By Teboho Moloi
BLOEMFONTEIN – Six Free State municipalities have failed to spend a combined R64 million allocated for disaster relief — money that now has to be returned to the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).
The funds were meant to assist communities affected by extreme weather events, including heavy rains in April that prompted the declaration of a state of disaster in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal on 27 May 2024. The storms of 7–8 April caused widespread damage to property and infrastructure, disrupted services, and claimed lives.
Provincial Cogta MEC Teboho Mokoena confirmed the funds remained untouched.
“We managed to secure disaster funding for municipalities over the past few years, but they failed to utilise it. Unfortunately, the people on the ground are the ones who suffer,” Mokoena said.
The municipalities that failed to spend their allocations are:
• Mangaung Metro – R13.5 million
• Matjhabeng – R10 million
• Metsimaholo – R10.5 million
• Dihlabeng – R5 million
• Mantsopa – R7.5 million
• Masilonyana – R25 million
This comes despite the province recently handing over new houses to Jagersfontein mudslide victims in Kopanong Municipality in August 2024. The unspent funds highlight persistent administrative and capacity failures in local government, leaving disaster-affected communities vulnerable.
