The metro’s Economic Development and Spatial Planning MMC, Sarah Mabotsa, recently called out the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) for poor management of the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market during their tenure.

This was in response to a statement published by the FF Plus on October 6, titled Fresh produce, rotten contracts at Tshwane Fresh Produce Market.

In the statement, FF Plus Councillor Peter Meijer alleged that while transparent contracts and proper tender processes are yet to be implemented, this has a significant impact on farmers, traders and consumers who depend on a functional market.

The FF Plus called for a forensic investigation into all contracts and legal costs incurred since the disputes started, as well as a long-term strategy for managing the market that is sustainable, fair, and economically viable.

Mabotsa had labelled the party’s claims as criticisms of their own work, and that they [metro] have been totally compliant with the High Court’s order.

“The Freedom Front Plus are stupidly criticising their own poor work and lack of oversight whilst they were part of the previous DA/FF Plus coalition government of Tshwane.

“The FF Plus statement relates to a High Court order which instructed the City of Tshwane to undertake several maintenance works at the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.

“This instruction was for the previous DA/FF Plus coalition government to implement. The recent court judgment found that the City of Tshwane was in contempt regarding that 2022 judgment – that is, work that was supposed to happen years ago under the DA/FF Plus coalition,” Mabotsa said.

Mabotsa alleged that under the previous administration, the city was dragged into debt and received a qualified audit report from the Auditor-General (AG) for 2023/24.

“Last year, under the DA/FF Plus coalition, the AG warned that Tshwane had dug itself into so much debt that it was now no longer a going concern, since debts outweighed assets.

“Today, a year under the new multi-party coalition of which GOOD is part, the City of Tshwane is out of the red and back in the black,” she said.

Mabotsa listed what the current administration has done regarding the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market.

She stated that the metro has met with the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (Imasa), and is working to improve relations.

She said she wishes to improve the poor relationship that Imasa had with the previous coalition, which resulted in several legal cases being instituted by Imasa against the previous administration.

She added that increasing market funding for the 2024/25 financial year to improve operations and approving the Tshwane Market Precinct Plan in August were also important steps towards improving the Imasa-Tshwane relationship.

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