ORANGEVILLE – An ongoing debate on the R5 Million proposed landfill construction for the people of Metsimaholo Local Municipality, has seen the State of the Municipal Address halted and set to resume on Monday.

This is after the mayor of the embattled municipality in the Free State, delivered his budget speech for 2023/2024, which still awaiting approval.

On Monday, June 5, gathered at Orangeville community hall, councilors from different opposition parties debated one point on the mayor’s speech, which took the entire day without conclusion.

Despite several service delivery issues and successes touched on, the landfill took center stage.

The popularized R5 million project left the mayor with a headache when the majority of councilors, having been led by the African National Congress said they won’t vote for the budget approval until the mayor explained the need for million for a dumping site.

Addressing the council, ANC’s Mosiuaoa Poho said the municipality can’t afford to throw money in the garbage when it can be allocated elsewhere.

“Our people are struggling; young people are unemployed and services are not rendered in our communities. I still don’t understand why we should take R5 million and throw it to waste when we can allocate it elsewhere for the services of our people. As the ANC, we will not grant our vote to approve the budget, until the mayor explains to us, what the millions will be allocated for (referring to the processes of the construction of the landfill site),” he said.

Meanwhile, Economic Freedom Fighters Tibisi Motaung emphasized Metsimaholo township’s uncleanliness.

“Our townships are the dirtiest. There is no street without papers, and dumping sites are everywhere. When you are claiming good governance as the DA, why are you unable to keep our areas clean?” he asked.

The council sitting has since been moved to Monday, June 12, to the continuation of the debate on the landfill debacle and the approval of the budget.