer, Tshediso Leotlela, sought to restore calm by outlining clear project structures. He confirmed the existence of a steering committee to manage communication and guide engagements. He also revealed that Gateway was strengthening security at the site and tightening recruitment systems to ensure fairness and transparency.
A community database of skilled workers is being compiled, with future opportunities to be openly advertised. Leotlela acknowledged local demands for fairness, saying the company would consider the raffle system, already popular in the community, alongside skills-based hiring.
“We will prioritise qualified individuals. At present, work is focused on building road networks and sewage infrastructure, which are critical to unlocking further development,” Leotlela explained.
The Gateway project, billed as one of the largest developments in the Free State, has a long-term horizon of 10 to 15 years and is designed to transform Maluti-a-Phofung into a regional economic hub. Beyond the construction phase, it is projected to sustain tens of thousands of jobs.
Closing the meeting, Mayor Melato reiterated her commitment to ensuring youth benefit directly. “This project is dedicated to young people. We will make sure that skilled and educated youth access opportunities when Gateway advertises posts,” she said.
For now, both the municipality and developers face the urgent task of safeguarding the project’s credibility and investor trust, ensuring that disruptive voices do not derail a development many see as Maluti-a-Phofung’s gateway to prosperity.
