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Masilonyana municipality faces auction of its vehicles after court judgment

Published

The Free State municipality's assets include two Ford Bantam bakkies, two Toyota Quantums, a Nissan NP300, a Chevrolet Aveo and a mobile toilet. Acting Municipal Manager Zolile Lobe says the municipality is ready to negotiate a payment plan with a creditor.

Lobe said the cash-strapped municipality does not have the money to protect its assets. In his words: "We don't necessarily have the hard cash to do that."

The South African Municipal Worker's Union (SAMWU) said the municipality has repeatedly made payment agreements with creditors and later failed to honour them. The union also said there might soon be no municipality. Regional chairperson Tshepo Kobane said the fleet is a public asset, and the vehicles are meant to take workers to sites such as water pumps.

Kobane also said the municipality is under administration, so it should not face this while under intervention. EFF councillor Koloi Mokalolise said the situation worsens daily because of weak political leadership and a dysfunctional administration.

Opposition parties in the council said unpaid workers could take industrial action before the 2026 Local Government Elections. FF Plus councillor Willem Potgieter gave the election date as 4 November. DA Whip Marieta Visser said she hopes the election outcome will ease the municipality's financial problems.

Key facts

Who
Zolile Lobe (Acting Municipal Manager, Masilonyana Local Municipality); Tshepo Kobane (regional chairperson, South African Municipal Worker's Union in the Free State); Willem Potgieter (FF Plus councillor); Marieta Visser (DA Whip)
What
Municipal assets of the cash-strapped Masilonyana Local Municipality are set to be auctioned after a court judgment. The municipality says it is ready to negotiate a payment plan with a creditor, and SAMWU and opposition councillors raised concerns about service delivery and worker unrest ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
When
26 October 2026
Where
Masilonyana, Free State
Status
Reported

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