The Free State Province’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP’s) have completed the week-long Provincial Week programme in the province. The theme for the week was: “Assessing state capacity to respond to the needs of communities”.

The delegates were accompanied by Members of the Free State Provincial Legislature and focused on the provision of water and sanitation, infrastructure and related projects, as well as special economic zones. They visited selected sites in the greater Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, as well as Kopanong and Masilonyana local municipalities.

Various government departments and other agencies responsible for the projects were on hand at the sites to account on progress to the delegation. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs was one of these, as were the Free State Development Cooperation, Bloem Water and Sedibeng water board, as well as the South African Local Government Association and representatives from the municipalities where the projects are taking place.

The delegation was concerned about violations of Environmental Acts, as some water bodies were contaminated with raw sewerage. The delegation condemned in the strongest terms the absence of senior

Source: Government of South Africa