The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) strongly opposes the Mangaung Metro’s proposed water tariff hikes for the 2026/2027 financial year.
Such excessive increases are unacceptable in a metro where water losses are close to 48,6%.
According to the draft budget, households in the lowest consumption block (0 – 6 kl per month) face a massive increase of 46,83%, with tariffs skyrocketing from R13,28 to R19,50 per kilolitre.
In addition, the basic availability charge for residential properties will increase from R52,75 to R70,00. Business and industrial tariffs are set to rise by up to 22%, placing further strain on an already struggling local economy.
Although the bulk water supplier, Vaalwater, has applied for an 11% increase — which is also not acceptable — the average increase for households amounts to approximately 14%.
One of the root problems is water losses. Nearly half of the Metro’s water is lost due to illegal connections, unmetered properties, faulty water meters, severe leaks and decaying infrastructure.
Residents are left with no choice but to pay for the ANC’s years of decline and poor governance.
The Freedom Front Plus calls on residents to oppose these unjustified increases during the public participation process. The meeting will take place on 4 May 2026 at 16:00 in the Indaba Auditorium at the Bram Fischer Building, and written objections must be submitted on or before 4 May to Hansie.VanZyl@mangaung.co.za, Arrie.Bartnis@mangaung.co.za or Lehula.Reid@mangaung.co.za.
Do not allow these excessive tariff hikes to go unchallenged.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep taking decisive steps to oppose these increases, and residents’ participation will strengthen efforts to hold the Metro accountable.
The ANC’s constant lack of financial discipline and order weighs heavily on residents.
The upcoming local government elections offer residents the opportunity to vote for the Freedom Front Plus and bring about tangible improvement, starting at the polls.
FF+ Manifesto on Improved healthcare: Enhancing healthcare services for all citizens.
Beetle King
The last thing I want to do to you is to hurt you, but it is still an option
Noh Noh
Van is getting married, but he and his fiancee have never done the deed – in fact he\’s never been with any woman before. He\’s getting more and more nervous as the big day approaches, so he confides in his friend. His friend says \’No worries man. I\’ll come by the honeymoon suite before you guys get there, and I\’ll hide behind the curtain, and I\’ll whisper instructions to you.\’
\’You\’d do that for me?\’
\’Sure thing man!\’
So the wedding day arrives, it was a lovely service (so I was told, I wasn\’t there myself) and Van\’s friend sneaks into the honeymoon suite as promised and hides behind the curtain.
Van and his new wife arrive in the room, get settled on the bed, and things are getting steamy.
But Van is still super nervous and his tummy is bubbling, so he murmers to his wife, \’Listen babe, I\’m just gonna go to the bathroom quick. I think it\’s that wors roll from earlier.\’
\’Sure thing babe.\’
So Van goes into the bathroom, and he\’s taking quite a long time. And his wife is starting to feel the nerves herself. And it\’s getting worse. She can\’t hold it in. But she doesn\’t want to go after he\’s gone and totally ruin the mood. So she looks around and finally finds a shoebox. Quickly, she does her business in the shoebox, and she shoves it under the bed just as Van comes back from the loo.
Van gets back on the bed and they go at it again. But after a minute or so Van smells something not so lekker.
\’What\’s that smell?\’
\’Nothing babe,\’ he wife tries to assure him.
\’No man there\’s definitely something not so lekker in this room!\’VSo Van starts looking around the room, in the corners, in the cupboard, and finally he looks under the bed, and sees the shoebox.
He pull it out, and opens it up, and in horror he shouts \’Sies! Daar\’s kak in hierdie doos!\’
And from behind the curtain his friend yells, \’NEE MAN, DRAAI HAAR OM!\”